Although streaming fans appreciate the convenience of such services, they also place great importance on the quality of the movies they watch.
One study revealed that two-thirds of Americans would be more tempted to watch a film that played in IMAX theaters when it lands on a streaming platform.
According to a study conducted by IMAX via NRG Research Group, and reported by IndieWire, 62 per cent of Americans surveyed said they would be more likely to watch a film on a streaming platform if it had been released on IMAX screens in theaters.
Men under 35 and regular moviegoers would be even more likely to do so.
Moreover, 69 per cent of those questioned said that the IMAX logo on a film's poster would give them the impression of a better quality movie, despite the higher price tag associated with seeing these movies.
Some 90 per cent of respondents think that a movie being "filmed for IMAX" is an even more convincing argument.
"A strong theatrical run, especially with the inclusion of IMAX, helps the value the whole content chain," said IMAX chief executive officer Rich Gelfond.
"I think it also affects where we sit in the ecosystem and the kinds of leverage we have and the kinds of commercial terms we can get."
Speaking at the Bank of America conference, Gelfond said the company had managed to get through the Covid-19 period without losing revenue, unlike the movie industry as a whole. He told IndieWire that "movies that audiences know are shot in IMAX perform about 20 per cent better for them than if it's just playing on a premium large format screen."
Next year, 14 movies are expected to be released for IMAX screens — twice as many as usual.