What can we learn about the films that were approved and screened in IMAX theaters in 2021? We’ve made a list, slides, and chart of those 22 ‘IMAX films’ and the cameras that shot them. What’s the dominant camera? We think you’ll be surprised.

22 IMAX films were screened in 2021

IMAX has made a list of all the films that were screened in IMAX theaters in 2021. Those movies were approved by IMAX for screening in IMAX theaters. It must be mentioned that most of the films were shot even before the pandemic was initiated. Hence, the list shows the movies which were screened on IMAX in 2021. The list constitutes an essential piece of info for us filmmakers, as we can explore the major cameras that were chosen to shoot for the huge canvas. First, let’s look at the list of movies, cameras, and lenses. Below the list, you can find the slides with IMAX posters showing the movies, combined with the main cameras that filmed them. 

IMAX 2021 films – Cameras and lenses – The list

These are the cameras and lenses that shot the movies that were approved for screening on IMAX theaters in 2021 (Data according to IMDB):

1. The Matrix Resurrections: Cameras – Red Komodo, Red Ranger Monstro. Lenses – Panavision Panaspeed
2. Spider-Man: No Way Home: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Zeiss Supreme Prime Radiance
3. West Side Story: Cameras – Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2. Lenses – Panavision C-Series, Panavision T-Series
4. Ghostbusters: Afterlife: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF. Lenses – Panavision T-Series
5. Eternals: ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – ARRI Signature Prime Lenses
6. Dune: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Panavision H-Series and Ultra Vista
7. No Time to Die: Cameras – ARRIFLEX 765, IMAX MSM 9802, Panavision 65, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2. Lenses – ZIESS 765, Hasselblad, Panavision Sphero 65, Panavision G-Series, Panavision Sphero 65
8. Venom: Let There Be Carnage: ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – ARRI DNA
9. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Panavision Primo and Sphero 65
10. Free Guy: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA Mini, ARRI ALEXA SXT. Lenses – Panavision E-, G-, T-Series and Ultra Speed Golden, ATZ and AWZ2
11. The Suicide Squad: Cameras – Red Komodo, RED Ranger Monstro, RED Weapon Monstro. Lenses – Leitz Thalia, Angenieux Optimo Ultra 12x Lenses
12. Jungle Cruise: Cameras- ARRI ALEXA Mini, ARRI ALEXA SXT. Lenses – Panavision C-Series
13. Snake Eyes: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – Cooke Anamorphic/i S, Leica Summilux-C lenses
14. Black Widow: Cameras – Panavision Millennium DXL2, Phantom Flex4K, RED Helium, Phantom Flex4K, Sony VENICE. Lenses – Panavision E-Series, Panavision Primo 70, T-Series, ZEISS CP.3 XD, Panaspeed, Fujinon Premista Lenses
15. F9: The Fast Saga: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini, ARRI ALEXA SXT, ARRIFLEX 235, ARRIFLEX 435, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2. Lenses – Panavision Primo, Panavision C-Series
16. The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini, ARRI ALEXA SXT. Lenses – Panavision Primo, PVintage, SuperSpeed MKII, Ultra Speed MKII
17. A Quiet Place Part II: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA Mini, Panavision Panaflex Millennium XL2. Lenses – Panavision T-Series, Panavision Primo
18. Spiral: Cameras – Sony VENICE. Lenses – Angenieux, Cooke S7/i
19. Mortal Kombat: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI ALEXA Mini LF. Lenses – Panavision H-, T-Series, Super Speed MKII, Ultra Panatar, Ultra Vista, ATZ
20. Godzilla vs. Kong: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA 65, ARRI ALEXA Mini. Lenses – ARRI Prime DNA, Petzval, Panavision Super Speed Z-Series MKII, Ultra Speed Z-Series MKII, Cooke Speed Panchro Lenses
21. Chaos Walking: Cameras – ARRI ALEXA 65. Lenses – ARRI Prime DNA
22. Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry: Cameras – Canon C300, ARRI AMIRA, ALEXA Mini, Sony VENICE. lenses – ARRI Signature Primes, Angenieux Optimo Ultra 12X 24-290mm T2.8 zoom

IMAX 2021 films – The main cameras

Explore the slides below which contain the IMAX posters showing the movie combined with the main cameras that filmed it: 

IMAX 2021 – Camera chart

Explore the chart below which is based on the data above. Copyright: Y.M.Cinema Magazine.

Discussion

First, from taking a quick glimpse, it’s obvious that not all cameras are approved by IMAX (participate in the “Filmed in IMAX” program). Just a reminder, the ‘certified’ cameras for IMAX filmmaking are ARRI ALEXA LF, ARRI MINI LF, ARRI ALEXA 65, Panavision DXL2,  RED Ranger MONSTRO, and Sony VENICE. Only those cameras are considered as digital large sensor cameras that are ‘good-enough’ to be utilized for the IMAX. For instance, the RED Komodo is not IMAX approved, even though in the IMDB it shows the title ‘RED Komodo IMAX’. This is a mistake since Komodo is not certified by IMAX. Furthermore, as the chart shows, the most used camera is the ARRI ALEXA Mini, which is not an IMAX approved as well. Moreover, the ‘real’ IMAX cameras are barely included in that list. The only IMAX camera per definition is the 9802 which was used in No Time To Die, together with the mighty ARRIFLEX 765. Both of them run 65mm film, which is a true IMAX format. However, due to the very low quantity, those cameras are very rare and thus are not available for every production which is eager to use them. After the ALEXA Mini, the most used camera for IMAX filmmaking is the ARRI ALEXA LF. This camera was mainly combined with the ARRI Mini LF. The Mini LF is utilized when a compact form factor is needed, whereas the LF is being used when higher frame rates are desired. Anyway, it seems that the Mini LF + LF is the optimal combination for shooting large format films to be screened on an IMAX theater (both of them are ‘IMAX Certified’ as well). In my opinion, the most fascinating film on that list is Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry. That’s because it was shot in various cameras that are very different from each other (Canon C300, ARRI AMIRA, ALEXA Mini, and Sony VENICE). Yet, it was approved and screened by IMAX.

Summary

To sum it up, these are 22 films that were screened in IMAX theaters in 2021. The most used camera is the ALEXA Mini, which is not even IMAX-Approved, and the less-used camera is actually an IMAX camera (9802). However, the majority of the list is cameras that are part of the “Filmed in IMAX” program. In the future IMAX will include more ‘certified’ cameras (Raptor? VENICE2 ?) for sure, however, the list is not going to change as much.