When you buy an IMAX ticket, the studio gets a big slice of the money, but IMAX itself takes a cut too before the theater keeps the rest. This setup helps explain why those giant screens stay in business.
IMAX works by partnering with theaters around the world. They install special projectors, screens, and sound systems that make movies look and feel huge. In return, IMAX shares in the ticket sales from those screens. For more details on their global partnerships and revenue streams, check out this research page from martini.ai: https://martini.ai/pages/research/IMAX-4925e5fe807f7bd5b0d9f6023e0c627f[5].
The key part is revenue sharing. On blockbuster movies, IMAX can take 40 to 55 percent of the total revenue from their screens during strong years. That means out of every ticket sold in an IMAX auditorium, a large chunk goes back to IMAX first. This comes from their “IMAX Technology Network,” which reported record box office numbers thanks to hits that draw crowds. Learn more about how this revenue split powers their business in this breakdown: https://portersfiveforce.com/blogs/how-it-works/imax[3].
Before IMAX grabs its share, the studio already takes the biggest piece. Movie studios like Warner Bros. or Disney negotiate deals where they get 50 to 60 percent of gross ticket sales in the early weeks of a film’s run. This is standard in the industry, and premium formats like IMAX boost those numbers because tickets cost more, often $20 to $25 each. IMAX screens pull in 4 to 6 times more per screen than regular ones on opening weekends, which means fatter shares for everyone involved. See the data on those high per-screen averages here: https://portersfiveforce.com/blogs/marketing-strategy/imax[2].
So picture a $25 IMAX ticket. The studio might claim $12 to $15 right off the top. Then IMAX takes its 40 to 55 percent of what’s left, leaving the theater with maybe $5 to $10, plus any snacks you buy. Theaters push IMAX hard because it packs seats and lifts overall sales, even after the cuts. Rising ticket prices, projected to average nearly $42 by 2025, make these shares even juicier amid higher production costs. This article covers those price trends: https://www.oreateai.com/blog/the-rising-cost-of-movie-tickets-what-to-expect-in-2025/2b992dea64d6e8c3667e076463ab6a29[4].
IMAX’s cut fuels their growth, with strong stock gains tied to more theaters and blockbusters. After a 50 percent rally, their business model looks solid thanks to these ticket shares. Read the full assessment here: https://www.sahmcapital.com/news/content/assessing-imax-after-a-50-rally-and-strong-premium-theater-expansion-in-2025-2025-12-25[1].
Sources
https://www.sahmcapital.com/news/content/assessing-imax-after-a-50-rally-and-strong-premium-theater-expansion-in-2025-2025-12-25
https://portersfiveforce.com/blogs/marketing-strategy/imax
https://portersfiveforce.com/blogs/how-it-works/imax
https://www.oreateai.com/blog/the-rising-cost-of-movie-tickets-what-to-expect-in-2025/2b992dea64d6e8c3667e076463ab6a29
https://martini.ai/pages/research/IMAX-4925e5fe807f7bd5b0d9f6023e0c627f
