It seems like just yesterday we were securely in an IMAX renaissance, not only in terms of IMAX movie theaters selling out and filling up with big, new, exciting titles but also in terms of movies being shot on IMAX cameras reaching the highest highs of box office success and critical acclaim.
Yet, despite all the fanfare surrounding Christopher Nolan’s decision to shoot Oppenheimer on IMAX cameras, a look ahead at the slate for 2025 reveals that despite many more IMAX films released, only one is set to actually be shot on IMAX cameras.
Let’s explore this phenomenon and see if we can answer some more questions at the heart of this news.
What Film Will be Shot on IMAX Cameras in 2025?
So the first question might simply be what movie is actually set to use IMAX cameras in 2025 if there is indeed only one. According to a Collider report, a yet-to-be-named thriller film starring Michael B. Jordan and directed by Ryan Coogler is the only production currently slated to use an IMAX camera.
This should be no surprise as Coogler has been on record as being a fan of the IMAX format having shot sections of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on IMAX cameras—plus it should be mentioned that Jordan has used IMAX cameras in his own directorial efforts with Creed III.
We don’t know much more about this new action thriller project besides the fact that it’ll be big, loud, and shot on an IMAX camera (or cameras) to bring the best experience possible to the biggest of screens.
The Challenges of Shooting on IMAX Cameras
The bigger question raised here though might be whether or not IMAX cameras present more challenges than other cameras for these big-budget productions. We did get updates from NAB 2024 about a new next-gen IMAX camera on the horizon that promises to be much more filmmaker-friendly and even quite a bit quieter (as loudness has been an issue with the current models according to some).
Still, despite some bulkiness and loudness perhaps, IMAX 65mm cameras have proven to be by far one of the best cameras for the large IMAX format capable of delivering beautiful images in the 1.43:1 aspect ratio.
To be honest, it’s a bit of a mystery why IMAX cameras aren’t currently slated to be used by any big-budget motion pictures in the next year. While supply and demand might be a concern (there are only a limited number of IMAX cameras in use), it might also just be scheduling issues at this point.
Regardless of the reasons, this might be a trend worth keeping an eye on, but ultimately—unless you’re about to work on a $100+ blockbuster feature, not a huge concern to your day-to-day production lives.
Author: Jourdan Aldredge
This article comes from No Film School and can be read on the original site.
