IMAX Bets Big on India for Global Growth

IMAX Corporation is prioritizing India as a crucial element in its ambitious global expansion strategy, as revealed in its February 2026 investor presentation. The company's operations span 1,796 commercial multiplex locations across 91 countries. India's cinematic landscape is particularly compelling, with 90% of its IMAX box office revenue derived from local-language films. Recognizing this, IMAX is actively forging partnerships to increase the volume of Indian-language titles formatted for its screens.

This strategic pivot toward localization in India is already yielding significant results globally. In 2025, IMAX generated $405 million worldwide from local-language films, a 66% increase over the previous record. Looking ahead to 2026, IMAX projects 75 local-language titles globally. Upcoming Indian releases like "Ramayana Part 1" and "Toxic" are slated for IMAX exhibition, highlighting the company's alignment with large-scale Indian cinema.

Financially, IMAX is in a strong position entering 2026, having achieved a record $1.28 billion in global box office earnings in 2025, a 40% year-over-year increase. The company forecasts approximately $1.4 billion for 2026. Furthermore, IMAX is collaborating with streaming platforms like Apple, Amazon, and Netflix to "eventize" content theatrically, positioning itself as a premium launchpad rather than a competitor.

IMAX is also exploring innovative content delivery, such as Apple's live-streaming of Formula 1 races across IMAX locations, and exclusive theatrical runs for films like Greta Gerwig's Narnia. The extent to which these offerings will be available to Indian audiences in IMAX format remains to be seen.