Overview
- A BFI IMAX ticket drop on Friday sold out in under 30 minutes with tens of thousands queued online, and the venue reported virtual‑queue spikes that briefly crashed its site.
- Only a tiny number of theaters can run true IMAX 70mm—about 25 in the U.S. and roughly 41 internationally—creating acute scarcity that drives rapid sellouts and long waits for seats.
- Exhibitors responded by extending 70mm runs into mid‑September and adding unconventional showtimes such as 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. to squeeze more screenings into limited projection windows.
- Exhibitors said IMAX 70mm showings have been a major revenue driver, with AMC calling the film its most successful IMAX run and the movie reaching roughly $700 million worldwide by late July.
- Projectionists say 70mm IMAX delivers a much larger film frame and higher image clarity that some viewers prize, while critics warn studios and marketing may be using the format to create FOMO rather than necessity.