Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Disaggregation of Revenue by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 37,256	$ 86,390	$ 81,013	$ 271,385
Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		21,544	33,529	38,971	90,592
Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		8,741	30,936	23,044	104,515
Lease Arrangements [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		4,530	19,080	11,503	68,174
Finance Income [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		2,441	2,845	7,495	8,104
Technology Sales [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		15,753	21,735	24,102	56,629
Technology Sales [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		14,200	17,687	19,658	44,319
Technology Sales [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		1,496	2,610	3,248	5,785
Technology Sales [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		14,996	18,132	20,179	42,400
Technology Sales [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		13,515	15,552	17,036	36,790
Technology Sales [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		1,481	2,580	3,143	5,610
Technology Sales [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		57	1,438	1,196	6,525
Technology Sales [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Other Theater Business [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		307	1,560	1,261	5,766
Technology Sales [Member] | Other Theater Business [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		307	1,560	1,261	5,766
Technology Sales [Member] | Other Theater Business [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	393	605	1,466	1,938
Technology Sales [Member] | Other [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	378	575	1,361	1,763
Technology Sales [Member] | Other [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	15	30	105	175
Technology Sales [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		57	1,438	1,196	6,525
Technology Sales [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		57	1,438	1,196	6,525
Technology Sales [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Other Theater Business [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Finance Income [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Other Theater Business [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Sales [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues	[1]	0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		14,589	44,168	39,109	144,977
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		7,344	15,842	19,313	46,273
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		7,245	28,326	19,796	98,704
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		(17)	318	282	1,463
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Other [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Other [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		(17)	318	282	1,463
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX DMR [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		6,886	26,665	18,061	93,908
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX DMR [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX DMR [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		6,886	26,665	18,061	93,908
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		5,855	13,657	13,225	39,815
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		5,855	13,657	13,225	39,815
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Post-Production [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		739	2,185	3,088	6,458
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Post-Production [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		739	2,185	3,088	6,458
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Post-Production [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Distribution [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		1,126	1,343	4,453	3,333
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Distribution [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		750	0	3,000	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Film Distribution [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		376	1,343	1,453	3,333
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | IMAX DMR [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Film Post-Production [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Film Distribution [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | IMAX DMR [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Film Post-Production [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Image Enhancement And Maintenance Services [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Film Distribution [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Rentals [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		4,473	17,642	10,307	61,675
Technology Rentals [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	26
Technology Rentals [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues			1,037		1,486
Technology Rentals [Member] | Other [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues			0		0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Other [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues			0		26
Technology Rentals [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		4,473	16,605	10,307	60,189
Technology Rentals [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		4,473	17,642	10,307	61,649
Technology Rentals [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues			1,037		1,460
Technology Rentals [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		4,473	16,605	10,307	60,189
Technology Rentals [Member] | Finance Income [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Other [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues			0		0
Technology Rentals [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		2,441	2,845	7,495	8,104
Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member] | Fixed Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member] | Variable Consideration [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Finance Income [Member] | Lease Arrangements [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		0	0	0	0
Finance Income [Member] | Finance Income [Member] | IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenue from Contracts with Customers [Line Items]
Revenues		$ 2,441	$ 2,845	$ 7,495	$ 8,104

[1] Other sales include revenues associated with New Business Initiatives, such as IMAX Enhanced.