IMAX cameras have been used for major films beyond the obvious choices like Oppenheimer and Avatar.
IMAX filming can provide taller images, incredible detail, and an experience that standard theaters cannot match.
Filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Jordan Peele have embraced IMAX to push the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.
Source: Variety / Getty
10 Movies You Probably Didn’t Know Were Shot Using IMAX Cameras
When most people think of IMAX movies, they immediately think of Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight, or Avatar. But many blockbuster films have quietly used IMAX cameras for key scenes, giving audiences taller images, incredible detail, and an experience that simply can’t be replicated in a standard theater.
Here are 10 movies you may have watched without realizing they were filmed, at least in part, with IMAX cameras.
Jordan Peele made history as the first Black filmmaker to shoot portions of a feature film with 65mm IMAX cameras. Nearly 50 minutes of Nope were captured in IMAX, making the UFO thriller one of the format’s most visually stunning films. (en.wikipedia.org)
2. Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)
Tom Cruise’s breathtaking climb on the Burj Khalifa wasn’t just daring. It was filmed using IMAX cameras to make viewers feel every dizzying moment from thousands of feet above the ground.
3. The Hunger Games Catching Fire (2013)
One of the coolest surprises in the film happens when Katniss enters the arena. The image suddenly expands to fill the entire IMAX screen because those scenes were filmed with IMAX cameras.
4. First Man (2018)
Director Damien Chazelle saved IMAX for one unforgettable moment. As Neil Armstrong steps onto the moon, the film opens into a massive IMAX image that perfectly captures the scale of space.
5. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
J.J. Abrams filmed several major action sequences with IMAX cameras, including the opening mission on the volcanic planet and other large scale set pieces.
6. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
Patty Jenkins used IMAX cameras for many of the movie’s biggest action scenes, giving audiences a larger than life superhero experience.
7. No Time to Die (2021)
Daniel Craig’s final James Bond adventure featured more than 30 minutes filmed with IMAX cameras, making the film’s car chases and action scenes even more immersive.
8. Transformers Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Michael Bay became one of the first directors after Christopher Nolan to embrace IMAX filmmaking, using the cameras to capture massive explosions and robot battles.
9. Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice (2016)
Several of the movie’s biggest action sequences were captured with IMAX cameras, allowing audiences to experience Gotham and Metropolis on an epic scale.
10. Interstellar (2014)
Christopher Nolan filmed nearly an hour of Interstellar using IMAX cameras. From the breathtaking space sequences to the mysterious black hole Gargantua, the film remains one of the most visually impressive IMAX experiences ever created.
With Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey set to become the first movie filmed entirely with IMAX film cameras, audiences are about to witness another milestone in cinematic history.
If Nolan’s previous IMAX masterpieces like The Dark Knight, Interstellar, and Oppenheimer are any indication, The Odyssey could redefine what’s possible on the biggest screen in the world.
If you’re planning to see it, finding a true IMAX theater might be worth the trip.
