Mann Theatres is bringing its first-ever IMAX with Laser screen to the Plymouth Grand 15 this fall, upgrading one of its flagship Twin Cities suburban multiplexes as the format rides a wave of blockbuster demand. The family-owned Minnesota chain has not announced an exact opening date, but it has already added a page to its website where moviegoers can sign up for alerts about the debut.
The announcement comes from a report by Bring Me The News, whose lead Minnesota lifestyle reporter Dustin Nelson detailed the plans for the 3400 Vicksburg Lane theater. Mann Theatres described the project as “one of the biggest upgrades we've ever made at Plymouth Mann,” according to the outlet's report. As part of the buildout, the theater's existing XDX screen — Mann's proprietary extreme-format auditorium — will be relocated to a different auditorium to make room for the new laser installation.
What IMAX With Laser Actually Changes
The upgrade swaps out traditional xenon bulb projection for dual 4K laser projectors paired with a 12-channel audio setup built around ceiling and side-wall speakers, according to IMAX Corporation. The result is higher brightness and sharper contrast that does not dim the way older bulb-based systems do over time. Cinema Treasures notes that the Plymouth Grand 15's current XDX auditorium, seat number 14, already runs 60 speakers with Dolby Atmos sound for 227 patrons, giving the multiplex two distinct premium formats once the new screen opens.
The Plymouth Grand 15 itself has a long history in the western suburbs. It opened in January 1998 with 12 screens before expanding to 15 auditoriums and a total capacity of 1,421 seats in November 2014, per Cinema Treasures. Mann Theatres traces its own roots back to 1935, when brothers Marvin and Ted Mann founded the company; it now operates as a third-generation family business under Stephen Mann and his children, Michelle and Michael Mann, according to the company's own history.
Filling a Gap Left by CMX's Collapse
The Plymouth expansion lands at a moment of real turnover in the Twin Cities premium-screen market. CMX Cinemas shut down both of its Minnesota locations in 2025, including the CMX Odyssey IMAX in Burnsville, after parent company Cinemex Holdings USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a collapse detailed by Quick Country 96.5. That closure left Minnesota moviegoers with IMAX screens concentrated at AMC Eden Prairie, AMC Rosedale, AMC Southdale, and Marcus Galaxy 14, per Bring Me The News.
Other regional chains have already moved to fill the void. Emagine Entertainment converted its 64-foot-wide “Monster” screen at Emagine Lakeville into a 4K IMAX with Laser auditorium in December 2025, expanding its Minnesota footprint in time for the holiday movie season, as reported by FOX 9. Mann Theatres, which runs eight theaters across the state including locations in Baxter, Champlin, Edina, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, and two St. Paul sites in addition to Plymouth, is now following suit with its first laser installation.
Blockbusters Are Driving the Screen Race
The push toward premium large-format screens tracks a surge in IMAX box-office performance this year. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which debuted in July, generated $289 million from IMAX auditoriums within its first month, surpassing 2009's Avatar to become the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, according to the seed report's citation of industry figures. The film reached $1.1 billion globally in that span.
Looking ahead, the Plymouth Grand 15's website already lists future IMAX screenings for Dune: Part Three, Denis Villeneuve's follow-up scheduled for release on December 18. IMAX leadership has confirmed the film as only the second feature in cinema history shot entirely with IMAX cameras, following The Odyssey, per coverage of the format's growing camera-native ambitions. Minnesota's theatrical market has held up despite broader pressure on the industry, with commercial location records from 2025 showing roughly 197 operating movie theaters statewide, according to Quick Country 96.5.
