Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Impact Of Coronavirus Nineteen Pandemic [Abstract]
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic	2. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic In late January 2020, in response to the public health risks associated with the novel coronavirus and the disease that it causes (“COVID-19”), the Chinese government directed exhibitors in China to temporarily close more than 70,000 movie theaters, including all of the approximately 700 IMAX theaters in mainland China. On March 11, 2020, due to the worsening public health crisis associated with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and in the following weeks, local, state and national governments instituted stay-at-home orders and restrictions on large public gatherings, which caused movie theaters in countries around the world to temporarily close, including substantially all of the IMAX theaters in those countries. As a result of the theater closures, movie studios postponed the theatrical release of most films originally scheduled for release in 2020 and early 2021, including many scheduled to be shown in IMAX theaters, while several other films were released directly or concurrently to streaming platforms. More recently, stay-at-home orders have been lifted in many countries and movie theaters throughout the IMAX network gradually reopened in the third quarter of 2020 with reduced capacities, physical distancing requirements, and other safety measures. As of March 31, 2021, 77% of the theaters in the global IMAX commercial multiplex network were open, including substantially all of the theaters in Greater China. In many parts of Asia, audiences have returned to theaters, particularly IMAX theaters, in numbers approximating pre-pandemic attendance levels despite the continued delay of Hollywood theatrical releases, which typically account for 70% of box office ticket sales in those regions. However, ticket sales have been significantly lower than normal levels in theaters outside of Asia due in significant part to the continued delays in the Hollywood theatrical release schedule. As a result, during the first quarter of 2021, certain theater chains have remained closed or operated with capacity restrictions and reduced their operating hours. The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in significantly lower levels of revenues, earnings and operating cash flows during 2020 and through the end of the first quarter of 2021, when compared to periods prior to the onset of the pandemic, as gross box office (“GBO”) results from the Company’s theater customers declined significantly, the installation of certain theater systems was delayed, and maintenance services were generally suspended for theaters that were closed. Even as the pandemic has receded in many markets around the world, there continues to be few new films released by Hollywood movie studios and a significant number of theaters in the IMAX network remain either closed or operating with capacity restrictions. The Company continues to experience a significant decline in earnings and operating cash flows as it is generating lower than normal levels of GBO-based revenue from its joint revenue sharing arrangements and digital remastering services, it is unable to provide normal maintenance services to any of the theaters that remain closed, and while some installation activity is continuing, certain theater system installations have been, and may continue to be delayed. However, with approximately 77% of the Company’s global theater network open as of March 31, 2021 (including substantially all of the theaters in Greater China), GBO receipts generated by IMAX DMR films and joint revenue sharing arrangements increased in the current quarter, leading to improvement in the Company’s segment results, when compared to the prior year period. In addition, as a result of the financial difficulties faced by certain of the Company’s exhibition customers as a result of theater closures during the pandemic, the Company has experienced and may continue to experience delays in collecting payments due under existing theater sale or lease arrangements. In response, the Company has provided temporary relief to exhibitor customers by waiving or reducing maintenance fees during periods when theaters are closed or operating with reduced capacities and, in certain situations, by providing extended payment terms on annual minimum payment obligations in exchange for a corresponding or longer extension of the term of the underlying sale or lease arrangement. The Company may continue to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic even after theaters reopen and resume normal operations. The global economic impact of COVID-19 has led to record levels of unemployment in certain countries, which has led to, and may continue to result in lower consumer spending. The timing and extent of a recovery of consumer behavior and willingness to spend discretionary income on movie-going may delay the Company’s ability to generate significant GBO-based revenue until consumer behavior normalizes and consumer spending recovers. In response to uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic, in the first quarter of 2021, the Company continued to take significant steps to preserve cash by eliminating non-essential costs, keeping certain employees on a temporary furlough, reducing the working hours of other employees and reducing all non-essential capital expenditures to minimum levels. The Company has also implemented an active cash management process, which, among other things, requires senior management approval of all outgoing payments. In the first quarter of 2021, the Company issued $230.0 million of Convertible Notes. The net proceeds from the issuance of the Convertible Notes were approximately $223.7 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions, which were used in part to repay a portion of outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility provided by the Company’s Credit Agreement with Wells Fargo. In addition, during the first quarter of 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement which, among other things, suspends the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio financial covenant in the Credit Agreement through the first quarter of 2022 and, once re-established, permits the Company to use EBITDA from the third and fourth quarters of 2019 in lieu of EBITDA for the corresponding quarters of 2021. As of March 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with all of its requirements under the Credit Agreement, as amended. (Each defined term used, but not defined in this paragraph is defined in Note 7.) The Company has applied for and received $8.6 million to date in wage subsidies, tax credits and other financial support under COVID-19 relief legislation that has been enacted in the countries in which it operates. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recognized $1.5 million under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) program as reductions to Selling, General and Administrative Expenses ($1.2 million) and Costs and Expenses Applicable to Revenues ($0.3 million) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. The CEWS program has been extended to September 2021. The Company will continue to review for the availability of additional subsidies and credits for the remaining terms of these programs, where applicable, although there are no guarantees that the Company will ultimately apply for or receive any such additional benefits.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Impact Of Coronavirus Nineteen Pandemic [Abstract]

2. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

In late January 2020, in response to the public health risks associated with the novel coronavirus and the disease that it causes (“COVID-19”), the Chinese government directed exhibitors in China to temporarily close more than 70,000 movie theaters, including all of the approximately 700 IMAX theaters in mainland China. On March 11, 2020, due to the worsening public health crisis associated with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, and in the following weeks, local, state and national governments instituted stay-at-home orders and restrictions on large public gatherings, which caused movie theaters in countries around the world to temporarily close, including substantially all of the IMAX theaters in those countries. As a result of the theater closures, movie studios postponed the theatrical release of most films originally scheduled for release in 2020 and early 2021, including many scheduled to be shown in IMAX theaters, while several other films were released directly or concurrently to streaming platforms. More recently, stay-at-home orders have been lifted in many countries and movie theaters throughout the IMAX network gradually reopened in the third quarter of 2020 with reduced capacities, physical distancing requirements, and other safety measures. As of March 31, 2021, 77% of the theaters in the global IMAX commercial multiplex network were open, including substantially all of the theaters in Greater China. In many parts of Asia, audiences have returned to theaters, particularly IMAX theaters, in numbers approximating pre-pandemic attendance levels despite the continued delay of Hollywood theatrical releases, which typically account for 70% of box office ticket sales in those regions. However, ticket sales have been significantly lower than normal levels in theaters outside of Asia due in significant part to the continued delays in the Hollywood theatrical release schedule. As a result, during the first quarter of 2021, certain theater chains have remained closed or operated with capacity restrictions and reduced their operating hours.

The impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in significantly lower levels of revenues, earnings and operating cash flows during 2020 and through the end of the first quarter of 2021, when compared to periods prior to the onset of the pandemic, as gross box office (“GBO”) results from the Company’s theater customers declined significantly, the installation of certain theater systems was delayed, and maintenance services were generally suspended for theaters that were closed. Even as the pandemic has receded in many markets around the world, there continues to be few new films released by Hollywood movie studios and a significant number of theaters in the IMAX network remain either closed or operating with capacity restrictions. The Company continues to experience a significant decline in earnings and operating cash flows as it is generating lower than normal levels of GBO-based revenue from its joint revenue sharing arrangements and digital remastering services, it is unable to provide normal maintenance services to any of the theaters that remain closed, and while some installation activity is continuing, certain theater system installations have been, and may continue to be delayed. However, with approximately 77% of the Company’s global theater network open as of March 31, 2021 (including substantially all of the theaters in Greater China), GBO receipts generated by IMAX DMR films and joint revenue sharing arrangements increased in the current quarter, leading to improvement in the Company’s segment results, when compared to the prior year period.

In addition, as a result of the financial difficulties faced by certain of the Company’s exhibition customers as a result of theater closures during the pandemic, the Company has experienced and may continue to experience delays in collecting payments due under existing theater sale or lease arrangements. In response, the Company has provided temporary relief to exhibitor customers by waiving or reducing maintenance fees during periods when theaters are closed or operating with reduced capacities and, in certain situations, by providing extended payment terms on annual minimum payment obligations in exchange for a corresponding or longer extension of the term of the underlying sale or lease arrangement.

The Company may continue to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic even after theaters reopen and resume normal operations. The global economic impact of COVID-19 has led to record levels of unemployment in certain countries, which has led to, and may continue to result in lower consumer spending. The timing and extent of a recovery of consumer behavior and willingness to spend discretionary income on movie-going may delay the Company’s ability to generate significant GBO-based revenue until consumer behavior normalizes and consumer spending recovers.

In response to uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic, in the first quarter of 2021, the Company continued to take significant steps to preserve cash by eliminating non-essential costs, keeping certain employees on a temporary furlough, reducing the working hours of other employees and reducing all non-essential capital expenditures to minimum levels. The Company has also implemented an active cash management process, which, among other things, requires senior management approval of all outgoing payments.

In the first quarter of 2021, the Company issued $230.0 million of Convertible Notes. The net proceeds from the issuance of the Convertible Notes were approximately $223.7 million, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discounts and commissions, which were used in part to repay a portion of outstanding borrowings under the Credit Facility provided by the Company’s Credit Agreement with Wells Fargo. In addition, during the first quarter of 2021, the Company entered into the Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement which, among other things, suspends the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio financial covenant in the Credit Agreement through the first quarter of 2022 and, once re-established, permits the Company to use EBITDA from the third and fourth quarters of 2019 in lieu of EBITDA for the corresponding quarters of 2021. As of March 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with all of its requirements under the Credit Agreement, as amended. (Each defined term used, but not defined in this paragraph is defined in Note 7.)

The Company has applied for and received $8.6 million to date in wage subsidies, tax credits and other financial support under COVID-19 relief legislation that has been enacted in the countries in which it operates. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recognized $1.5 million under the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (“CEWS”) program as reductions to Selling, General and Administrative Expenses ($1.2 million) and Costs and Expenses Applicable to Revenues ($0.3 million) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. The CEWS program has been extended to September 2021. The Company will continue to review for the availability of additional subsidies and credits for the remaining terms of these programs, where applicable, although there are no guarantees that the Company will ultimately apply for or receive any such additional benefits.