content: <PAGE>   1
                As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                               on February 23, 2000.
  
                                                             Registration No. 333-
  
  
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ----------------------------
                                  IMAX CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                  CANADA                                     98-0140269
       (State or other jurisdiction                       (I.R.S. Employer
             of organization)                            Identification No.)
  
  
                                 2525 SPEAKMAN DRIVE
                            MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO L5K 1B1
                                       CANADA
                      (Address of principal executive offices)
  
                         IMAX CORPORATION STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of the Plan)
                            ----------------------------
                                  IMAX U.S.A. INC.
                           110 E. 59TH STREET, SUITE 2100
                                 NEW YORK, NY 10022
                       (Name and address of agent for service)
  
                                   (212) 821-0100
            (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                            ----------------------------
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
         TITLE OF                 AMOUNT            PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
     SECURITIES TO BE             TO BE            OFFERING PRICE PER          AGGREGATE             REGISTRATION
      REGISTERED (1)            REGISTERED              SHARE(2)           OFFERING PRICE(3)            FEE(3)
  
  <S>                           <C>                  <C>                  <C>                       <C>
  Common Shares (no par value)  7,710,836               U.S.$24.50         U.S.$134,698,991         U.S.$35,560.53
  </TABLE>
  
  (1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
  "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement covers, in addition to the number
  of shares of Common Stock stated above, such additional shares of Common Stock
  to be offered or issued to prevent dilution as a result of future stock
  dividends or stock splits.
  
  (2) Estimated pursuant to paragraph (c) of Rule 457 under the Securities Act, as
  amended, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based upon
  the average of the high and low prices for the Common Shares quoted on The
  Nasdaq National Market on February 15, 2000.
  
  (3) Calculation of the Registration Fee excludes 2,112,918 Common Shares
  issuable pursuant to the Imax Stock Option Plan which have already been
  registered on the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
  (File No.: 333-5720) and 100,000 Common Shares which are being registered on the
  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 which is being filed on the date
  hereof.
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   2
  
  
  
                                       PART I
  
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
  
  The contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File
  No. 333-5720) are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                        I-1
  
  <PAGE>   3
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Item 8.        Exhibits.
  
         The following documents are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
  
  Exhibit
  Number                              Description
  
  4.1            Articles of Incorporation of Imax Corporation (incorporated
                 by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Registration
                 Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 33-77536)).
  
  4.2            Imax Corporation Stock Option Plan.
  
  5              Opinion of McCarthy Tetrault, counsel to the Registrant, as to
                 the validity of the securities registered hereby.
  
  23.1           Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
  
  23.2           Consent of McCarthy Tetrault.
  
  24             Powers of Attorney (contained  on the signature page of this
                 registration statement on Form S-8).
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   4
  
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
                    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the
  Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
  of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on this 17th day of
  February, 2000.
  
  
                                  IMAX CORPORATION
  
  
                                           By:        /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               Name:  Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               Title: Co-Chairman  of the Company,
                                                      Co-Chief Executive Officer
                                                      and Director
  
  
  <PAGE>   5
  
  
  
                                 POWERS OF ATTORNEY
  
           Each of the undersigned whose signatures appears below hereby
  constitutes and appoints Bradley J. Wechsler and Richard L. Gelfond, either of
  whom may act individually, as his or her lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
  with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or
  her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
  amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to this
  Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
  other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said
  attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
  every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
  premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he/she might or could do in
  person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
  agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by
  virtue thereof.
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
  Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
  on the date indicated.
  
         Signature                    Title                         Date
  
  /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler    Co-Chairman of the Company,       February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Bradley J. Wechsler    Co-Chief Executive Officer
                             and Director
                             (Principal Executive Officer)
  
  
  /s/ Richard L. Gelfond     Co-Chairman of the Company,       February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Richard L. Gelfond     Co-Chief Executive Officer
                             and Director
                             (Principal Executive Officer)
  
  
  /s/ Michael J. Biondi      Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Michael J. Biondi
  
                             Director
  -----------------------
      Kenneth G. Copland
  
                             Director
  -----------------------
      J. Trevor Eyton
  
  
  /s/ Garth M. Girvan        Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Garth M. Girvan
  
  
  /s/ G. Edmund King         Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      G. Edmund King
  
  <PAGE>   6
  
  
  
  /s/ Murray B. Koffler      Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Murray B. Koffler
  
