Imax and mega circuit AMC Theatres revealed on Tuesday an expansive agreement to grow a longstanding partnership and deploy Imax With Laser technology across more than 180 Imax auditoriums at AMC sites across the United States.
Already one of the largest Imax operators globally and the largest in the United States, AMC will now boast the world’s largest number of laser locations. The agreement marks the largest such systems pact Imax has signed in the U.S. since 2018.
Under the agreement, AMC will also add twelve new Imax locations and upgrade an additional 68 locations to Imax With Laser.
“Throughout the United States and around the world, filmmakers and moviegoers hold the Imax brand in such high regard as a premium theatrical spectacle, which is reflected both in the success that AMC and Imax share together, and in Imax’s extensive content catalogue,” AMC Entertainment chair-CEO Adam Aron stated in revealing the pact.
Added Imax CEO Richard Gelfond, “With this agreement, the world’s largest exhibitor is doubling down on Imax — a powerful validation of our efforts to strengthen our technology, expand our content portfolio, and cement our position as a global platform for awe-inspiring experiences.” He added that the new deal will allow more AMC customers to enjoy “the best of what Imax has to offer — from Universal City to Lincoln Square, and everywhere in between.”
AMC hosts eight of the top ten highest grossing Imax locations in the U.S. Additionally, AMC’s Odeon Cinemas Group is Imax’s largest partner in Europe, with four of the top five highest grossing Imax locations in Europe.
AMC says the expanded partnership marks another significant step in its commitment to invest in technology and premium experiences. The chain is the largest movie exhibition company in the U.S., the largest in Europe and the largest throughout the world with approximately 900 theatres and 10,000 screens across the globe.
Imax, headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai, operates more than 1,807 Imax systems, including auditoriums at 1,735 commercial multiplexes, 11 commercial destinations and 61 institutional sites across 90 countries and territories.
Imax’s technology and cameras are a favorite of filmmakers, including Avatar director James Cameron and Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski, who praised Imax’s technology during a panel Tuesday at CinemaCon, where he’s promoting his upcoming F1 movie, starring Brad Pitt and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.