Debt - Additional Information (Details) $ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 24, 2022	Mar. 19, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 CNY (¥)	Jul. 01, 2021 USD ($)	Jul. 01, 2021 CNY (¥)	Oct. 28, 2019 USD ($)
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit facility description			On March 25, 2022, the Company entered into a Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as agent, and a syndicate of lenders party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”), which extended the maturity date of the credit facility under the Credit Agreement (the “Credit Facility”) from June 28, 2023 to March 25, 2027. The Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by certain of the Company’s subsidiaries (the “Guarantors”), and are secured by first-priority security interests in substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Guarantors.
Credit facility maturity date	Jun. 28, 2023		Mar. 25, 2027
Current borrowing capacity			$ 300,000,000.0
Repayment of outstanding indebtedness				$ 255,000,000
Line of credit facility covenant terms			The Credit Agreement requires that the Company maintain a maximum senior secured net leverage ratio of 3.25:1.00, which is tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2022.
Effective interest rate			0.00%	2.65%
Letters of guarantee outstanding					¥ 0.3	$ 500,000	¥ 2.8
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes, net				$ 223,675,000
Debt issuance costs paid			$ 1,783,000	$ 32,000
Working Capital Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit facility description			On July 1, 2021, IMAX (Shanghai) Multimedia Technology Co., Ltd. (“IMAX Shanghai”), one of the Company’s majority-owned subsidiaries in China, renewed its unsecured revolving facility for up to 200.0 million Chinese Renminbi (“RMB”) (approximately $31.5 million), including RMB 10.0 million (approximately $1.6 million) for letters of guarantee, to fund ongoing working capital requirements (the “Working Capital Facility”).
Current borrowing capacity								$ 31,500,000	¥ 200.0
Borrowings			$ 3,627,000		23.0	3,612,000	¥ 23.0
Effective interest rate			4.15%	4.34%
Line of credit facility expiration period			2022-07
Letters of guarantees borrowing capacity								$ 1,600,000	¥ 10.0
Remaining borrowing capacity			$ 26,300,000		¥ 167.0
Convertible Notes [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowings			230,000,000			230,000,000
Debt instrument, principal amount		$ 230,000,000.0	$ 230,000,000.0
Debt instrument, annual interest rate		0.50%	0.50%		0.50%
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes, net		$ 223,700,000
Debt issuance costs paid		$ 1,200,000
Debt instrument, frequency of periodic interest payment			semi-annually
Debt instrument, payment terms			The Convertible Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and bear interest at a rate of 0.500% per annum on the principal of $230.0 million, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year, beginning on October 1, 2021.
Debt instrument, date of first required payment			Oct. 01, 2021
Debt instrument, maturity date			Apr. 01, 2026
Debt instrument, convertible, terms of conversion feature			Holders of the Convertible Notes have the right to convert their Convertible Notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. Before January 1, 2026, holders of the Convertible Notes have the right to convert their Convertible Notes only upon the occurrence of certain events. From and after January 1, 2026, holders of the Convertible Notes may convert their Convertible Notes at any time at their election until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. Upon conversion, the Company will pay or deliver, as applicable, cash or a combination of cash (in an amount no less than the principal amount of the Convertible Notes being converted) and common shares, at its election, based on the applicable conversion rates. The initial conversion rate is 34.7766 common shares per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes, which represents an initial conversion price of approximately $28.75 per common share, and is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events.
Debt instrument, initial conversion rate per $1,000 principal amount			34.7766
Convertible notes principal amount			$ 1,000
Debt instrument, initial conversion price | $ / shares			$ 28.75
Debt instrument, redemption, description			The Convertible Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at the Company’s option at any time, and from time to time, on or after April 6, 2024 and on or before the 40th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, but only if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price for a specified period of time. In addition, calling any Convertible Notes for redemption will constitute a “make-whole fundamental change” with respect to such notes, in which case the conversion rate applicable to the conversion of such notes will be increased in certain circumstances if such notes are converted after they are called for redemption.
Debt instrument, redemption start date			Apr. 06, 2024
Convertible Notes [Member] | Call Option [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Cap price of capped call transactions | $ / shares			37.2750
Percentage of premium of cap price over last reported sale price per common share on March 16, 2021			75.00%
Cost of capped call transactions			$ 19,100,000
Reduction to other equity			19,100,000
Credit Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowings			0			0
Letters of credit or advance payment guarantees			$ 0			0
Line of credit facility covenant terms			The Credit Agreement requires that the Company maintain a maximum senior secured net leverage ratio of 3.25:1.00, which is tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter, commencing with the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2022. The Credit Agreement also contains a $75 million minimum liquidity covenant, which is measured at the end of each calendar month and will remain in effect solely during the Designated Period. In addition, the Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants that limit indebtedness, liens, capital expenditures, asset sales, investments and restricted payments, in each case subject to negotiated exceptions and baskets. The Credit Agreement also contains customary representations, warranties and event of default provisions.
Liquidity covenant minimum			$ 75,000,000
Interest rate description			Until the tenth business day after the delivery of the compliance certificate for the first fiscal quarter ending after the end of the "Designated Period" thereunder, loans under the Credit Facility will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at (i) with respect to loans on which interest is payable by reference to the Term SOFR, Eurocurrency Rate or CDOR Rate, such rate plus a margin of 2.50%; or (ii) with respect to loans on which interest is payable by reference to the U.S. base rate or the Canadian prime rate, such rate plus a margin of 1.75%. The effective interest rate for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was 0.00% (2021 — 2.65%).Following the end of the “Designated Period” thereunder, loans under the Credit Facility will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at (i) Term SOFR, Eurocurrency Rate or CDOR Rate plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75% per annum; or (ii) the U.S. base rate or the Canadian prime rate plus a margin ranging from 0.25% to 1.00% per annum, in each case depending on the Company’s total leverage ratio. In no event will Term SOFR, Eurocurrency Rate or CDOR Rate be less than 0.00% per annum.
Fees incurred with amendments			$ 1,800,000
Unamortized deferred financing costs expenses			$ 400,000
Credit Facility [Member] | SOFR, Eurocurrency or CDOR Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			2.50%
Interest rate maximum margin percentage			0.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | U.S. Base Rate or Canadian Prime Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.75%
Letter Of Credit [Member] | Working Capital Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Remaining borrowing capacity			$ 1,500,000		¥ 9.7
Wells Fargo Foreign Exchange Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Unrealized gain (loss) on outstanding foreign currency forward contracts			400,000			100,000
Notional Amount of arrangements entered into			23,600,000			26,700,000
NBC Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity										$ 5,000,000.0
Remaining borrowing capacity			$ 0			$ 0
Line of credit facility renewed date			Oct. 15, 2021
Minimum [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing capacity under uncommitted accordion feature			$ 440,000,000.0
Minimum [Member] | Convertible Notes [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Percentage of last reported sale price per common share against conversion price for specific period of time			130.00%
Minimum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | SOFR, Eurocurrency or CDOR Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.00%
Minimum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | U.S. Base Rate or Canadian Prime Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			0.25%
Maximum [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Letters of guarantee outstanding			$ 100,000
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt instrument net leverage ratio			3.25
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | SOFR, Eurocurrency or CDOR Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.75%
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | U.S. Base Rate or Canadian Prime Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.00%