Stephen King’s Best Movie Is Coming to IMAX for the First Time
Stanley Kubrick’s horror masterpiece The Shining is finally making its way to IMAX theaters this December.
While fans have had the chance to see the film on the big screen occasionally since its 1980 release, this marks the first time it will be shown in IMAX, with theaters offering the 1.43:1 or 1.90:1 aspect ratio, depending on the location.
IMAX announced that the film will hit theaters on December 12, which is a bit later than the traditional spooky season.
The laugh that will send chills down your spine… Experience The Shining in IMAX for the first time December 12. pic.twitter.com/VuHV08Isww
— IMAX (@IMAX) October 28, 2025
Tickets are not yet available, but fans can sign up for updates on the official IMAX page. When asked about remastering or other changes for the release, IMAX has not shared details. Given that Kubrick passed away over 25 years ago, it’s expected that the movie will be shown in its current best theatrical format.
The Shining is a psychological horror film based on Stephen King’s 1977 novel. It was produced and directed by Kubrick, co-written with Diane Johnson, and stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers.
The story follows Nicholson’s character, a recovering alcoholic and aspiring writer, who takes a winter job as caretaker of a remote mountain resort with his wife and clairvoyant son. The isolation and supernatural events lead him down a dark path toward madness.
Filming took place almost entirely in England at EMI Elstree Studios, with sets modeled after real locations. Kubrick worked with a small crew and often required numerous takes, which sometimes exhausted the actors and staff. The production also used the then-new Steadicam technology, giving the movie a groundbreaking, immersive visual style.
Upon its release in May 1980 in the U.S., reactions were mixed. Stephen King himself criticized the film for deviating from his novel, and it received two nominations at the first Golden Raspberry Awards.
One nomination, for Shelley Duvall’s performance, was later rescinded in 2022 due to Kubrick’s alleged treatment of her on set. Over time, however, The Shining has been re-evaluated and is now widely considered one of the greatest horror films ever made. In 2018, the film was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
The movie also inspired a sequel, Doctor Sleep, based on King’s 2013 novel, which was adapted into a film released in 2019.
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