Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements - Additional Information (Details) ¥ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018	Oct. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2019 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 CNY (¥)	Jul. 05, 2018 USD ($)	Jul. 05, 2018 CNY (¥)	Mar. 03, 2015 USD ($)
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit Facility Description			On June 28, 2018, the Company entered into a Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo”), as agent, and a syndicate of lenders party thereto. The Credit Agreement expands the Company’s revolving borrowing capacity from $200.0 million to $300.0 million, and contains an uncommitted accordion feature allowing the Company to further expand its borrowing capacity to $440.0 million or greater, depending on the mix of revolving and term loans comprising the incremental facility. The facility (the “Credit Facility”) matures on June 28, 2023.
Credit Facility Maturity Date			Jun. 28, 2023
Line of credit facility covenant terms			The Credit Agreement provides that the Company is required to maintain a Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement) as of the last day of any Fiscal Quarter (as defined in the Credit Agreement) of no greater than 3.25:1.00. In addition, the Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for a transaction of this type, 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 representations, warranties and event of default provisions customary for a transaction of this type.
Remaining Borrowing Capacity	$ 280,000,000.0		$ 280,000,000.0				$ 260,000,000.0
Effective interest rate	3.34%	3.28%	3.50%	3.28%
Working Capital Loan [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity									$ 30,000,000.0	¥ 200.0
Credit Facility Description			On July 5, 2018, IMAX (Shanghai) Multimedia Technology Co., Ltd. (“IMAX Shanghai”), one of the Company’s majority-owned subsidiaries in China, entered into an unsecured revolving facility for up to 200.0 million Renminbi (approximately $30.0 million U.S. Dollars) to fund ongoing working capital requirements.
Amounts Drawn	$ 0		$ 0			¥ 0.0	0	¥ 0.0
Remaining Borrowing Capacity	30,000,000.0		30,000,000.0			¥ 200.0	30,000,000.0	¥ 200.0
Minimum [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing capacity under uncommitted accordion feature	440,000,000.0		440,000,000.0
Maximum [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity	300,000,000.0		$ 300,000,000.0
Prior Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity											$ 200,000,000.0
Credit Facility [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate description			Loans under the Credit Facility will bear interest, at the Company’s option, at (i) LIBOR plus a margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75% per annum; or (ii) the U.S. base rate plus a margin ranging from 0.25% to 1.00% per annum, in each case depending on the Company’s Total Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Credit Agreement).
Compliance with covenants			The Company was in compliance with all of its requirements at September 30, 2019.
Amounts Drawn	20,000,000.0		$ 20,000,000.0				40,000,000.0
Letters of credit and advance payment guarantees	0		$ 0				0
Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.00%
Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			0.25%
Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt instrument net leverage ratio			3.25
Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.75%
Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.00%
Wells Fargo Foreign Exchange Facility [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Settlement risk on its foreign currency forward contracts	400,000		$ 400,000				1,200,000
Notional Amount of arrangements entered into	38,800,000		$ 38,800,000				50,800,000
Bank of Montreal Facility [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit Facility Maturity Date			Sep. 30, 2019
Remaining Borrowing Capacity	10,000,000.0		$ 10,000,000.0				10,000,000.0
Letters of credit and advance payment guarantees	$ 0		$ 0				$ 0
NBC Facility [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Credit Facility and Other Financing Arrangements (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity					$ 5,000,000.0