Why TV inches do not answer “how big is IMAX?”
When you book a film, “IMAX” can mean different rooms: a tall 70mm picture, a wide Laser screen, or a regular multiplex that simply changed its branding. They are not one shared size the way living-room TVs share one diagonal number.
Put a person beside the screen and the metres become something you can feel—roughly how many body-heights wide the picture is.
How big are common screens? (width × height)
Approximate picture sizes in metres. Real theatres vary—this table helps you compare types, not look up one specific cinema.
Person in the table: about 1.8 m tall (175 cm).
| Screen | Picture size (approx.) | Picture shape | Beside a 175 cm person | In plain terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large IMAX | 26 × 14.6 m | 1.43:1 | about 14.9× as wide as a person | Among the largest true IMAX screens |
| IMAX 70mm | 22 × 16 m | 1.43:1 | about 12.6× as wide as a person | Taller 70mm picture (about 1.43:1) |
| IMAX Laser | 18.5 × 9.7 m | 1.90:1 | about 10.6× as wide as a person | Common Laser IMAX theatre |
| Regular cinema | 12 × 5 m | 2.39:1 | about 6.9× as wide as a person | Typical regular cinema screen |
| Upgraded cinema | 14 × 7.5 m | 1.85:1 | about 8× as wide as a person | Bigger than regular, smaller than full 70mm IMAX |
| 65" TV | 1.4 × 0.8 m | 16:9 | about 0.8× as wide as a person | A home TV, for everyday scale |
Rounded typical values. The screen at your local cinema may differ.
70mm IMAX vs Laser vs a regular cinema
Not every room with an IMAX sign uses the same screen:
- IMAX 70mm: A taller picture (about 1.43:1), often wider than Laser IMAX. This is what many people mean by “real” 70mm IMAX.
- IMAX Laser: A wide digital picture (about 1.90:1)—still huge, and common in newer multiplexes.
- Large IMAX: Among the biggest true IMAX screens, often found in major cities.
- Regular cinema: A typical widescreen covers far less wall than a true IMAX screen—even when the lobby uses the same brand name.
How this differs from a TV at home
A 65" TV is only about 1.4 m wide. A 70mm IMAX picture can be more than ten times wider. The inch number on a TV box describes a living-room set—not a cinema wall.
Shopping for a living-room TV instead? TV size guide · Compare two TVs
Common questions
- How big is an IMAX screen?
- A typical 70mm IMAX picture is often more than 20 metres wide—about twelve to fifteen times an average adult’s height. Laser IMAX theatres are often a bit narrower, but still far larger than a home TV.
- What is the difference between IMAX 70mm and IMAX Laser?
- 70mm is a taller film picture (about 1.43:1) on a very large screen. IMAX Laser is a wide digital picture (about 1.90:1)—still huge, but a different shape and often a different width.
- What is Liemax?
- An informal name for multiplex screens sold as IMAX but smaller than full 70mm or the largest IMAX theatres—sometimes closer to a wide upgraded room than a full IMAX wall.
- How does IMAX compare to a regular cinema screen?
- A typical regular cinema screen might be around 12 m wide. True 70mm IMAX screens are often nearly twice that width, and taller too. In the seat you feel the size of the wall—not a TV-style inch number.
- Why not measure IMAX like a TV in inches?
- Cinema screens are described by width and height in metres. TV “inches” are only the diagonal of the glass. Mixing them makes a cinema wall sound like a living-room TV—so this page compares real widths instead.
Example sizes, not your local cinema’s official specs
Every theatre is different. This page uses common example sizes so you can compare types at a glance. For showtimes or exact screen size, check with the cinema.