IMAX, the format synonymous with a high-end, big-screen movie experience, is poised for a Hollywood comeback as spectacular as anything in theaters, USA Today reports. With new digital projectors trimming costs dramatically, IMAX will increase North American venues 80% by the end of 2009—and movie studios are getting on board, trusting the format with the likes of Speed Racer and The Dark Knight this year.
"They're getting great movies," said one analyst. "The new theater pace will be huge over the next two years. I predict IMAX turning profitable in the fourth quarter and staying profitable." (More IMAX stories.)