I believe IMAX should be the true future of the theater-going experience when it comes to blockbusters (as opposed to 3D), but their branding is deceptive. “True” IMAX is on a screen that’s 72 feet high. It’s unmistakable, but “IMAX” is also attached to screens that are maybe half that size in which case you’re watching a 35mm or digital print. It’s not bad, but it’s not the way a film shot in IMAX is intended to be seen. Christopher Nolan utilized IMAX in a big way (no pun intended) when he made The Dark Knight Rises. Over an hour of the 165-minute opus was shot in the format, and seeing it in 70mm IMAX is the way it was meant to be seen. Granted, there are little things like “story” and “character” than can be viewed on any screen, but since we get so few movies that were actually shot in IMAX, it’s best to do it up right when you take it in.
So where can you find a true IMAX screen? Hit the jump for a full list of locations. We’ve also included two new TV spots, but I haven’t watched them because I’ve gone radio silent on the flick. The Dark Knight Rises opens Friday.
Via The Playlist.
Full Size IMAX Theaters With 70mm Projection – USA, Canada & U.K.
USA
AL
Birmingham – IMAX Dome, McWane Center
Huntsville – Spacedome IMAX, US Space and Rocket Center
Mobile – IMAX Dome, Gulf Coast Exploreum
AZ
Tempe – Harkins Arizona Mills 25 IMAX
CA
Cathedral City – Desert IMAX Theater
Dublin – Regal Hacienda Crossings 20 & IMAX
Fresno – Edwards Fresno Stadium 21 & IMAX
Irvine – Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 & IMAX
Los Angeles – Rave 18 IMAX
Ontario – Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
Sacramento – Esquire IMAX Theater
San Francisco – AMC Loews Metreon
Universal City – AMC Loews Universal City
CO
Colorado Springs – Cinemark Carefree Circle & IMAX
Denver – UA Colorado Center 9 & IMAX
District of Columbia
Washington, D.C. – National Air and Space Museum
Washington, D.C. – National Museum of Natural History
FL
Orlando – Regal Pointe 21 & IMAX
GA
Buford – Regal Mall of Georgia 20 & IMAX
IA
Council Bluffs – AMC Star Council Bluffs IMAX
ID
Boise – Edwards Boise Stadium 21 & IMAX
IL
Chicago – Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Lincolnshire – Regal Lincolnshire 20 & IMAX
Woodridge – Cinemark Seven Bridges & IMAX
IN
Indianapolis – Indiana State Museum IMAX
Nobelsville – Hamilton 16
KY
Louisville – RC Stonybrook 20 IMAX
LA
New Orleans – Entergy IMAX Theatre
MA
Boston – Mugar OMNI Theater, Museum of Science
Boston – New England Aquarium
Natick – Jordan’s IMAX
Reading – Jordan’s IMAX
MI
Dearborn – The Henry Ford IMAX
Grand Rapids – Celebration! Village IMAX Theater
Ypsilanti – RC Ann Arbor 20 IMAX
MN
Apple Valley – Great Clips IMAX Theatre
Duluth – Duluth OMNIMAX Theatre
MO
Sappington – Ronnies 20 Cine IMAX
MT
West Yellowstone – Yellowstone IMAX Theatre
NJ
Atlantic City – Tropicana Casino IMAX
Jersey City – Liberty Science Center
NV
Las Vegas – Brenden Theatre Corp IMAX
NY
New Rochelle – Regal New Roc City 18 & IMAX
New York – AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX
Rochester – Tinseltown & IMAX
West Nyack – IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center
White Plains – City Center 15: Cinema de Lux IMAX
OH
Cincinnati – Springdale 18: Cinema de Lux IMAX
OK
Tulsa – Cinemark Tulsa & IMAX
PA
King of Prussia – UA King of Prussia 16 & IMAX
Tarentum – Cinemark IMAX at Pittsburgh Mills
RI
Providence – Providence Place Cinemas 16 IMAX
SC
Myrtle Beach – Myrtle Beach IMAX
Tennessee
Chattanooga – Tennessee Aquarium
Memphis – Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium
TX
Austin – Bob Bullock
Colleyville – Colleyville Cinema Grille and IMAX
Dallas – Cinemark 17 & IMAX
Fort Worth – Omni Theater (IMAX Dome), Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Galveston – Moody Gardens IMAX
Houston – Edwards Houston Marquee 23 & IMAX
San Antonio – IMAX 3D Theatre San Antonio Rivercenter
Tomball – Silverado 19 IMAX
VA
Chantilly – Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Richmond – IMAX Dome, Science Museum of Virginia
Virginia Beach – Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center WA
Spokane – Riverfront Park IMAX
WA
Seattle – Boeing IMAX, Pacific Science Center
Spokane – Riverfront Park
WI
Fitchburg – AMC Star Fitchburg 18 IMAX
CANADA
Edmonton – Telus World of Science, Edmonton
Winnipeg – Portage Place
Niagara Falls – Niagara Falls IMAX
Sudbury – Science North
Toronto – Scotiabank IMAX
Gatineau – Museum Of Civilization
Montreal – Cineplex Cinema Banque Scotia
Quebec City – Galeries de la Capitale
Regina – Saskatchewan Science Centre
UNITED KINGDOM
Bradford – National Media Museum
London – BFI London IMAX Cinema, British Film Institute
London – Science Museum
Manchester – Odeon, The Printworks
And here are the TV spots:
First Trailer and Poster for RED 2 Starring Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich
16 New Images from A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD Featuring Bruce Willis, Jai Courtney and Yuliya Snigir
Watch: How THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Should Have Ended
First Trailer for SPRING BREAKERS Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Selena Gomez, and James Franco
MAN OF STEEL Star Russell Crowe Reveals Details on Krypton and Calls Zack Snyder’s Version “Complicated and Complex” with a “Super Sonic” Superman
Could not agree more. The spectacle of 3D has never been able to compare to the true IMAX experience. Can’t wait to be blown away this Thursday evening.
