Coming Soon: As Part of IMAX's Big Australian Expansion, Four New Locations Are Opening Around the Country by 2027
Take note, movie lovers: EVT, the company behind Event Cinemas, will open three new IMAX sites in 2026 and a fourth in 2027.
Phones and laptops are hardly the best screens for watching movies. At the cinemas, there's big screens, however, and then there's IMAX. The large-format system has been around for more than half a century, but it's a huge time for it in Australia right now. In 2023, Sydney's IMAX reopened, after it closed down back in 2016 to be rebuilt. In 2024, both the Gold Coast and Canberra scored their own IMAX screens. A second Melbourne venue has been confirmed as well, launching by the end of 2025, and now four more sites around the country are also on their way.
Indeed, news that Village Cinemas Fountain Gate will give the Victorian capital another IMAX is still fresh, but that hasn't stopped an additional quartet of hefty screens from being announced. These four will hail from EVT, the hospitality company behind Event Cinemas. Three will welcome in movie lovers in 2026, with the fourth arriving before 2027 is out.
EVT is also responsible for IMAX Sydney and IMAX Event Cinemas Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, so it's no stranger to the world of giant picture palace screens. It also has IMAX venues up and running in New Zealand and Germany. All four of its new Australian sites will feature state-of-the-art IMAX with Laser systems, meaning that viewers can expect 4k laser-projection, bright images, a wide range of colours, deeper contrast and increased resolution.
If you're wondering where Down Under these IMAXs are opening, that is yet to be revealed — but they're part of a lineup of seven new IMAX sites that EVT is opening worldwide. Also not known so far is whether these new Aussie IMAX sites will follow in Pacific Fair's footsteps, converting a screen within an existing cinema.
Whichever eventuates — and wherever in Australia nabs IMAX screens, including whether IMAX is headed to cities that already boast one of its setups or is venturing further afield — this is the largest-ever deal for new Aussie IMAX locations. It does seem that at least some of these four screens are destined for new areas, however.
"Moviegoer demand for IMAX significantly eclipses our current footprint in Australia and EVT continues to be very proactive and strategic in filling that gap, with IMAX locations set for new areas across the country," said IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond.
"EVT and IMAX share a passion and keen focus on delivering the best possible cinematic experience, and we look forward to adding even more locations in one of our most productive markets worldwide," continued Gelfond.
"A key element of the EVT entertainment strategy is to target investment into 'fewer and better' locations," said EVT CEO Jane Hastings. "Our customers love the IMAX format and when you pair that with our broad range of premium seating options, we continue to deliver world class moviegoing experiences."
Three of EVT's four new IMAX locations will open in 2026, and the fourth is set to arrive in 2027. We'll update you when further information is revealed — keep an eye on the brand's website for more details in the interim.
IMAX images: IMAX Sydney, IMAX Pacific Fair and IMAX Queensgate NZ.
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for People Who Are Never Home — According to Travel Writers
- CP Picks: From Hot Sauce to Handblown Glasses — Small-Batch Gifts for Big Foodies
- Twenty-Five Exceptional Films by Indigenous Australian Filmmakers That You Can Stream Right Now
- A List of All of the Wes Anderson Films, Ranked
- It's Eurovision Time: Here's When You Can Watch 2025's Song Contest (with Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act Hosting Australia's Coverage)
- The Best Glamping Sites Around Australia