IMAX caps flagship superhero releases to select international markets, reshaping opening-week strategies
Lead: IMAX Corporation told investors on February 25, 2026, that two tentpole Marvel titles—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday—will have only limited IMAX rollouts, largely in a handful of international territories rather than across the US IMAX network. That fine print matters: premium-screen access affects ticket pricing, marketing hooks and the perception of these movies as “event” releases.
What happened
– Source: IMAX investor presentation, Feb. 25, 2026.
– Titles affected: Spider-Man: Brand New Day; Avengers: Doomsday.
– Scope: Restricted IMAX availability in select international markets; limited presence across many U.S. IMAX auditoria.
Why this matters
IMAX isn’t just a screen type—its brand is a marketing accelerant and a revenue multiplier. When major releases appear widely in IMAX, studios gain higher per-screen grosses, louder publicity and a prestige signal that drives ticket sales. Pulling back IMAX exposure narrows that advantage, fragmenting how audiences experience a film and complicating forecasting for opening weekends.
Immediate commercial consequences
– Revenue: Fewer IMAX screens typically mean lower premium-ticket income in affected markets and reduced per-theater averages.
– Marketing: Studios lose a built-in promotional asset (IMAX branding, trailers cut for large-format screens) and must decide whether to concentrate marketing where IMAX runs or rebalance global campaigns without the IMAX hook.
– Exhibition: Cinemas without IMAX slots may see audiences migrate to standard shows or competing premium formats, and chains with limited premium auditoria must prioritize who gets the marquee dates.
How IMAX exclusivity works (and why it can squeeze others)
IMAX exclusivity usually combines technical and commercial levers: a film labeled “Filmed for IMAX” or shot on IMAX cameras often gets priority booking on the company’s largest screens. That concentrated allocation highlights IMAX’s image-and-sound advantages but reduces available premium auditoria for other titles. Past examples—most notably IMAX’s extended engagement for Oppenheimer—show how one title can dominate scarce premium dates and crowd out competitors.
Regulatory and contractual risks
Allocating scarce premium screens selectively can invite scrutiny from competition authorities when it effectively forecloses rivals or distorts local markets. Studios and exhibitors need to:
– Review exclusivity clauses and territorial restrictions in distribution agreements.
– Keep contemporaneous business justifications for preferential allocations.
– Negotiate clear screen-allocation windows to limit legal exposure and commercial surprise.
How the 2026 slate was affected
– Spider-Man: Brand New Day lost broad US IMAX access after IMAX prioritized Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the first Hollywood film shot entirely with IMAX’s newer cameras. The choice narrowed Spider-Man’s premium footprint during opening weeks.
– Avengers: Doomsday faced clashes with Dune: Part Three for premium auditorium inventory, limiting exhibitor flexibility and concentrating box-office risk onto fewer screens.
Practical moves for studios and exhibitors
Studios
– Negotiate explicit IMAX screen-allocation windows and tied marketing support.
– Secure contingency arrangements with other premium-format chains (large-format cinema partners, premium LED screens).
– Factor premium-screen availability into release calendars—camera choices and branding now carry distribution consequences.
Exhibitors
– Monitor local premium capacity data to anticipate bottlenecks.
– Maintain flexible programming so non-IMAX showings can absorb ticket demand without significant revenue loss.
– Document admissions shifts and commercial impacts when premium allocations are limited.
Lead: IMAX Corporation told investors on February 25, 2026, that two tentpole Marvel titles—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday—will have only limited IMAX rollouts, largely in a handful of international territories rather than across the US IMAX network. That fine print matters: premium-screen access affects ticket pricing, marketing hooks and the perception of these movies as “event” releases.0
Lead: IMAX Corporation told investors on February 25, 2026, that two tentpole Marvel titles—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday—will have only limited IMAX rollouts, largely in a handful of international territories rather than across the US IMAX network. That fine print matters: premium-screen access affects ticket pricing, marketing hooks and the perception of these movies as “event” releases.1
Lead: IMAX Corporation told investors on February 25, 2026, that two tentpole Marvel titles—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday—will have only limited IMAX rollouts, largely in a handful of international territories rather than across the US IMAX network. That fine print matters: premium-screen access affects ticket pricing, marketing hooks and the perception of these movies as “event” releases.2
Lead: IMAX Corporation told investors on February 25, 2026, that two tentpole Marvel titles—Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday—will have only limited IMAX rollouts, largely in a handful of international territories rather than across the US IMAX network. That fine print matters: premium-screen access affects ticket pricing, marketing hooks and the perception of these movies as “event” releases.3