Infinity Castle’ Lift Imax Earnings

“F1: The Movie‘s” hot streak in theaters propelled Imax to record third quarter earnings. The racing drama used Imax’s cameras to film key action sequences and prominently featured the premium theater brand in its marketing materials. “F1” grossed $97 million worldwide on Imax screens, making it the company’s most successful release of the year so far.

Imax also got a lift from other summer and early fall hits such as anime breakout “Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle” and horror fare like “Weapons” and “The Conjuring: Last Rites.”

Revenue at Imax was up 17% year-over-year, topping out at $106.6 million. Net income at the company increased 48% to $22.6 million. Adjusted earnings per share ended up 47 cents, a 34% increase from the prior year period. Shares of Imax climbed more than 2% in pre-market trading on the strength of the latest earnings report.

Imax licenses its technology to theater chains, in addition to sharing in box office revenues from its screens. The company installed 38 systems during the quarter, which was down 22%. However, it has installed 95 systems in 2026, up from 88 systems last year.

The company touted the wide range of films, from scary movies to spectacle adventures to local language favorites such as Japan’s “First Slam Dunk,” that had drawn crowds in their venues. The company also screened a concert film, “The Grateful Dead Movie,” and the 50th anniversary re-release of “Jaws” during the quarter. Historically, Imax has been associated with comic book adventures that appeal to fanboys and fangirls.

“Imax is moving into a new position — building to something bigger — and our performance for the quarter and year to date demonstrate we’re breaking out and delivering at a higher level,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax, in a statement. “We continue to deliver results that exceed expectations and transcend the broader marketplace — thanks in large part to our unique, diversified global content portfolio spanning Hollywood, local language, music and more.”