For movie followers of all types (even those who make their dwelling within the cinematic arts), going far afield to see a movie in a singular format is one thing of a badge of honor. Take into account this anecdote shared by Phoenix Theatres proprietor Cory Jacobson and VP of Venture Growth Jordan Hohman: earlier this 12 months, an worker of their Midwest-based regional theater chain drove all the best way from Cleveland, Ohio to the Lincoln Heart theater in New York Metropolis in an effort to see “The Brutalist” projected on 70mm. That’s over 450 miles.
Choices to see Brady Corbet’s movie on the most important display screen or in that premium movie inventory have been extraordinarily restricted within the Midwest — even for individuals who work at theaters — with most needing to journey to the Music Field in Chicago to also have a likelihood at seeing a film that manner.
With Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” on the horizon, Phoenix Theatres is now seeking to put in its personal 70mm projector at one among its 9 places. Already the theater being transformed has newly-added heated recliners, a black field aesthetic, and waterfall curtains, all to make the expertise for that very film and others past it distinctive within the area.
“You’re providing one thing that’s actually extraordinarily uncommon. And likewise, I feel it’s wanted by a youthful clientele who’s intensely ,” Hohman advised IndieWire.
It’s no shock that for a few of these occasion titles, seeing it in the most effective format potential isn’t simply the easiest way, it’s the solely manner. IMAX and Premium Massive Format screens, or PLFs, account for less than a fraction of the whole theaters within the nation, however can typically drive a good portion of the field workplace income on a given film. It’s grown quite a bit since COVID, when many exhibitors took benefit of darkish, empty theaters to do some much-needed renovations.
However how a lot do they actually matter to a film’s total success? In some circumstances, competitors for placement on these screens can get fierce. When a film like Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” live performance was a shock launch that took over theaters and screens with minimal discover, distributors have been pissed, and field workplace for just a few titles suffered.
Within the case of “Oppenheimer” two years in the past, which had a lockdown on IMAX screens and nearly all of different PLFs, it aggravated not solely Tom Cruise, who misplaced these premium screens for Week 2 of “Mission: Unimaginable — Lifeless Reckoning,” but in addition Warner Bros. and “Barbie,” which needed as many showtimes as potential on any display screen (don’t fear, that one did positive). And regardless of Netflix management frequently slagging on theatrical, the streamer is giving Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” film a particular IMAX launch, and now rival studios will doubtless tiptoe round that movie’s launch date if they need their very own screens.
“Consciousness is a really arduous factor for individuals to return by as of late, and something you are able to do to get that edge is significant,” mentioned Adam Rymer, Chief Industrial Officer at Regal Leisure. “Past what you used to really feel prefer it was only a dialog round spectacle kind movies, when you consider Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, the place you have been getting individuals out to see one thing that was what felt like an enormous, everyone must see this sort of a title, it’s now making use of to much more movies.”
PLFs is a catchall time period for lots of screens and codecs that aren’t created equal. Trade varieties use it to confer with movies proven in 35mm or 70mm, in Dolby Atmos, or on mega, 65-foot screens, but it surely additionally consists of theaters outfitted with issues like Display X (which extends the picture alongside the perimeters of the theater), 4DX (mainly an amusement park trip whilst you’re watching a film), or in Regal’s RPX showings, that are haptic suggestions seats that some exhibitors colloquially name “Butt Kickers.” Cinemark, Regal, and smaller chains have their very own proprietary PLF screens, and IMAX, whereas nonetheless technically a big format supplied for a premium up cost, doesn’t wish to lump itself in with different PLF choices.
That’s as a result of IMAX has its personal particular tech, and IMAX largely chooses for exhibitors what motion pictures play on their screens, which is why some theater house owners select to go their very own route and have the choice to combine and match. Jacobson mentioned on their Dolby Atmos screens they have been in a position to zig whereas others zagged, getting strong outcomes from placing “The Black Telephone 2” and the “Again to the Future” re-release on the PLFs whereas others have been caught with the fizzling “Tron: Ares.”
