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For Sale Mar 28, 2026 at 3:05 AM

What is the best true imax theater in the world?

Posted by bobbdac7894


Watched Project Hail Mary at universal citywalk today. Lincoln square is the only other true imax theater I watched a movie at. Honestly, don’t see much of a difference between Lincoln square and citywalk. But made me wonder what is considered the best imax theater. I heard the one in Australia has the largest screen.

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SerOctopusDayne Mar 28, 2026 +159
The IMAX in Melbourne is the world's largest 1.43:1 screen. Book the furthest row back as possible, otherwise you're arching your neck up for 2+ hours.
159
Kietha Mar 28, 2026 +74
I booked late for Dune 2 while the F1 was on in Melbourne and had to sit up the front. Super sore neck and the screen was so big it was as if shai-hulud was eating me.
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dangermouse13 Mar 28, 2026 +31
I watched interstellar there. Read the setting map backwards and accidentally booked the 1st row. Was not fun.
31
Madgoober Mar 28, 2026 +1
Did you drown when they went to the water planet
1
zatalak Mar 28, 2026 +1
One hour in this theater feels like seven years for their neck
1
Shatter_ Mar 28, 2026 +1
I watched Dune 2 at the Sydney one and it blew my metaphorical face off. Can’t imagine a larger one.
1
la838 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Still super sad Sydney decided to knock what was the largest 1.43:1 screen in the world down. At least now I plan Melb trips around when the next good 70mm screening are.
1
VoodooChile344 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Saw Interstellar there in the front row and it was actually kind of awesome
1
AntAir267 Mar 28, 2026 +1
My idiot ass former roommate would intentionally buy us IMAX tickets in the 3rd row because he liked when it "looks really big."
1
Darce-vader Mar 28, 2026 +1
I didn’t know it was the biggest!I have tickets to see the Odyssey there in July
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Notimeforthat1 Mar 28, 2026 -4
I think your knowledge is outdated: https://variety.com/2021/film/news/worlds-biggest-imax-germany-1235075173/
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thedecclz Mar 28, 2026 +16
That’s a 1.9:1 theatre.
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[deleted] Mar 28, 2026 +49
[removed]
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sinkwiththeship Mar 28, 2026 +13
Sucks that Lincoln Square is the only real IMAX in NYC. We basically had to give up on trying to find tickets to Project Hail Mary there.
13
cthd33 Mar 28, 2026 +3
They just added new showtimes from Apr 16-22. Good luck.
3
dnt4gt2brng4Twl Mar 28, 2026 +1
Good call, was finally able to find a decent seat. How'd you see they posted more showtimes?
1
cthd33 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Postings on r/imax and r/NYCmovies
1
[deleted] Mar 28, 2026 +2
[removed]
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sinkwiththeship Mar 28, 2026 +1
We gave up and are just going to Essex on Sunday. Still excited to see it, but bummed it's not the big big screen.
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[deleted] Mar 28, 2026 -2
[removed]
-2
SciGuy013 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Boy? Why the quotes?
1
imref Mar 28, 2026 +27
The Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum in Virginia near Dulles Airport is spectacular. Six story screen. https://www.si.edu/theaters/airbus
27
FireWrath9 Mar 28, 2026 +1
The seats kinda suck and the popcorn is mid tho, but it is my favorite in the DMV. the regal king of prussia or the amc universal citywalk are better imo.
1
fawnguy Mar 28, 2026 +1
watching Top Gun here was a religious experience
1
rankispanki Mar 28, 2026 +16
Traumpalast in Germany.
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_DrEmmettBrown Mar 28, 2026 +1
Specifically the Traumpalast in Leonberg, near Stuttgart. They advertise it as the biggest IMAX screen in the world: 39 x 21 meters. Dune Part 2 and Top Gun Maverick there were one of the best cinema experiences I've ever had
1
Hordearius Mar 28, 2026 +21
Dunno about the world, but in the Seattle area, I think the Seattle Center has the best IMAX experience. At 6-stories tall, it's an IMAX like nothing else in the area. Lincoln Square's screen is big but not giant‑format - it’s a multiplex IMAX, not a classic tall IMAX screen. Edit: I wasn't aware of the Lincoln Square IMAX in NYC - I was referring to an IMAX of the same name in a Seattle suburb!)
21
cthd33 Mar 28, 2026 +10
I forgot there was also a Lincoln Square IMAX in Seattle. We usually talked about the Lincoln Square in NYC.
