Shooting films in true IMAX remains rare because the format demands specialist equipment, huge budgets and technical trade-offs that most Hollywood productions avoid. While the results are visually striking, IMAX film cameras are bulkier, heavier and noisier than standard cameras, making them impractical for smaller sets or fast-paced action sequences, and only directors such as Christopher Nolan have consistently embraced the format.

IMAX dates back to 1970, starting with documentaries and educational shorts rather than mainstream cinema, and has never achieved widespread adoption. Its 65-70mm film stock delivers superior image quality but holds less footage than standard 35mm, forcing frequent stoppages, as experienced by Tom Holland during filming of Nolan's The Odyssey, where the IMAX Keighley camera used weighs nearly 400 pounds. Most cinemas also lack the projection equipment to show true 15/70 IMAX, limiting audiences further, while Hollywood's broader shift towards lighter, quieter digital cameras since the 2000s has made traditional IMAX filming feel increasingly impractical for most producers.