- VOX Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, is the UAE’s largest IMAX screen with a published width, at roughly 26m
- Sharjah’s Zero 6 (Cinemacity) was billed at launch as the UAE’s biggest IMAX screen, but no width has ever been published, so it can’t be ranked.
- Abu Dhabi has two IMAX screens — Yas Mall and The Galleria Al Maryah — and Yas Mall’s 23.2m screen is the larger of the two on published figures, reopened in December 2025.
- Roxy Xtreme (Dubai) and Cinemacity Al Qana (Abu Dhabi) both rival the UAE’s largest IMAX screens for size, but neither carries an IMAX licence.
- The UAE only has digital IMAX with laser; true IMAX 70mm film is not available here.
The UAE’s Largest IMAX Screens, Ranked by Width
Only two UAE cinemas currently publish verified IMAX screen widths, and VOX Mall of the Emirates leads on size. Both use IMAX with Laser projection, the current standard for digital IMAX in the region.
Screen widths as reported by Gulf News and Digital Cinema Report — see Sources below.
Size isn’t the only thing worth choosing on.
Mall of the Emirates covers both comfort and sightlines — Majid Al Futtaim’s launch release describes in-auditorium Ōma pods alongside stadium seating built to give clear vantage points from every seat — while Yas Mall wins on audio with its 12-channel immersive sound system.
Dubai’s IMAX Screens in Full
Dubai has three IMAX-branded auditoriums, and only one of them publishes exact screen dimensions.
| Cinema | What to know |
|---|---|
| VOX Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates | Rebuilt in April 2025 with a 4K laser projection system (VOX’s IMAX page says two projectors run simultaneously to provide life-like clarity) and seven exclusive Ōma Cinema “THEATRE pods” inside the IMAX hall itself, each seating five guests with reclining seats and full waiter service. |
| VOX Cinemas, Dubai Festival City Mall | Upgraded to 4K laser projection; VOX has not published exact screen dimensions for this location. |
| IMAX Sapphire, City Centre Mirdif | “Sapphire” here refers to the seating format (fully reclining twin seats with extra legroom), not the projection system. |
Abu Dhabi and Sharjah’s IMAX Screens
Abu Dhabi has two IMAX screens: Yas Mall and The Galleria Al Maryah. Yas Mall is the larger of the two on published figures.
The rebuilt Yas Mall auditorium measures 23.2 metres wide, runs a 12-channel immersive sound system, and now seats guests in gliders and recliners throughout. Eleven of Yas Mall’s other standard screens were converted to Premier auditoriums in the same refresh.
VOX also runs IMAX with Laser at The Galleria Al Maryah, though it hasn’t published that screen’s width, so it isn’t in the ranked chart above.
Sharjah has one IMAX screen, at Cinemacity’s Zero 6 Mall complex, which launch publicity billed as the UAE’s biggest IMAX screen to date. Cinemacity’s own IMAX page today calls it one of the largest screens in the UAE and Sharjah’s only IMAX, but no width has ever been published, so it can’t be ranked against Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
If a screening only works on a specific date, it’s worth checking that showtime before assuming Dubai or Abu Dhabi is your only option.
Not IMAX, But They Rival the Largest
A few UAE screens rival the country’s largest IMAX auditoriums for size without carrying the IMAX licence; worth knowing if certification matters to your viewing choice.
| Screen | Location | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Roxy Xtreme | Dubai Hills Mall | Billed at launch as the largest cinema screen in the Middle East, at 28m x 15.1m, with laser projection, Dolby Atmos, and 12-seat Director’s Boxes. It is explicitly not IMAX-licensed. |
| Cinemacity Al Qana | Abu Dhabi | The XXL Theatre here runs a 26-metre-wide screen with dual high-contrast laser projectors, billed as Abu Dhabi’s largest cinema screen inside what was promoted as the UAE’s largest cinema complex when Al Qana opened in 2022. It’s a custom PLF (Premium Large Format) screen, not an IMAX installation, and its 26m width ties VOX Mall of the Emirates’ IMAX rather than beating it. |
| VOX Cinemas, City Centre Deira (MAX) | Dubai | A 408 m² MAX screen, a separate large-format brand, not IMAX-licensed. At its 2016 launch, Majid Al Futtaim’s official release billed this screen at 31 metres wide — wider than every other screen in this article, including Roxy Xtreme. VOX’s current MAX page describes the format across its UAE locations more generally as “over 20 metres wide” without repeating that figure, so treat the 31m record as historical rather than an actively defended claim. |
None of These Are True IMAX 70mm
Every UAE IMAX screen on this list uses digital IMAX with Laser projection, not the true IMAX 70mm film format some directors shoot on.
