GoKawiil
Tech News
IMAX operates roughly five distinct theater formats, and the IMAX Dome is among the lesser-known ones, historically branded as OMNIMAX before being renamed in the 1990s. Some institutions, such as the Saint Louis Science Center, still use the OMNIMAX name, and the format is typically found in science museums and educational centers rather than standard cinemas.
The Traumpalast Leonberg cinema in Baden-Württemberg, Germany holds the Guinness World Record for largest movie screen by surface area, at 127 feet wide and 69 feet tall. But that title applies to IMAX's digital format, which uses a 1.90:1 aspect ratio and is criticized by purists as inferior to the taller, squarer 1.43:1 15/70mm film format that IMAX enthusiasts consider the true premium experience.
Lucasfilm announced that the original 1977 Star Wars will debut on IMAX 70mm on February 19, 2027, marking its 50th anniversary, using a newly restored print of the unaltered original cut rather than the digitally remastered version. The upcoming film Star Wars: Starfighter will follow on IMAX screens starting May 28, 2027, exactly 50 years after the franchise's first theatrical release.
IMAX auditoriums use distinct 1.90:1 or 1.43:1 aspect ratios for digital and film projection, resulting in screens that are notably taller and squarer than standard cinemas, some reaching nearly 60 feet tall for 70mm showings. Filmmakers like Christopher Nolan note that shooting for IMAX means capturing more visual information and carefully planning framing so movies translate across different screen shapes, rather than simply blowing up existing footage.
Interest in true IMAX screenings has surged with Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, but not all theaters bearing the IMAX logo offer the same experience. Some venues feature massive 1.43:1 screens using 70mm film or dual-laser projection, while others are simply converted multiplex auditoriums with smaller, wider screens. This disparity has fueled the derisive nickname 'LieMAX' among moviegoers since 2009.