IMAX is coming to Canberra, with the company behind the immersive screens announcing a new location in the nation’s capital as part of a collaboration with Dendy Cinemas.
Set to commence construction in the coming months ahead of an opening in November, the screen will feature IMAX with Laser, designed to deliver clearer, lifelike images and precision audio, along with a 4k laser projection system, including a new optical engine, custom-designed lenses, and a suite of proprietary technology.
It comes after IMAX Corporation earmarked Australia as a priority growth market earlier this year, reaffirming plans to build up to 40 locations across the country within the next five years, starting with the major cities.
Despite only having two locations – IMAX Sydney and IMAX Melbourne – Australia ranks 11th in terms of highest-grossing markets worldwide for IMAX, while also being the number one market per screen average for IMAX in 2024 with $2.7 million.
“Australia has an incredibly passionate moviegoing audience, and we see an opportunity to significantly expand our footprint nationwide in the years ahead,” IMAX chief sales officer Giovanni Dolci said.
“With consumer demand in the country at an all-time high, this new partnership with Dendy Cinemas is a win for fans as we collaborate with new exhibition partners to bolster our momentum in Australia and worldwide.”
Part of the Dendy Icon Group, Dendy Cinemas Dendy operates 52 screens across NSW, QLD, and ACT including a new permanent outdoor cinema in Brisbane at Dendy Powerhouse.
According to Dendy Icon Group CEO Sharon Strickland, the seeds for the collaboration with IMAX were planted at last year’s Australian International Movie Convention, where IMAX Corporation CEO Richard Gelfond said during a presentation that he couldn’t understand why there weren’t more locations in Australia.
“We came away from that presentation thinking about how we were about to start refurbing our Canberra site, and this is something that we thought would be absolutely perfect for us,” she said.
She added there was a “very loyal audience” for Dendy Canberra, which boasts the most screens of any cinema in the city at 15.
“We are delighted to be the first independent cinema circuit to partner with IMAX in Australia and look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion ahead of the blockbuster content slated for this summer holiday season.”