Wego’s guide to every true IMAX 70mm theater in the world covers where that format actually screens, currently nowhere in the Gulf, with Prague the closest option from Dubai.
Planning a Trip Around a Screening
For GCC residents outside the UAE, or travelers further afield, a big-format screening is a realistic reason to build a short trip around Dubai or Abu Dhabi rather than waiting for a smaller local screen. Compare flights to Dubai if VOX Mall of the Emirates is the draw.
Mall of the Emirates is in Al Barsha, with a dense hotel strip on Sheikh Zayed Road within a few minutes of the cinema. Dubai Festival City Mall and City Centre Mirdif run IMAX screens too, but both sit east of the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor, so check transit time from your hotel before you book one of those showtimes.
Compare hotels in Dubai on Wego and filter by area to find something near whichever screen you’re actually going to see.
If Yas Mall’s IMAX in Abu Dhabi is the target instead, Yas Island itself holds most of the nearby hotel options, walkable or a short shuttle from the mall. Compare hotels in Abu Dhabi on Wego and look at Yas Island listings specifically rather than the wider city.
Building a trip around one of these screens? Check flights to Dubai or Abu Dhabi and compare hotels nearby on Wego before you book a showtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest IMAX screen in the UAE?
VOX Cinemas at Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, at roughly 26 metres wide, is the largest IMAX screen in the UAE with a published width, following VOX’s April 2025 rebuild of the auditorium with a 4K laser projection system. Sharjah’s Zero 6 (Cinemacity) was billed at launch as the UAE’s biggest IMAX screen but has never published its dimensions, so it can’t be ranked.
Is Cinemacity Al Qana an IMAX screen?
No. Its 26-metre XXL Theatre is a custom PLF (Premium Large Format) screen with dual laser projectors, not an IMAX-licensed installation. It was billed as Abu Dhabi’s largest cinema screen, inside what was promoted at the time as the UAE’s largest cinema complex, when Al Qana opened in 2022.
Is the IMAX at IMG Worlds of Adventure still open?
No. Novo Cinemas’ IMAX at IMG Worlds of Adventure is no longer operating, and Novo’s own UAE locations page lists Dragon Mart as its only Dubai cinema as of July 2026. Its 24.4-metre screen was Dubai’s largest IMAX with Laser when it opened in 2019.
Is there an IMAX screen in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, two — VOX Cinemas at Yas Mall and at The Galleria Al Maryah. Yas Mall reopened in December 2025 with a 23.2-metre IMAX with Laser screen and a 12-channel sound system, making it the larger of the two on published figures; Al Maryah’s dimensions aren’t published.
Does the UAE have true IMAX 70mm screens?
No. Every UAE IMAX auditorium runs digital IMAX with Laser projection. True IMAX 70mm film is not currently screened anywhere in the Gulf.
Sources
- Gulf News — IMAX, ScreenX or 4DX? How to choose the right UAE cinema screen for the film you’re actually watching
- Majid Al Futtaim — VOX Cinemas brings the world’s most innovative IMAX experience to Mall of the Emirates
- VOX Cinemas UAE — IMAX Cinema Experience
- Motivate Val Morgan — VOX Cinemas Unveils Next-Generation IMAX at Yas Mall Abu Dhabi (December 2025)
- Novo Cinemas UAE — Explore Our Locations (current UAE cinema list)
- Boxoffice Pro — Novo Cinemas Opens Dubai’s Largest IMAX With Laser at IMG Worlds of Adventure
- Cinemacity — IMAX Cinema in Sharjah (Zero 6 Mall)
- Arabian Business — Sharjah set to open the UAE’s largest IMAX cinema screen
- Middle East Construction News — Al Qana opens UAE’s largest cinema complex
- Majid Al Futtaim — Dubai Scores Yet Another First as VOX Opens Largest Cinema Screen in the Middle East & North Africa (2016)
- VOX Cinemas UAE — MAX Cinema Experience
- The National — Roxy Xtreme: what it’s like to watch a film on the Mena region’s biggest screen
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
