and unless there’s plans for a 2D IMAX version that I haven’t heard about
I was already considering starting a thread about this, and your post might’ve just convinced me.
There will be actual 70mm IMAX 2D screenings, but as of now there will only be 15 locations in the world showing it that way. There will probably be a few more locations added by the time December rolls around. I say that only because TFA will have a much bigger box office draw than something like, say, Interstellar, and there were at least 30 IMAX prints made for that one. Apples and Oranges maybe, since at least half of Interstellar was actually shot in IMAX compared to (allegedly) just one scene in TFA.
Not unlike what happened with STID, the studio is more focused on squeezing the extra dollars out of the several thousand 3D-capable screens than they are about showing off the only several hundred IMAX screens.
Speaking of which, all of the full-sized IMAX theaters that have upgraded to the new digital laser-illuminated system will be showing TFA, but only in 3D unfortunately (same with the smaller “lie max” screens). They’re not bothering to fit in even one 2D screening a day like Man of Steel did (and as I certainly hope Batman v Superman will do, since that will actually feature native IMAX footage just like TFA).