IMAX Corporation, IMAX China Holding, Inc., and China's largest cinema operator Wanda Film Holding Co., Ltd., announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Friday to deepen their strategic partnership in merchandise development and intellectual property initiatives.

A Wanda Cinema with IMAX theater in China. [Photo courtesy of IMAX]

The agreement underscores the companies' strategic alignment with the structural shift underway in China's film market and their shared commitment to developing the broader, cinema-driven consumer ecosystem emerging beyond the box office.

"Wanda Film's exploration of diversified businesses is accelerating in practice. In June this year, we further evolved our Super Entertainment Space strategy into a new '1+2+5' blueprint, with the '2' referring to the domestic and international markets. Under this new direction, we aim to broaden our market reach and co-create more opportunities with global partners," said Chen Zhixi, chairwoman of Wanda Film. 

Chen noted that IMAX has long been one of Wanda Film's most important partners, adding that the expanded collaboration will combine the company's venue strengths with IMAX's global network to build a new industry ecosystem, beyond enhancing content and viewing experiences.

"The IMAX experience begins on the big screen, but our story doesn't end there," said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China. "We're extending the hallmark feature of IMAX into more consumer touchpoints. As IMAX's largest exhibition partner worldwide, Wanda Film brings invaluable local insight and operational excellence to this effort. Together, we are taking a pivotal step forward in building a broader ecosystem — one that grows sustainably beyond the theatrical experience and engages an even wider spectrum of consumers."

With the MOU, Wanda Film and IMAX will partner on merchandise development, brand-focused IP initiatives and retail programs, using their nationwide networks to reach broader audiences. The pair will pursue new revenue streams by capitalizing on the expanding "lobby economy" and boosting consumer engagement outside traditional box-office operations. With their combined brand reputations, content resources and distribution channels, they are set to tap into the growing momentum behind cinema-driven retail innovation in the market.

Announced during IMAX's Investor Day and after a string of China box office milestones, driven by hits like "Zootopia 2," the MOU is the second major expansion of the IMAX-Wanda Film partnership this year. It follows June's news that Wanda will convert up to 27 premium auditoriums to IMAX systems. The collaboration underscores Wanda's confidence in IMAX's brand equity and China's premium cinema sector. This is happening amid surging demand for film-linked consumer goods, that are also spurring new ancillary industry business models.

To attract younger audiences and expand its brand beyond theaters into lifestyle spaces, IMAX has ramped up cross-industry partnerships outside traditional moviegoing. This includesa collaboration with Razer on co-branded gaming projects. This has further expanded the brand to creative, gaming and esports circles and created a scalable template for future merchandise projects.