Finally, a ‘Film With IMAX’ movie. This is the first for 2024 (and 2025). The trailer of the movie Sinners was released. It was shot on IMAX 9802 and Panavision System 65 (a pure ‘Shot on Film’ movie) by cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC.
Sinners (2025)
Sinners is an upcoming American horror film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. The film stars Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo. Coogler began developing the genre of film through his production company Proximity Media by January 2024, when Jordan was cast. Warner Bros. Pictures acquired distribution rights the next month following a bidding war, and casting for additional roles took place in April, ahead of the start of filming that month. Filming wrapped in July 2024. Check out the IMAX trailer below:
Shot on IMAX film cameras
Sinners’ Principal photography began in New Orleans on April 2024, with Autumn Durald Arkapaw ASC (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) serving as the cinematographer. Filming occurred using the working title Grilled Cheese. Filming wrapped in July 2024. According to IMDB Tech Spec, here are the cameras (and lenses) used to shoot Sinners:
- Cameras: IMAX MSM 9802, Canon EF 1200mm UDM LensesPanavision Panaflex System 65 Studio, Panavision APO Panatar Lenses
- Negative Format: 65 mm(also horizontal, Kodak Vision3 500T 5219)
Hence, the aspect ratio will be: 1.43: 1(IMAX 70MM & GT Dual Laser: some scenes)1.90:1(Digital IMAX: some scenes)2.76: 1. Unfortunately, for now, the trailer is not showing the extended ratio (even on the trailer published by IMAX), which is a bit strange. Anyway, resources say that this movie is gonna be a mix of ultra-wide (2.76:1) and full-frame IMAX (1.43:1).
First real IMAX film for 2024-2025
Sinners is scheduled to be released in the United States on March 7, 2025. Thus, it makes it the first IMAX film to be shot on real IMAX film cameras. It seems that in 2024-2025 there is a significant reduction in the number of projects that utilized 15 perforations celluloid. We don’t know the main reasons for that. Maybe it is because AI tech implemented by IMAX allows more digital options rather than the hassle of operating a beast like MSM 9802. Will the Nex-Gen of IMAX film cameras facilitate that?
