Segment Reporting - Breakdown of Segment Reporting Information by Category (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	$ 38,754	$ 34,902
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	17,281	5,086
IMAX DMR [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	11,944	10,629
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	8,251	4,443
Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Contingent Rent [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	8,359	5,971
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	1,883	(1,618)
IMAX Technology Network [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	20,303	16,600
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	10,134	2,825
IMAX Systems [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1],[3]	5,899	5,688
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2],[3]	3,012	3,176
Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements, Fixed Fees [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	1,738	770
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	156	179
IMAX Maintenance Segment [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	8,906	7,370
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	3,823	759
Other Theater Business [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1],[4]	437	1,263
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2],[4]	63	610
IMAX Technology Sales and Maintenance [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	16,980	15,091
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	7,054	4,724
New Business Initiatives [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	668	478
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	458	361
Post-production [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	591	1,611
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	236	223
Film Distribution [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1],[5]	222	883
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2],[5]	(261)	(2,158)
Film Distribution and Post-Production [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	813	2,494
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	(25)	(1,935)
Reportable Segments [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	38,764	34,663
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	17,621	5,975
Other [Member]
Revenues
Revenue	[1]	(10)	239
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)
Gross Margin (Margin Loss)	[2]	$ (340)	$ (889)

[1] The Company’s largest customer represents 31.2% of total Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (2020 — 14.4%) and 15.9% of total Accounts Receivable as of March 31, 2021. No single customer comprises more than 10% of the Company’s total Accounts Receivable as of December 31, 2020.

[2] IMAX DMR gross margin includes marketing costs of $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (2020 — $2.4 million). JRSA gross margin includes advertising, marketing and commission expense of $0.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (2020 — $0.5 million). IMAX Systems gross margin includes marketing and commission costs of $0.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (2020 — $0.2 million). Film Distribution segment gross margin includes a marketing recovery of less than $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021 (2020 — expense of $0.2 million).

[3] Includes initial upfront payments and the present value of fixed minimum payments from sales and sales-type lease arrangements of IMAX Theater Systems, and the present value of estimated variable consideration from sales of IMAX Theater Systems. To a lesser extent, also includes finance income associated with these revenue streams.

[4] Principally includes after-market sales of IMAX projection system parts and 3D glasses

[5] During the three months ended March 31, 2020, Film Distribution segment results include impairment losses of $2.3 million to write-down the carrying value of certain documentary and alternative content film assets due to a decrease in projected box office totals and related revenues based on management’s regular quarterly recoverability assessments. No such charges were incurred in the three months ended March 31, 2021