Is 4:3 coming back?

Is 4:3 Making a Comeback? Yes — And With Purpose

For years, the cinematic standard leaned heavily on widescreen formats, with 2.39:1 dominating blockbusters and prestige films alike. But lately, something quieter and more deliberate has been unfolding on screen: the return of the boxy, once-outdated 4:3 aspect ratio.

Far from a nostalgic gimmick, this shift is intentional. Directors are reaching for 4:3 — and its close cousin, 1.66:1 — to focus attention, heighten intimacy, and frame stories in ways that feel almost tactile. The vertical constraint forces a different kind of storytelling, one that leans into claustrophobia, symmetry, or the quiet weight of a face in close-up.

It’s no longer just a festival curiosity. In 2025, mainstream films like Maestro, The Holdovers, and Longlegs have embraced these tighter frames, signaling a broader shift in directorial choices. Even streaming content is catching on, using the format not for technical limits, but for emotional effect.

Consider Maestro, where Bradley Cooper used 4:3 to mirror the private world of Leonard Bernstein — a frame that draws the viewer inward, like peering through a window into a life. Or The Holdovers, which used the boxy ratio to evoke 1970s film aesthetics while grounding its emotional core in tight, human compositions.

This isn’t retro for retro’s sake. It’s a deliberate aesthetic revival — one that proves format can shape feeling. As filmmakers continue to experiment, the 4:3 aspect ratio isn’t just back; it’s being redefined. And audiences, it seems, are watching closer than ever.