With major cinema chains backed by declining attendance in 2025, Imax reported an increase in global box office during the fourth quarter from a combination of Hollywood mainstays such as Avatar: Fire and Ashes, Local language titles and alternative programming.
The film technology company also revealed Wednesday that box office totals for the three months through Dec. 31, 2025, jumped 62 percent to $336.2 million, which was 16 percent more than the previous record for the fourth quarter. Imax’s stock price rose $2.48, or nearly 7 percent, to $39.00 in after-hours market trading.
Imax is looking to increase contributions from Hollywood blockbusters shot on its own cameras and local-language films to drive what it describes as the company’s big bang moment in 2026. “Our 2026 slate is arguably the strongest we’ve ever seen, with a record of no less than 12 Filmed For Imax releases worldwide; a highly anticipated offering for family films at a time when we’re growing market share with family audiences; and more international films,” Richard said. “Blockbuster movies are more popular than ever,” said Imax CEO Gelfond.
The Imax boss added: “The year is highlighted by huge Imax-centric tentpoles – including Christopher Nolan Odysseythe first theatrical film shot entirely on IMAX film cameras; It was filmed for Imax releases including Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part ThreeJon Favreau the mandalorian and grogu, And Greta Gerwig Narnia “And our strong rosters for 2027 and 2028 are still on the horizon.”
During a post-market analyst call, Gelfond predicted in prepared remarks that IMAX will continue to capture a larger share of the global box office this year and next as a provider of premium theatrical screens and technologies to differentiate itself from the broader exhibition industry.
“In short, 2025 was a transformative and record-breaking year for Imax. We exceeded our financial performance goals and finished with a strong fourth quarter. We delivered outstanding results for our exhibition partners, and broke box office records as fans, filmmakers and studios demand more of the Imax experience. We continued to expand the network with a significant runway to grow even further, even as we captured a record share of the global box office. We upped our game in every way,” Gelfond said.
Imax said Wednesday that it posted fourth-quarter revenue up 35 percent to $125.2 million, compared with $92.7 million in the same period last year. This exceeded analysts’ expectations of $120.12 million in revenue. Net income fell 64 percent to $2.5 million, compared to $6.9 million the previous year.
During the fourth quarter, Imax recorded a one-time charge of $15 million to repurchase convertible notes due 2026, and a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $7 million for SSIMWAVE, a streaming technology company acquired in 2022. Adjusted earnings per share were 58 cents, versus 27 cents a year earlier.
Also during the fourth quarter, Content Solutions revenue rose 50 percent to $38.2 million, versus $25.5 million a year earlier, supported by strong box office growth that anchored Hollywood’s year-end pillars. Technology Products and Services revenues increased 32 percent to $84.6 million, compared to $64 million in the same period in 2024, as a result of increased theater system sales arrangements.
Imax previously said its global theatrical network helped the company achieve $1.28 billion at the 2025 global box office, a new record for the company. This surpassed Imax’s previous record of $1.1 billion at the 2019 global box office, and the company now expects $1.4 billion at the 2026 global box office.
During the post-market call, CEO Gelfond discussed why Imax China posted $28 million at the box office during the latest seven-day period for the Lunar New Year, which fell to a record $53 million at the box office during China’s Lunar New Year period in February 2025. He said some local-language Chinese titles were delayed to summer 2026 releases. “The outcome is more a matter of timing than a result of any trends in the Chinese box office,” he said.
Returning to the domestic market, Gelfond said a strong Hollywood slate for 2026 should allow major exhibitors to increase ticket prices for select Hollywood mainstays on premium screens later this year. “There are definitely cases where I think you can raise the price. If we operate theaters, we certainly will,” he insisted.
Gelfond added that Hollywood studios have a “high” demand for IMAX screens, especially as major directors choose to shoot their latest films with IMAX digital cameras. That includes F1 Director Joseph Kosinski is preparing to direct a film Miami Vice Universal rebooted entirely in Imax format for the big screen, and Ryan Coogler portrayed his first Oscar nominee Sinners In both Imax 70mm and Ultra Panavision 70mm.
After Imax unveiled a partnership with Apple TV to show Formula 1 races live from Miami to the Monza screen in 50 locations nationwide later this year, Gelfond said his company is exploring with other international distributors potential deals to broadcast live Formula 1 races elsewhere in its global theater network.
