Old Classics, New Screens: IMAX Turns to Legacy Films to Fill Theater Gaps — An Editorial by LW Ghost

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As a passionate cinephile, I’ve noticed an increasing trend over the past few years: the dominance of large format releases, spearheaded by giants like IMAX, in the box office success of megahit movies and blockbusters with stunning special effects. It seems as if there’s a constant construction of larger screens and an eagerness among filmmakers to release their productions in these audience-pleasing, high-priced venues. These experiences undeniably overshadow the joy of watching large screen home videos, where many of us have spent countless hours revisiting our favorite films.

However, due to this situation, studios and exhibitors have faced intricate scheduling challenges, especially during summer and holiday periods when there’s limited availability for large screens. The initial release is often displaced within a matter of weeks, or even days, by the next film in line. The landscape keeps evolving, and the success or failure of big-budget films remains uncertain due to the lack of a foolproof scheduling method so far, with many strategies proven unsuccessful.

Yet, while the epic battles of blockbuster movies on the silver screen dominate headlines, they overlook a more significant query: As the peak production release season subsides, what will become of these expensive-to-visit yet costly-to-construct venues when they lack fresh content to satisfy the cravings of cinema enthusiasts for novel sights and sounds?

As we move forward, various innovative ideas are emerging. Once the summer concludes and children return to school, we can assess their effectiveness.

Here at TPP, our goal is to keep you informed about the latest cultural trends. To achieve this, we’re excited to give you a sneak peek into some large-scale movies that are being prepared for release as early as September and beyond. These films should help bridge the gap until the year-end holidays arrive (and if they turn out to be successful, similar ideas might be developed during the quieter post-New Year’s release period in the spring too).

As a movie enthusiast, I find myself drawn to an intriguing concept: sometimes, the true gem isn’t a freshly-minted film, but instead, a timeless classic that didn’t get its due in the grandeur of IMAX when it initially graced our cinema screens.

In 1995, director Ron Howard recounted the harrowing story of Apollo 13, a mission to the moon that was ultimately saved by American resourcefulness and courage. This year marks its 30th anniversary, and to celebrate, a never-before-seen, full IMAX version will be screened on massive screens from September 19th to September 25th.

Previously, due to format restrictions and technology limitations at that time, a substantial portion of the original full-length version of the movie had to be removed when it was shown in IMAX. However, now the entire film, complete with its impressive special effects and powerful Saturn 5 launch sequence, is set to thrill audiences (and likely boost popcorn sales) throughout North America.

There are numerous other films from recent history that would be ideal for adaptation, and as many beloved movies reach significant milestones, the opportunity to share these stories with both old and new audiences in the communal setting of a theater rather than just on a personal home screen becomes more plentiful.

Essentially, this represents a fresh perspective on the “Fathom” versions of operas and concerts that once filled gaps in programming, but have since grown significantly, both literally and metaphorically, into full-blown events. It’s likely that we’ll witness numerous iterations of such events moving forward.

In August, we’ll have the chance to revisit some beloved films like “Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar” and “Black Swan” in IMAX. To mark director Darren Aronofsky’s new movie, “Caught Stealing,” “Black Swan” will be preceded by it a week later. The “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies are also coming back to IMAX for a re-release. The “Spider-Man” films will return, including a 4k version, and the classic “Jaws” is making its comeback on August 29th with the witty tagline “We’re gonna need a bigger screen.

Even though popular movies have moved from theaters to home streaming doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t be shown again on IMAX. For instance, F-1 is making its way back to IMAX screens soon, and is expected to draw in more viewers due to being removed from large format screens by subsequent releases. Additionally, concert and documentary films featuring artists like the Grateful Dead and Prince are scheduled for release later this year as well.

Absolutely, these brief runs – ranging from a week to several weeks – are quite beneficial not just for theaters, but also for IMAX Corporation, as they share in the substantial box office earnings. It’s worth noting that this trend will boost the revenues of IMAX screens located within museums and aquariums as well. Originally dependent on short nature documentaries, these screens now have the opportunity to showcase Hollywood’s mainline IMAX productions, leading to an increase in their income streams.

Regardless of how you look at it, classic films and new releases are being revitalized through IMAX expansions, which is likely to keep these expensive theaters busy even during the off-peak seasons for a long time. Interestingly, another theater trend involves adding more commercials to pre-shows, meaning that these timeless classics might carry more extra content than they ever had in their initial screenings.

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2025-07-26 18:59