Sean Gamble, CEO at Cinemark, mentioned in a current earnings name that PLFs have been an enormous type of progress for the business since 2019. However he mentioned the income they carry in nonetheless solely accounts for 15 % of the whole field workplace. And since the one motion pictures typically taking part in on these screens are the most important new releases and have a better value level, they’ve made the field workplace’s restoration these previous few years look greater than it truly is.
On a movie by movie stage, in addition to theater by theater, PLFs will be immensely essential. Hohman says that at Phoenix Theatres, 29 % of their screens are PLFs, however they generate 40 % of their attendance. Dave Corkill, who leads the California-based CinemaWest chain, mentioned 30 % of his theaters’ attendees are coming in particularly for these specialty manufacturers.
IMAX every week proudly touts the proportion of field workplace their 400 screens in North America alone generate for a given movie’s opening weekend. In 2025, 4 completely different motion pictures that opened above $30 million on the home field workplace noticed 20 % or higher of their whole haul come from IMAX. “One Battle After One other” and the re-release of “Avatar: The Approach of Water” this 12 months additionally did 20+ % in IMAX however didn’t open as excessive. As was the case the final couple of years, the general home field workplace was down, 11 % 12 months over 12 months this previous quarter, however IMAX was up 29 %.
One studio supply we spoke with certified these claims somewhat. Not all motion pictures stay and die by being on the most important display screen potential, and he’s not dropping sleep if he doesn’t have as many 3D showings of his film than that of a rival distributor. He additionally explains that when a film makes 15 % of its field workplace by way of IMAX, it’s not as if the film would have grossed 15 % much less total if it was on no IMAX, even when IMAX would like to say that cash was solely due to them. These are the most important blockbusters of the 12 months, and whereas the whole is perhaps much less with out IMAX and its premium up cost, the field workplace gross will discover a manner.
That hasn’t stopped studios from plastering the IMAX brand on all its advertising and marketing supplies or placing out literal punch playing cards of all of the completely different premium methods you possibly can see a film like “One Battle After One other.” Simply having your film related to IMAX or different PLFs offers it some status, and the studio exec agreed there’s no denying that audiences are voting with their pockets to get the upper high quality expertise, packing seats on the highest value level first earlier than different cheaper showings replenish.
The demand then for these experiences from each shoppers and studios has gone manner up. Corkill says his firm’s objective is to “seize on to each premium format that’s out there now,” all as a part of an enlargement undertaking by way of the center of subsequent 12 months. He’s seen his repeat visitors who first select Display X then attempt one thing in 4DX on the following go to, and it’s an expertise he desires to duplicate.
“What we’re making an attempt to do as an organization is put sufficient manufacturers underneath the roof of our constructing that we create a repetitive film goer that wishes to exit to the flicks, and if one thing doesn’t occur to be in a premium format, we wish to create the will to proceed to return to the movie show,” Corkill mentioned.
There’s a hen and egg dilemma although: it’s expensive to justify placing in an upgraded display screen at an underperforming theater. It’s simpler to justify it in an enormous metropolis, however more durable when it’s the suburbs and also you even have to put in and keep them.
“We’re being very cautious about how we develop them and seeing the place the demand is on an area theater-by-theater foundation so we are able to proceed to seize that demand on the studio facet,” Rymer mentioned.
Regardless of the dimensions of the display screen, there’s challenges dealing with exhibition and distributors alike. Exhibitors nonetheless consider that it’s not a difficulty of too few PLF screens however too few motion pictures to placed on them. Distributors would counter that the recognition of PLFs show the multiplex expertise has sucked for too lengthy, and if they’ll go away their home and skip streaming, they’re going to need the most effective.
“How can we promote the premium format screens with out taking something away from our commonplace screens. As a result of what we get involved about occurring is individuals really feel like the one solution to see one thing is in these premium codecs and that an ordinary display screen isn’t thrilling sufficient,” Rymer mentioned. We do attempt to steadiness that facet of it as properly, of actually ensuring we’re advertising and marketing the expertise of going to a movie show no matter what it’s that you simply’re seeing.”