  /s/ Sam Reisman            Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Sam Reisman
  
  /s/ Marc A. Utay           Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Marc A. Utay
  
  /s/ W. Townsend Ziebold    Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      W. Townsend Ziebold
  
  /s/ John M. Davison        Chief Operating Officer           February 17, 2000
  -----------------------    and Chief Financial Officer
      John M. Davison        (Principal Financial Officer)
  
  
  
  /s/ Mark J. Thornley       Vice President Finance            February 17, 2000
  -----------------------    (Principal Accounting Officer)
      Mark J. Thornley
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   7
  
  
  
  
  
  
                              AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of Section 6(a) of the Securities Act this
  Registration Statement has been signed on its behalf of the Registrant by the
  undersigned, solely in their capacity as the duly authorized representatives of
  Imax Corporation in the United States, in the City of New York, New York, U.S.A.
  on February 17, 2000.
  
  
  
                                      IMAX U.S.A. INC.
  
  
  
                                      By:               /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               --------------------------------
                                               Name:    Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               Title:   President
  
  
  
                                      By:               /s/ John M. Davison
                                               ----------------------------
                                               Name:    John M. Davison
                                               Title:   Vice President, Finance
  
  
  <PAGE>   8
  
  
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
       EXHIBIT                                                       SEQUENTIALLY
        NUMBER        DESCRIPTION                                    NUMBERED PAGE
  
  
         4.1          Articles of Incorporation of Imax Corporation
                      (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1
                      to the Registrant's Registration Statement on
                      Form F-1 (File No. 33-77536)).
  
         4.2          Imax Corporation Stock Option Plan.
  
          5           Opinion of McCarthy Tetrault, counsel to the Registrant, as
                      to the validity of securities registered hereby.
  
         23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
  
         23.2         Consent of McCarthy Tetrault.
  
          24          Powers of Attorney (contained on the
                      signature page of this Registration
                      Statement on Form S-8).
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "IMAX CORPORATION", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10665}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "IMAX CORP", "cik": "0000921582", "assigned-sic": "3861", "irs-number": "980140269", "state-of-incorporation": "A6", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-30970", "film-number": "551729"}, "business-address": {"street1": "2525 SPEAKMAN DRIVE", "street2": "MISSISSAUGA L5KIBI", "city": "TORONTO ONTARIO", "state": "A6", "phone": "9054036500"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "2525 SPEAKMAN DRIVE", "street2": "MISSISSAUGA L5KIBI", "city": "TORONTO ONTARIO", "state": "A6"}}
text: 1
                As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
                               on February 23, 2000.
  
                                                             Registration No. 333-
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                             THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ----------------------------
                                  IMAX CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                  CANADA                                     98-0140269
       (State or other jurisdiction                       (I.R.S. Employer
             of organization)                            Identification No.)
  
                                 2525 SPEAKMAN DRIVE
                            MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO L5K 1B1
                                       CANADA
                      (Address of principal executive offices)
  
                         IMAX CORPORATION STOCK OPTION PLAN
                              (Full title of the Plan)
                            ----------------------------
                                  IMAX U.S.A. INC.
                           110 E. 59TH STREET, SUITE 2100
                                 NEW YORK, NY 10022
                       (Name and address of agent for service)
  
                                   (212) 821-0100
            (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
                            ----------------------------
                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  TITLE OF                 AMOUNT            PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED MAXIMUM          AMOUNT OF
     SECURITIES TO BE             TO BE            OFFERING PRICE PER          AGGREGATE             REGISTRATION
      REGISTERED (1)            REGISTERED              SHARE(2)           OFFERING PRICE(3)            FEE(3)
  Common Shares (no par value)  7,710,836               U.S.$24.50         U.S.$134,698,991         U.S.$35,560.53
  (1) Pursuant to Rule 416 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
  "Securities Act"), this Registration Statement covers, in addition to the number
  of shares of Common Stock stated above, such additional shares of Common Stock
  to be offered or issued to prevent dilution as a result of future stock
  dividends or stock splits.
  
  (2) Estimated pursuant to paragraph (c) of Rule 457 under the Securities Act, as
  amended, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee, based upon
  the average of the high and low prices for the Common Shares quoted on The
  Nasdaq National Market on February 15, 2000.
  
