IMax has a new laser projector and 12-channel audio solution (see separate write up) that is getting good acceptance. A pilot system has been installed in LA where exhibitors can see the solution. It was not shown at CinemaCon, but IMax did announce two major roll outs at the event.
The first was a contract with IMax and Cineworld, which recently acquired the Regal cinema chain to become the second largest chain in the world with 9,538 screens. The deal calls for Cineworld to add IMax with Laser to 26 new IMax theaters and upgrade 29 existing IMax sites in the U.S. and Europe. Cineworld will add the IMax immersive sound, luxury seating and re-designed aesthetics at all 55 IMax locations and it have renewed 12-year lease terms for all 55 sites. The IMax upgrades will begin in 2018 and run through 2022.
In a similar vein, IMax has cut a similar deal with AMC to transform 87 of the exhibitor’s highest-performing IMax at AMC locations across the U.S. Additionally, AMC will be undertaking a complete renovation in the locations with several additional moviegoing enhancements including the installation of IMax’s 12-channel immersive sound, luxury plush rocker seating, redesigned entryways and in-theatre branding. AMC is the largest movie exhibition company in the U.S., in Europe and throughout the world with more than 1,000 theatres and 11,000 screens across the globe.
Under the agreement, the IMax with Laser systems operate under a joint revenue sharing arrangement with renewed 12-year lease terms, and are expected to be installed between 2018 and 2022.
IMax and Inox Leisure Limited, a multiplex chain in India, also announced an agreement for five new IMax theatres. The theatres will be added to new complexes, with two located in the city of Delhi and one theatre each located in the cities of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Gurugram. The deal, which IMax announced concurrently with another four-theatre India agreement, brings IMax’s total number of contracted theatres in India to 40, with 15 currently open and 25 contracted to open.
Christie has entered into an agreement with Wanda Film Holding, a subsidiary of Wanda Group and the Asia’s largest cinema operator, to jointly establish a research and development (R&D) center for cinema technology within the Wanda Studios’ site in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China.
The Wanda-Christie Cinema Technology Center of Excellence (CTCE) will be solely owned by Wanda Film Holding, with Christie as the sole partner to exclusively operate the high-tech facility for advanced R&D of digital cinema projection systems, including:
- Customized RGB laser projection technology for Wanda Film Holding and its global affiliates
- RGB laser retrofit solutions for Xenon projection systems
- Cinema solutions for Wanda’s premium large format auditoriums (in the areas of projection, audio, screen and 3D/4D technology)
- LED cinema screens
- Service solutions for network operation centers, and
- Testing of Xenon lamps versus competitive illumination technology.
The CTCE will assist Wanda and Christie in areas such as the selection of laser/illumination technology, including guidance on choosing the best retrofit technology where appropriate for Xenon-to-RGB laser technology globally to Christie’s installed base of more than 60,000 digital cinema projectors worldwide. Additionally, the site will serve as a guide for Christie’s product development, especially for any customized products to be supplied exclusively to Wanda or any of its affiliates. Christie will also use CTCE as its primary commercial test site for all new cinema products.
Christie also announced that Showtime Cinemas is opening its second “all Christie” cineplex in Taiwan, featuring state-of-the-art cinema projection and immersive audio technologies. Located at Shulin District in New Taipei City, the 12-hall Shulin Showtime Cinemas is this leading cinema chain’s 10th multiplex. The installations are undertaken and completed by Christie’s longstanding Taiwanese partner, Dacoms Technology, with support from Showtime and Christie’s technical teams.
The flagship “Super Cinema” auditorium, housing a 21-metre screen and around 300 seats, is fitted with the Christie CP42LH 3DLP 4K RGB laser projector with an enhanced wavelength diversification (EWD) configuration. It is connected via fiber optic to a laser rack housing eight laser modules that outputs multiple combinations of RGB primary color wavelengths, capable of generating 40,000 lumens of white light to offer a “spectacular” 3D viewing experience on silver screens. The remaining 11 halls are equipped with Christie CP2215, Christie CP2220, and Christie CP2230 DLP digital cinema projectors that deliver superior color reproduction and brightness.
Christie also announced that Kinoplex, Brazil’s largest locally-owned theater chain, has completed its digital cinema deployment in its 220 screens with Christie Solaria Series of DCI-compliant, DLP Cinema projectors. Kinoplex deployed a wide variety of Christie cinema projectors, due to the huge range of screen sizes and projection distances at its film theatres, including CP2215, CP2220 and CP2230 units.
Cineworld Group has signed a deal to equip 600 movie screens worldwide with Cinionic laser projectors. Over the next three years, the exhibitor will deploy 600 laser projectors – for both new builds and to replace older models in existing sites – selecting from among Barco’s expansive portfolio of 18 models.
Cinionic and digital cinema integrator Bardan Cinema, both long-term supporters of Cineplanet, have teamed up to outfit the exhibitor’s Costanera Center multiplex in Santiago, Chile exclusively with Barco laser projectors. With more than 300 screens in Peru and Chile, Cineplanet is one of the most progressive theater circuits in Latin America offering first-class amenities. Cinionic and Bardan Cinema also teamed up to install Barco laser projectors across all screens at Cacinesa Mundo Plaza in El Salvador.
Samsung recently announced partnerships with Golden Screen Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Malaysia, with 35 venues and 328 screens throughout the nation – and Cineplexx Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Austria, with 171 screens nationwide – to bring the Onyx screen to movie-goers in each country. The first locally revamped Samsung Onyx theaters are expected to open in Kuala Lumpur and Vienna, respectively, later this year.
