The Indicator from Planet Money · Friday, July 17, 2026
Seeing a movie in IMAX can now cost up to $27, reflecting a broader trend of movie theaters pushing premium experiences like IMAX, 4D, and Dolby Laser to boost revenue post-COVID. The high cost and operational complexities, such as loud cameras requiring dubbed dialogue, are part of IMAX's business model, while debates continue over what constitutes a 'real' IMAX theater.
“That is how much it costs to see Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey this weekend at one of the IMAX theaters here in D.C.”
“And it got me thinking about the economics of IMAX.”
“A bigger and bigger chunk of theater revenue is coming from these premium ticket experiences, which can cost 5 to 10 more than, you know, a regular ticket.”
“Uh, that's a big rabbit hole because there are a bunch of IMAX branded theaters that some moviegoers consider to be fake IMAX because they're actually not big enough.”