Debt - Additional Information (Details) ¥ in Millions				3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	189 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2021 CNY (¥)	Mar. 19, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 15, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) $ / shares	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($) $ / shares	Apr. 01, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2021 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2020 CNY (¥)	Jul. 24, 2020 USD ($)	Jul. 24, 2020 CNY (¥)	Oct. 28, 2019 USD ($)
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit facility description				The Company has a credit agreement, the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (“Wells Fargo”), as agent, and a syndicate of lenders party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”). The Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by certain of its subsidiaries (the “Guarantors”) and are secured by first-priority security interests in substantially all the assets of the Company and the Guarantors. The facility provided by the Credit Agreement (the “Credit Facility”) matures on June 28, 2023.
Credit facility maturity date				Jun. 28, 2023
Current borrowing capacity				$ 300,000,000.0			$ 300,000,000.0
Repayment of outstanding indebtedness				$ 255,000,000
Line of credit facility covenant terms				The Credit Agreement contains a covenant that requires the Company 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.
Effective interest rate				2.65%	2.03%
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes, net				$ 223,675,000
Payment of debt issuance costs				$ 32,000
Working Capital Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Credit facility description				On July 24, 2020, 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 Renminbi (approximately $30.4 million) to fund ongoing working capital requirements (the “Working Capital Facility”).
Current borrowing capacity											$ 30,400,000	¥ 200.0
Borrowings				$ 7,590,000		$ 7,600,000	7,590,000		¥ 49.9	¥ 49.9
Effective interest rate				4.34%		4.31%
Line of credit facility expiration period				2021-07
Remaining borrowing capacity				$ 21,300,000			21,300,000		¥ 140.1
Working Capital Facility [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Repayment of outstanding indebtedness | ¥	¥ 1.7
Remaining borrowing capacity								$ 300,000
Convertible Notes [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowings				230,000,000			230,000,000
Debt issued		$ 230,000,000.0		$ 230,000,000.0			$ 230,000,000.0
Debt instrument, annual interest rate		0.50%		0.50%			0.50%		0.50%
Proceeds from issuance of convertible notes, net		$ 223,700,000		$ 223,700,000
Payment of debt issuance costs		$ 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 thereof, 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 notes in certain circumstances and during specified periods. Before January 1, 2026, holders of the Convertible Notes have the right to convert their notes only upon the occurrence of certain events. From and after January 1, 2026, holders of the Convertible Notes may convert their 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			$ 1,000
Debt instrument, initial conversion price | $ / shares				$ 28.75			$ 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 note for redemption will constitute a “make-whole fundamental change” with respect to that note, in which case the conversion rate applicable to the conversion of that note will be increased in certain circumstances if such note is converted after it is 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			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]
Current borrowing capacity						$ 300,000,000.0
Borrowings				45,000,000.0			$ 45,000,000.0
Amount drew down in available borrowing capacity					$ 280,000,000.0
Repayment of outstanding indebtedness				255,000,000.0
Letters of credit or advance payment guarantees				$ 0		0	0
Line of credit facility covenant terms				On March 15, 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement (as amended by the First Amendment to the Credit Agreement, dated as of June 10, 2020) (collectively, the “Amendments”). The Amendments, among other things, (i) suspend the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio covenant through the first quarter of 2022, (ii) re-establish the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio covenant thereafter, provided that for subsequent quarters that such covenant is tested, as applicable, the Company will be permitted to use its quarterly EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) from the third and fourth quarters of 2019 in lieu of EBITDA for the corresponding quarters of 2021, (iii) add a $75.0 million minimum liquidity covenant measured at the end of each calendar month, (iv) restrict the Company’s ability to make certain restricted payments, dispositions and investments, create or assume liens and incur debt that would otherwise have been permitted by the Credit Agreement and (v) permit the issuance of the Convertible Notes (as discussed below) and related transactions, including the capped call transactions, or other unsecured debt, in an amount not to exceed $290.0 million. The modifications to the negative covenants, the minimum liquidity covenant and modifications to certain other provisions in the Credit Agreement pursuant to the Amendments are effective until the earlier of the delivery of the compliance certificate for the fourth quarter of 2022 or the date on which the Company, in its sole discretion, elects to calculate its compliance with the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio by using either its actual EBITDA or annualized EBITDA (the “Designated Period”).
Compliance with covenants				As of March 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with all of its requirements under the Credit Agreement, as amended.
Liquidity covenant minimum				$ 75,000,000.0
Interest rate description				Borrowings under the Credit Facility 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); provided, however, that from the effective date of the First Amendment to the Credit Agreement until the Company delivers a compliance certificate under the Credit Facility following the end of the Designated Period, the applicable margin for LIBOR borrowings will be 2.50% per annum and the applicable margin for U.S. base rate borrowings will be 1.75% per annum. The effective interest rate for the three months ended March 31, 2021 was 2.65% (2020 — 2.03%).
Standby fees percentage			0.50%
Fees incurred in connection with the amendments							1,200,000
Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			2.50%
Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage			1.75%
Letters of Guarantees [Member] | Working Capital Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Remaining borrowing capacity				$ 1,500,000			1,500,000		¥ 10.0
Wells Fargo Foreign Exchange Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Unrealized gain on outstanding foreign currency forward contracts				1,700,000		2,000,000.0	1,700,000
Notional Amount of arrangements entered into				21,900,000		31,900,000	21,900,000
NBC Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Current borrowing capacity													$ 5,000,000.0
Remaining borrowing capacity				0		$ 0	0
Minimum [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Borrowing capacity under uncommitted accordion feature				$ 440,000,000.0			$ 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]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Standby fees percentage				0.25%
Minimum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage				1.00%
Minimum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage				0.25%
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Debt instrument net leverage ratio				3.25
Line of credit facility covenant capacity			$ 290,000,000.0
Standby fees percentage				0.38%
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage				1.75%
Maximum [Member] | Credit Facility [Member] | Base Rate [Member]
Borrowings (Textual) [Abstract]
Interest rate margin percentage				1.00%