  (3) Calculation of the Registration Fee excludes 2,112,918 Common Shares
  issuable pursuant to the Imax Stock Option Plan which have already been
  registered on the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8
  (File No.: 333-5720) and 100,000 Common Shares which are being registered on the
  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 which is being filed on the date
  hereof.
  2
  
                                       PART I
  
                INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS
  
  The contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File
  No. 333-5720) are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
  
                                        I-1
  3
  
  Item 8.        Exhibits.
  
         The following documents are filed as part of this Registration Statement:
  
  Exhibit
  Number                              Description
  
  4.1            Articles of Incorporation of Imax Corporation (incorporated
                 by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant's Registration
                 Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 33-77536)).
  
  4.2            Imax Corporation Stock Option Plan.
  
  5              Opinion of McCarthy Tetrault, counsel to the Registrant, as to
                 the validity of the securities registered hereby.
  
  23.1           Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
  
  23.2           Consent of McCarthy Tetrault.
  
  24             Powers of Attorney (contained  on the signature page of this
                 registration statement on Form S-8).
  4
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
                    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the
  Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
  of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on this 17th day of
  February, 2000.
  
                                  IMAX CORPORATION
  
                                           By:        /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               ---------------------------------
                                               Name:  Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               Title: Co-Chairman  of the Company,
                                                      Co-Chief Executive Officer
                                                      and Director
  5
  
                                 POWERS OF ATTORNEY
  
           Each of the undersigned whose signatures appears below hereby
  constitutes and appoints Bradley J. Wechsler and Richard L. Gelfond, either of
  whom may act individually, as his or her lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents,
  with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or
  her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
  amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to this
  Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and
  other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said
  attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
  every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
  premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he/she might or could do in
  person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
  agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by
  virtue thereof.
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
  Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and
  on the date indicated.
  
         Signature                    Title                         Date
  
  /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler    Co-Chairman of the Company,       February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Bradley J. Wechsler    Co-Chief Executive Officer
                             and Director
                             (Principal Executive Officer)
  
  /s/ Richard L. Gelfond     Co-Chairman of the Company,       February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Richard L. Gelfond     Co-Chief Executive Officer
                             and Director
                             (Principal Executive Officer)
  
  /s/ Michael J. Biondi      Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Michael J. Biondi
  
                             Director
  -----------------------
      Kenneth G. Copland
  
                             Director
  -----------------------
      J. Trevor Eyton
  
  /s/ Garth M. Girvan        Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Garth M. Girvan
  
  /s/ G. Edmund King         Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      G. Edmund King
  6
  
  /s/ Murray B. Koffler      Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Murray B. Koffler
  
  /s/ Sam Reisman            Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Sam Reisman
  
  /s/ Marc A. Utay           Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      Marc A. Utay
  
  /s/ W. Townsend Ziebold    Director                          February 17, 2000
  -----------------------
      W. Townsend Ziebold
  
  /s/ John M. Davison        Chief Operating Officer           February 17, 2000
  -----------------------    and Chief Financial Officer
      John M. Davison        (Principal Financial Officer)
  
  /s/ Mark J. Thornley       Vice President Finance            February 17, 2000
  -----------------------    (Principal Accounting Officer)
      Mark J. Thornley
  7
  
                              AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of Section 6(a) of the Securities Act this
  Registration Statement has been signed on its behalf of the Registrant by the
  undersigned, solely in their capacity as the duly authorized representatives of
  Imax Corporation in the United States, in the City of New York, New York, U.S.A.
  on February 17, 2000.
  
                                      IMAX U.S.A. INC.
  
                                      By:               /s/ Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               --------------------------------
                                               Name:    Bradley J. Wechsler
                                               Title:   President
  
                                      By:               /s/ John M. Davison
                                               ----------------------------
                                               Name:    John M. Davison
                                               Title:   Vice President, Finance
  8
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
       EXHIBIT                                                       SEQUENTIALLY
        NUMBER        DESCRIPTION                                    NUMBERED PAGE
  
         4.1          Articles of Incorporation of Imax Corporation
                      (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1
                      to the Registrant's Registration Statement on
                      Form F-1 (File No. 33-77536)).
  
         4.2          Imax Corporation Stock Option Plan.
  
          5           Opinion of McCarthy Tetrault, counsel to the Registrant, as
                      to the validity of securities registered hereby.
  
         23.1         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
  
         23.2         Consent of McCarthy Tetrault.
  
          24          Powers of Attorney (contained on the
                      signature page of this Registration
                      Statement on Form S-8).