10
SpliffyKensington Mar 28, 2026 +1
That’s ok, Bellevue doesn’t count
1
SPEK2120 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Every day for the past month or so I’ve been internally panicking that the new Space Needle ownership is going to f*** it up. The fact that they expedited “updates” to happen while Project Hail Mary is out (because, ya know, why would you want to prioritize showing a big space movie at a science museum) is not a reassuring start.
1
KhonMan Mar 28, 2026 +1
Pacific Science Center you mean?
1
Falkien13 Mar 28, 2026 +23
There's a Jordan's furniture store in Massachusetts that has one of the best IMAX experiences I've ever been to. They have memory foam seats and true stadium seating where your feet are at the head of the person below you and your head is at the feet of the person above you. I saw Tron there in a brand new laser 3D system that they purchased that was absolutely bonkers 3D it made that movie a million times better.
23
ThisMySideBitch Mar 28, 2026 +1
Watched the Dark Knight there and thought every imax would be like that
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HotTaeks Mar 28, 2026 +1
God I love the Reading Jordan’s. Had my mind blown by Dune 2 three times there. Also had my mind blown by this furniture store with New England’s biggest IMAX screen and also a fountain and light show, a rope obstacle course, an ice cream shop, a jellybean store, the last remaining Fuddruckers in the northeast, and a giant Wally the Green Monster. Something surreal to leave Arrakis after a matinee and then have to exit through a furniture showroom.
1
bakgwailo Mar 28, 2026 +1
So there's actually 2 of them. The one in Reading is what you want as it's the latest dual 4k projectors, 80' 1.43:1 screen, have the butt kickahs, and everything. The other one is in Avon and has a smaller screen and single digital projector. That said, if you want real film iMax, then you need to go to Providence as it's the last one left north of NYC.
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ispeprules Mar 28, 2026 +2
Don't forget about the butt kickahs!
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LetDouble471 Mar 28, 2026 +3
Detroit has a 1.43 dome imax lol it’s mostly used for science documentaries. Occasionally they’ll do a movie.
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djdark01 Mar 28, 2026 +1
I saw Watchmen there, was so awesome
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AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +25
Technically, IMAX with 70mm film is the best screen in the world (resolution, luminosity, aspect ratio etc). It’s over 16k resolution, 4x the highest resolution Imax digital screen (Imax laser GT). Very few left. BFI IMAX in London is one of the few that also does day-and-date major cinema releases. Saw Interstellar there. While my view of the film has degraded over time, in that format it’s a religious experience.
25
jinkyjormpjomp Mar 28, 2026 +13
BFI is a filmmaker favorite for us. When we have actual 70mm IMAX films, that’s always a destination.  Other than that: Odeon, also in London. Then it’s AMC Lincoln Square in NYC. Universal Citywalk is too cramped, not a fun way to watch a movie. And TCL Chinese is a dumpster fire. Cavernous audio, no low frequency, screen shakers are visible behind the screen as white squares in bright scenes (because they’re not moving during film presentations), and anytime a patron enters or leaves, light spills onto the screen.
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AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +7
Agreed on the Chinese and Citywalk. Though if I remember correctly Odeon Leicester Square (their London flagship) isn’t IMAX 70mm, or any imax at all but regular Dolby vision. The bigger problem, despite whatever tech’s there, is audience civility. It’s simply not worth going when half the audience is gabbing and on their phones and endlessly rustling shit in bags. Broadening the criteria to “best cinema experience in the world” for me it’s Toho Shinjuku in Tokyo (screen 10). The one with the giant Godzilla head on top. Legendary screen for 50+ years, always updated to the best tech. They have a museum with signed photos from Spielberg, Coppola etc. And Japanese audiences are pin drop silent, zero phone usage. It’s aways a religious experience. I literally bought a house 10 minutes walk away so I could watch movies there lol
7
bobbdac7894 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Doesn’t Christoper Nolan do his test screenings at universal citywalk? And I think he does secret screenings with filmmakers in that theater. I think it is a good theater to watch 70mm imax films
1
masterfain Mar 28, 2026 +1
It’s great as far as visuals go, but I can say as someone that just saw a sold out PHM showing on Wednesday their critique on it being too cramped is accurate.
1
dec7td Mar 28, 2026 +7
Tempe Arizona has a 70mm IMAX. Is it that rare?
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AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +1
Very rare. If you’re nearby, you’re in luck!