Ymagis subsidiary CinemaNext, the European specialist in cinema exhibitor services, has signed an agreement with Austrian cinema circuit Cineplexx for the installation of a Samsung 3D Onyx CinemaLED at the Cineplexx Wienerberg in Vienna. It will be the first Samsung Onyx CinemaLED deployed by CinemaNext. Cineplexx Wienerberg will be the newest flagship within the company by featuring the first Samsung CinemaLED Screen not only in Austria but in the European Union. (Zurich is in Switzerland, which is in the EEA, but not the EU – Man. Ed.)
Ymagis Group announced the signing of an agreement between its subsidiary CinemaNext North America and Texas-based movie theater company Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for the installation of the EclairColor HDR (High Dynamic Range) at ten locations. Alamo Drafthouse provides a unique combination of theater and restaurant, showing first-run movies, independent films and special events with an extensive menu made from scratch. The company expects to complete our first initial roll-out before summer in the cities of Dallas and Corpus Christi (TX), Chandler-Phoenix (AZ), San Francisco (CA), Denver (CO), Springfield (MO), La Vista/Omaha (NE), Brooklyn and Yonkers (NY) and Ashburn (VA). To date, a total of 126 cinema auditoriums have been equipped with EclairColor including 59 in Germany, 54 in France and 3 in the United Kingdom.
Cineworld has selected Volfoni for a 3D cinema systems rollout across multiple cities and countries. Cineworld has deployed a combination of Volfoni’s products, including the company’s SmartCrystal Neo and Diamond series. The rollout covers multiple countries, including the UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia.
Cinemark Holdings has renewed its 3D agreement with RealD across its global platform through December, 2022. In addition, Cinemark committed to installing RealD 3D systems in all new-build theatres during the term of the extension. Cinemark was an early champion of the 3D format and one of RealD’s first major customers when the company launched in 2005. There are currently more than 3,000 RealD projection systems installed in Cinemark theatres.
Dolby Laboratories announced 20 Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos titles from The Walt Disney Studios. Titles include live-action and animated releases from Disney, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Guangzhou Jinyi Media Corporation Ltd., owner of Jinyi Cinemas, one of the largest cinema circuits in China, and Dolby Laboratories announced a partnership to extend Dolby experiences to more moviegoers in China. With the partnership, Jinyi plans to open 20 Dolby Cinema locations in China in the following four years. Jinyi is also committed to deploy 630 Dolby digital cinema systems in China, including Dolby Integrated Media Servers, Dolby cinema audio processors, Dolby Multichannel Amplifiers, and SLS Cinema Series Speaker Systems.
CJ 4DPLEX announced today that Warner Bros. Pictures intends to release up to five titles within the next 12 months in the company’s ScreenX format. Titles will include The Nun in September, Aquaman in December, and Shazam! in April 2019, with additional titles to be confirmed later this year. This will build on the success of Rampage, which was released earlier this month in the panoramic, 270-degree, premium cinema format. B&B Theatres also announced that will bring four new ScreenX locations to the U.S. through 2019, including one PLF screen in Liberty, MO, that will be the largest ScreenX in the world. Domestically, B&B Theatres operates approximately 400 screens at 50 locations across Kansas, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas.
CJ 4DPLEX used CinemaCon to also sign a big deal with Cineworld, which now owns the Regal cinema chain as well. The agreement expands their partnership to bring the immersive 4DX technology to theatres across the U.S. and EMEA regions. As a result, there will be 145 total 4DX auditoriums across Cineworld Group’s worldwide footprint, adding 79 Regal Entertainment locations in the U.S and 20 Cineworld Cinemas and Cinema City theatres across Europe and the Middle East. There are currently six Regal 4DX locations in the U.S.
Pictured left to right: Jung Seo, CEO CJ CGV, Mooky Greidinger, CEO, Cineworld Group, Byung Hwan Choi, CEO CJ4DPLEX, Renana Teperberg, CCO, Cineworld Group
CJ 4DPLEX has also signed a new partnership with Cinemacity, the leading cinema exhibitor in Saudi Arabia. Through this deal, three 4DX locations will open in the country’s capital city, Riyadh, and other major Saudi cities by the end of this year. Al Qasr Mall will be the first Multiplex in Riyadh, featuring 19 screens including the 4DPLEX screen.
CJ CGV Cinemas and Cinionic have signed an exclusive deal whereby, “Barco projectors will power the next generation of CJ CGV cinemas worldwide,” said Seo Jeong, CEO of CJ CGV. “Our agreement transcends technology, and our contributions go well beyond projection to help CJ CGV Cinemas shape the next generation of cinema experiences,” noted Wim Buyens, CEO of Cinionic.
MediaMation (MMI) and Hollywood Esports will open a second hybrid-esports theatre at Cinemas Entertainment Lawndale 10 in downtown Chicago to compliment the flagship MX4D Esports Theatre location at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood, CA. The new MX4D Esports Theatre in Hollywood was designed to convert between “Cinema Mode” and “Esports Mode” in under one hour, allowing cinema operators to enjoy dual revenue streams from MX4D films and then the quick conversion of the theatre to support the specialized needs of esports tournaments and events.
MMI , Luxin-Rio (LR), Volfoni S.A.S. and Arts Alliance Media (AAM)have joined forces to create a more integrated 4DX solution for the cinema industry. This includes 4D cinema technology and programming, VR and ESports gaming, content and operational solutions, service support and data management, 3D equipment and glasses and leasing services. MMI provides 4D theatre systems and interactive technology integration services, LR provides turnkey solutions for entertainment equipment.
Finally, MMI announced that Starworld 20 will be home to the third B&B MX4D Motion EFX Theatre
MMI now has over 300 4DX theater worldwide and over 200 in China alone. – CC
