IMAX is enjoying a surge in popularity, driven partly by films such as Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey selling out its exclusive screens months ahead of release, prompting renewed public interest in aspect ratios, film gauges and frame rates. Unlike ordinary cinemas, IMAX does not simply project a standard film onto a bigger screen; it reshapes the entire film-making process, working with directors from the shooting stage through to editing so footage suits its distinctive format.

IMAX screens use different aspect ratios to conventional cinemas, either 1.90:1 for digital showings or 1.43:1 for 70mm film projection, producing taller, more square-shaped screens that extend beyond normal peripheral vision; a 70mm IMAX screen can stand as high as 59 feet and as wide as 79 feet. Films "shot for IMAX" use specialised cameras that capture more visual information, requiring directors to plan framing carefully so footage works across different screen shapes, while digitally shot films need adjustments to lenses, lighting and sound design. Most IMAX cinemas people encounter are IMAX Digital screens, retrofitted into chains such as Cinemark, AMC and Regal, though these do not match the resolution of IMAX's premium laser projectors, including the Laser GT system, which uses twin 4K projectors for enhanced picture quality.