1
dec7td Mar 28, 2026 +1
Yeah it's like 15 minutes from me. Saw Oppenheimer there and it was great. Should go watch more
1
AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +1
Anything shot on Imax 70mm (it’ll say on the poster) go watch it
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champagnefloppy Mar 28, 2026 +1
I’ve seen Oppenheimer, Dune pt 2, and weirdly enough Civil War at the BFI IMAX. 2 out of 3 were what I’d classify as religious experiences. If I’m planning a trip to London I always try to see what’s playing there, it’s worth it.
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AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +1
BFI is also one of the very few cinemas (outside of Japan) where the audience profile typically shuts up and respects the movie. I used to love going there.
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bakgwailo Mar 28, 2026 +1
The Providence Mall theater still has a 70mm imax projector - only one left north of NYC.
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Omnitographer Mar 28, 2026 +1
On the resolution though, something like PHM is going to have a lot of VFX so that extra filming resolution is lost unless the digital intermediates are also at that high resolution. A purely analog workflow is the only way to get the full experience of true IMAX.
1
FireWrath9 Mar 28, 2026 +1
I saw oppenheimer and dunkirk in 70mm film, and to me not worth the trek over imax GT.
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Turtleneck420 Mar 28, 2026 -6
70 mm film is overrated imo, its grainy. Honestly i prefer watching a movie without it
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AiboTokyo Mar 28, 2026 +1
Depends on if the film is shot natively in 70mm film or digital. Gravity for example was shot on digital, so it’ll look better on a digitally projected screen. Anything recent from say Chris Nolan or Denis Villeneuve is shot natively on 70mm Imax film, and trust me if you see it in one of the few remaining true 70mm Imax screens it’s incredible. It’s over 16k, 4x the resolution of the best digital screen (Imax laser GT). For the remaining 90% (Project Hail Mary etc) Imax laser GT is the best image quality there is.
1
bakgwailo Mar 28, 2026 +1
Afaik, Dune 1&2 were mainly shot digitally and finished digitally. Villeneuve did, however, do a 70mm imax print of it from the digital master. I believe dune 3 will be using imax film, though.
1
westgate141pdx Mar 28, 2026 +1
Can attest this Hail Mary in 70mm film was excellent. The colors and the bleed are just so pleasant especially up close.
1
Elfich47 Mar 28, 2026 +1
You'd want something originally shot and then shown in 70mm. The Hateful Eight is a good example of this.
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bakgwailo Mar 28, 2026 +1
Film grain can be great. That said, imax 70mm doesn't have to be grainy, and, in fact has to this day the highest resolution of anything (by far) and brightest colors among many other bonuses.
1
General-Brick-2558 Mar 28, 2026 +3
honestly, it’s tough to say what's the best since it depends on personal prefs, but yeah, the one in Australia is massive. i’d also say the TCL Chinese Theatre in LA is sick for the experience, too.
3
2dudesinapod Mar 28, 2026 +1
The omnimax theatre at the Ontario science center is insane. F*** Doug Ford. The dual laser theatre Scotiabank theatre downtown Toronto is also very good. I think it surpasses 15 perf imax in my opinion.
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jrn024 Mar 28, 2026 +1
The Cinespehere was also sick at Ontario Place. But he closed that one too. Oldest permanent IMAX theatre in the world. F*** Doug Ford.
1
Mr_Tigger_ Mar 28, 2026 +1
Without going to every IMAX in the world, gonna be rather subjective. Arndale in Manchester is exceptional though and true IMAX rather than lie-max
1
TheMancYeti Mar 28, 2026 +1
Meant to be seeing Hail Mary there this week hopefully. Last thing I got to see there was Jaws and it was a pretty unreal experience.
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Mr_Tigger_ Mar 28, 2026 +1
Saw Oppenheimer in 70mm there and the Trinity test was insane, while the rest of the movie was a total waste of the technology honestly. Just folks talking in rooms...... Magnificent story but not for IMAX
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TheMancYeti Mar 28, 2026 +1
Haha, yeah could see that being a waste. Only bad experience I had there was falling asleep during Force Awakens. Dunno how I did that.