So if the 35mm IMAX screen is it’s not the way a film shot in IMAX is intended to be seen, should I just watch it on a regular screen? Because the closest 70mm IMAX screen is 5 hours away from me but there is one close to me, which is the one I was planning to go, that is “IMAX” but I’m guessing it’s 35mm since it’s not listed here. I just want to know if it’s worth paying more to watch TDKR on a fake IMAX screen or if I should just watch it on a regular screen.
Al go on the Dark Knight Rises website so you can double check. They also have a independent list.
Al, yes you should still see it in 35mm Imax for the sound alone. And the picture quality is still far better than a regular format.
72 minutes are shot with IMAX camera’s to be exactly! How AMAZING is that!?!?!?!!!!!!
I’m seeing the marathon first, then TDKR in my local digital IMAX theatre, and THEN…. In the Science Museum in London!!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, I live in Holland, that’s the case.
They forgot Scotiabank theatre west Edmonton mall, that’s a true 70 mm IMAX theatre and it’s where I’m seeing The Dark Knight Rises on Thursday
They should have posted this about a month ago
The woodridge, IL one is not a true IMAX location. It’s a digital projection and smaller format IMAX. Stop publicizing it as such.
Grumpy! Matt’s just the messenger here, as he says in the article it comes from the Playlist, you’ll probably have to reach out to them to truly correct this gaffe.
Matt….You Are Missing 1 In Florida….
http://www.museumofdiscoveryandscience.com/IMAX/showtimes.htm
The Telus World of Science in Edmonton, Alberta is *NOT* showing TDKR. You should update it with the Scotiabank IMAX theater in West Edmonton Mall tho, per @Jaymie’s comment.
Don’t trust Matt’s list. Cincinnati, OH and Louisville, KY are *NOT* True IMAX. Go to http://www.thedarkknightrises.com/imax.html for the real deal.
yeah, also the one in SC is permanently closed
Add the Harahan, LA AMC Elmwood Palace 20 to that list. I’ve been there three times and can assure you that it’s true 70mm.
Okay, so it’s not a film projector, but the screen size is still true IMAX.
Scotiabank IMAX Cineplex in Calgary, Canada is also in 70mm IMAX on the full screen. Don’t know why it was excluded from this list.
Word to the wise: the Rave Motion “IMAX” theatre in Louisville is not, in fact, an IMAX theatre. It’s a slightly-larger standard-sized screen with an impressive projector and sound system, but it is most assuredly not six-story-tall true IMAX screen, nor does it feature an IMAX projector. I’m not even sure why they can call it IMAX. I’m originally from Louisville and have sat in this theatre several times. I’m driving three hours to Indianapolis to see TDKR in true IMAX.
I don’t think the theater in Louisville – where I’m seeing it at – is true 70mm IMAX. However, it DOES let you select and reserve your seat, which is almost better than IMAX, as I don’t have to show up at 6:00 for the 8:45 showing I’ll be attending.
Apparently the Maritime Aquarium is showing “Dark Knight Rises” in IMAX starting this Friday. Typically they never get first-run IMAX films, guess this is the exception and they only like announced this last Friday. Worth noting, the sound at theatre isn’t like loud, ear crushing surround but it’s a solid trade-off for the massive projection.
I’m an IMAX projectionist and can clear up some of the confusion. Some IMAX theatres that converted to digital projection have had their 15/70mm projectors reinstalled to play Rises. If a theatre is on WB’s and IMAX’s official list it IS playing a 15/70mm print of Rises.
I phoned up Collosus Woodbridge and they are playing it in 70mm. Add one more to Woodbridge (Toronto) Canada!
I don’t think this list is accurate,
“Tarentum – Cinemark IMAX at Pittsburgh Mills” used to be a film IMAX but it has changed to digital at some point over the past year or so-
It didn’t have the prologue with MI4 as well.
the onmimax in pittsburgh is where the film print will be, they had the prologue…
the only problem with that place is that you have to watch it on a dome- i saw star wars aotc there and it was terrible… i heard that the theatrical showings have improved there but you have to sit dead center or else you are screwed.
You missed Glasgow
this is very useful information to have out there. I knew from experience where around there was the best (real) IMAX to go to, but i feel bad for some people who are getting duped into paying for IMAX and receiving less than their wildest dreams. Since I’ve seen several movies in both formats, I still want to assure people that you should still go to anything that says IMAX, over going to the regular theater. If the only imax near you is the smaller kind, that’s unfortunate, but it’ll still be cooler than the regular theater (it’s batman, just spend the extra few bucks). But still, if you have the ability to drive to one of the REAL 70mm imax theaters then you HAVE to do it. speaking from experience, it makes decent movies AMAZING. and amazing movies? we are about to find out.
Sweet. We got it.
The digital 3D is NOT good when you are too close in our IMAX as you can see the digital and it feels like VHS granularity at times. In the second to the last row, however, it is the best 3D experience I’ve had and Amazing Spider-man does a great job of utilizing the 3D and now I have meandered off topic.
Was getting worried and disillusioned with IMAX and now I know that all is great. Thanks for the info.
FUCK THE HATERZ!!! Dark knight rises is the greatest filmz ever made. Chris Nolan got the opening shots of the air plane by holding a camera between his thighs and using a hand glider. How could this film not be good? DId you see the marketing campaign? Why would the studio put so much money in the advertising campaign if the movie wasn’t good?
The OMNIMAX in Duluth, MN is also closed up. The only 70mm in MN is at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley (suburb south of Minneapolis).
It’s also pretty much the only IMAX screen in the northern midwest. Glad I got my ticket online and waiting for me at the theater (will call).
I saw the TDKR prologue attached to MI:4 in true IMAX and left there thinking that MI:4 was the best thing to ever happen to my eyes. I’m reluctant to watch it again on my TV as I know it will not live up to the brain-bending awesomeness of IMAX.
Looks like you omitted Washington DC.
Woops sorry, you did omit DC, but you had District of Columbia!
I’m 99.9% sure the theater at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia is also 70mm, unless they changed it. I’ve been in the booth, and the film was 70mm film.
The Whitaker Center at Harrisburg, PA has been left out. Also, the Franklin Institute at Philadelphia is also a 70 mm Dome IMAX, where I saw the prologue.
The King of Prussia location has been converted to digital a year back. I am not sure, whether it will be screened in 70 mm there.
Where does the site get this list from? I was excited that Chattanooga, TN was on the list and went to get tickets but their website says that they’re only showing 3 nature shows through September. I am thinking about calling but feel silly about saying “yeah I saw it on Collider.com”
The CT location is a LIEMAX.
Irvine Spectrum! 10:40 Friday night! I’ve had my ticket for over a month and now this week already feels like an eternity!
Do not got to the Fort Worth IMAX DOME. Its like watching the movie through a fish eye. The dome is a bad idea for real IMAX like this.
I\’m interested in the projector, not the size of the auditorium or the screen. You can sit closer to the screen to compensate and people with good eyesight can certainly get the full effect of 70mm horizontal with a slightly smaller screen. I saw plenty of movies in 70 as kid in non-Imax and personally I think it\’s a better format to be shooting on than Imax, anyway. You can shoot everything in it. So is there a master list of all the theaters that will have 70mm vertical or Imax film horizontal prints of the Dark Knight Rises, regardless of screen size? Or is this just getting three versions: 35mm, digital 2k (4k in a few I would think), and the horizontal 70mm Imax in just a few auditoriums with the super size square screens? I saw Matrix Reloaded remastered at the Luxor, and personally found it way way too big for my taste. I don\’t need to look at the individual pores on the actors\’ faces.
Some theatres that had converted to IMAX Digital from Film are running The Dark Knight Rises on 15/70 film so that list might not be all wrong! IMAX put film projectors in a number of theatres specifically to run TDKR. I’m not saying the list is correct, I’m just saying that there are theatres that have IMAX Digital and Film projectors right now.
White Plains – City Center 15: Cinema de Lux IMAX is on the list but is NOT projecting it through 70mm film