1
Aduialion Mar 28, 2026 +1
San Francisco metreon is 70mm. Phm was really enjoyable and adapted the book in all the right ways, but after watching it in Imax I wouldn't recommend someone go out of their way to watch it in Imax. To me about 10% of the experience was enhanced by being in imax
1
Notimeforthat1 Mar 28, 2026 +4
Y'all gotta go to Wikipedia because this thread only has one commentator giving the right answer: Germany
4
Kahzgul Mar 28, 2026 +1
RIP the cineramadome in Hollywood. Absolutely massive imax screen and incredible sound. Not sure what’s going on with it since the arc light theaters shut down.
1
Extension-System-974 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Regina Saskatchewan!
1
superdupermensch Mar 28, 2026 +1
City Wok have best City Imax!
1
WJMcCr Mar 28, 2026 +1
Victoria BC Canada 🇨🇦 has the best IMAX theatre you will ever experience. It’s at the Royal BC Museum. Six stories tall screen, 5K laser projection and the most incredible sound system. This is an amazing experience unlike any you’ll experience in the world.
1
freetable Mar 28, 2026 +3
Does inside the Sphere in Las Vegas count?
3
IgloosRuleOK Mar 28, 2026 +19
Given the fuckery they have to do the project conventional films on it (eg that Wizard of the Oz monstrosity), I'm gonna say no.
19
iwishihadnobones Mar 28, 2026 +3
They can show normal films fine. They just want more of a 3d experience, so they add AI nonsense to enlarge the screen.
3
Pohrawg Mar 28, 2026 +4
Fuckery?! You have obviously never seen this in person because its f****** awesome.
4
firedog7881 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Oh come on don’t you know you’re supposed to shit on things you know nothing about?
1
wild_h0rses Mar 28, 2026 +2
No
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SpliffyKensington Mar 28, 2026 +1
If you’re going to the imax to see a live phish concert, sure. 
1
Fakerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Mar 28, 2026 +1
A little town call Melzo, near Milan in italy have one ofnthe best set up in the world. Ceck cinema Arcadia. https://www.cinematografo.it/riflettori/esercizio-riuscito/tecnologia-allavanguardia-e-cinema-come-esperienza-ecco-perche-larcadia-di-melzo-e-tra-le-migliori-sale-in-europa-la-nostra-inchiesta-bhno7bcp
1
Fools_Requiem Mar 28, 2026 +1
The one in the Space and Air Museum in DC (assuming they still do movies there, I don't know what changed post COVID).
1
ZBadNeutrino Mar 28, 2026 +1
https://lfexaminer.com/theaters/
1
enjoyourapocalypse Mar 28, 2026 +1
Doesnt matter the Dome was better
1
KoBeast24 Mar 28, 2026 +1
The OG Sydney IMAX.
1
JLixxx Mar 28, 2026 +1
I saw Oppenheimer in 70mm in Nashville at opry mall and it was special. Indianapolis history museum has 70mm screenings too but I haven’t seen any there. Not the biggest screen but better than some of the tiny digital ones around Chicago 
1
the_chandler Mar 28, 2026 +1
I honestly hate the IMAX at Universal Citywalk. The seats are stacked in so high and tight making it both uncomfortable and impossible to get out to the restroom without inconveniencing a number of people in your row. I’ll skip the 70 IMAX and just relax in the recliners in Dolby.
1
FrankMiner2949er Mar 28, 2026 +1
The Glasgow Imax near the Science Museum is 24 by 18 metres. It might not be the biggest, but at least it's within travelling distance of me. It used to be great when it first opened because it banned food and drink. Nowadays it's as smelly and sticky as every other movie theatre
1
ramriot Mar 28, 2026 +1
If by IMAX you mean the original [IMAX 70mm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMAX?wprov=sfla1) then it is a small number & all the original ones are here in Canada (the three best specified are around Toronto at Ontario place, Scotiabank Theatre & Vaughn Mills). There are many that espouse bigger screens, or better sound systems or even convertibility between IMAX & Omnimax (spherical done IMAX). The things to look for wherever you are are IMAX 70mm with laser illumination & Danly Sound Labs or Dolby ATMOS sound.
1
I_LOVE_PAWGS702 Mar 28, 2026
Pooler, Georgia had a 2 story IMAX screen. Shit was crazy
0
AbiesIndependent3365 Mar 28, 2026 +1
Project Fail Mary is a waste of a good IMAX screen. Dreadful film 🎥 🎞
1
LordBuddah Mar 28, 2026 -7
Omnimax > IMAX
-7
clhodapp Mar 28, 2026 +2
Perhaps if you're watching educational or non-narrative content that's made for it, but it's definitely not the greatest format to watch a traditional Hollywood film on.
2
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