NEXT-GENERATION CINEMA: THE NEW STANDARD IS ‘PREMIUM’ – AND IT’S WORKING

By CHRIS McGOWAN

Cinema audiences are increasingly showing an appetite for higher-resolution, higher-quality movies, often with large-format presentations and/or 4D effects. Soon, they will also be exploring AR movie augmentations and an increasing number of film-related experiences as well.

“When audiences began returning to theaters after the pandemic, they wanted experiences that they couldn’t get in their homes. Now, in a post-pandemic world, moviegoers want something premium and special for their time, and audiences seek out IMAX because it truly is a premium experience,” says Bruce Markoe, Senior Vice President and Head of Post & Image Capture for IMAX.

IMAX is a pioneer and leader in premium cinema. Markoe notes, “As of June 30, 2024, there were 1,780 IMAX systems (1,705 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 63 institutional) operating in 89 countries and territories. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2023, IMAX delivered one of the best years in our history. with nearly $1.1 billion in global box office. And while last year’s Hollywood strikes dealt the entire entertainment business a temporary setback, it was just that: temporary. We’ve had an incredible 2024 to-date at IMAX, marked by several recent box-office successes, including Inside Out 2, Twisters and Deadpool & Wolverine, and as we look ahead, this trend shows no signs of slowing down.”

Markoe explains, “Every IMAX location in the world is built to our precise standards – they are designed, built and carefully maintained with meticulous care, and every location is customized for optimal viewing experiences. Only IMAX uses acousticians, laser alignment and custom theater geometry, combined with our Academy Award-winning projection technology, precision audio and optimized seating layouts, to ensure every element is immersive by design.”

Markoe continues, “Our theaters are calibrated daily to ensure audiences get perfectly tuned sound and image every time, at every location, regardless of where in the world it is. We also have incredible partnerships with filmmakers and studios. We’re seeing a dramatic shift to IMAX among filmmakers and studios. We are increasingly creating specifically for the IMAX platform. [And,] we have more ‘Filmed for’ IMAX titles in production than any time in our history,” Markoe says. “We are dramatically expanding our ‘Filmed for’ IMAX program to feature many of the world’s most iconic filmmakers and directors alongside rising talents in the industry. To date, we have 15 ‘Filmed for’ IMAX titles set for release this year — more than double any previous year – as filmmakers and studios from Hollywood and international territories increasingly create uniquely optimized versions for the IMAX platform.”

Markoe notes, “To meet growing demand among filmmakers to shoot in IMAX, the company is developing and finalizing the roll-out of four next-generation IMAX 15/65mm film cameras. IMAX tapped such prolific filmmakers and cinematographers as Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele and Hoyte van Hoytema, among others, to identify new specs and features for the prototype. The new cameras recently entered production.”

IMAX launched the “Filmed for IMAX” program in 2020 to certify digital cameras that were officially approved to create IMAX-format films. Markoe explains, “The program is a partnership between IMAX and the world’s leading filmmakers to meet their demands for the ultimate IMAX experience. Working directly with IMAX, the program allows filmmakers the ability to fully leverage the immersive IMAX theatrical experience, including expanded aspect ratio and higher resolution. Through the program, IMAX certifies best-in-class digital cameras from leading brands, including ARRI, Panavision, RED Digital Cinema and Sony, to provide filmmakers with the best guidance to optimize creatively how they shoot to best work in the IMAX format when paired with IMAX’s proprietary post-production process.”

“IMAX continues to innovate on the cutting edge of entertainment technology,” Markoe states. “Our IMAX with Laser system was recently recognized with a Scientific and Technical Academy Award. Combining our industry-leading technology and new tools with the enthusiastic embrace by filmmakers to specifically and creatively design their movies to be the most immersive, high-quality presentation, we continue to find new and innovative ways to expand the IMAX canvas moving forward. We see an opportunity for our platform to serve as a conduit for sports leagues to expand their global reach and provide a launchpad for projects from some of the world’s most iconic music acts. The future of cinema is multi-pronged, combining visionary works from Hollywood and local language blockbusters, original documentaries and exclusive events.”

DOLBY

“The appetite for premium cinema is huge, and it’s a clear factor in what’s drawing people to see movies in theaters,” says Jed Harmsen, Dolby Vice President and General Manager of Cinema & Group Entertainment. “2023 marked Dolby Cinema’s strongest year in history at the box office, with U.S. Dolby Cinema ticket sales eclipsing pre-pandemic levels, up 7% from 2019. Furthermore, Dolby boasts the highest average per-screen box office among all premium large-format offerings, which is a testament to the consumers’ recognition and value of enjoying their films in Dolby.”

According to Comscore data, the domestic “large-format” gross box office was up +10.1% in 2023 vs. 2019, illustrating how the popularity of premium cinema is growing and overtaking pre-pandemic levels. Also, per Comscore, market share of the domestic large-format gross box office (in relation to the entire domestic gross box office) grew from 9.7% in 2019 to 13.3% in 2023. According to Harmsen, “Premium cinema experiences are becoming a larger share of all cinema experiences. It’s one of the reasons we continue to work with our cinema partners to make Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos available to as many moviegoers around the world as possible. We created Dolby Cinema to be the best way for audiences to see a movie, featuring the awe-inspiring picture quality of Dolby Vision together with the immersive sound of Dolby Atmos, all in a fully Dolby-designed theater environment. There are around 275 Dolby Cinemas globally.”

Harmsen adds, “Our global footprint for Dolby Cinema spans 28 exhibitor partners and 14 countries, with the first Dolby Cinema opening in 2014 in the Netherlands. We’re excited to have true collaborations with multiple trusted partners and advocates like AMC, who have been a huge proponent in bringing the magic of the Dolby Cinema experience to moviegoers.”

Harmsen underscores the value of Dolby sound and vision to the viewing experience. “Dolby Vision allows viewers to see subtle details and ultra-vivid colors with increased contrast ratio and blacker blacks, delivering the best version of the picture that the filmmaker intended. Dolby Atmos offers powerful, immersive audio, allowing audiences to feel a deeper connection to the story with sound that moves all around them. And Dolby’s unique theater design allows audiences to experience both technologies in the best possible way – by limiting ambient light, ensuring an optimal view from every premium seat and more.”

“Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos have revolutionized premium movie-going and have been embraced widely by creators and exhibitors, allowing us to bring Dolby-powered media and entertainment to more and more audiences,” Harmsen says. “To date, more than 600 theatrical features have been released or are confirmed to be released in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, including recent box-office hits like Inside Out 2, Dune: Part Two, Deadpool & Wolverine and more.” Harmsen concludes, “We see exhibitors continuing to outfit their auditoriums to support more premium cinema experiences to meet the demand we’re seeing from moviegoers. At Dolby, we see premium as the new standard in cinema. It’s clear audiences worldwide do as well.”

SPHERE

On the outskirts of the Las Vegas strip, Sphere is a literal expansion of what cinema is. When not hosting concerts or events, Sphere shows high-resolution films on a wraparound screen that is 240 feet tall and covers 160,000 square feet, with a 16K by 16X resolution. Digital Domain worked on the visual effects of Darren Aronofsky’s movie Postcard from Earth, shown in the gigantic spherical venue. “Working on Postcard from Earth for the Sphere was an extraordinary experience, marking our debut in such an impressive venue. Collaborating with Darren Aronofsky, a filmmaker whose work we’ve long admired, added an extra layer of excitement as we brought his vision to life in this dramatic setting,” comments Matt Dougan, Digital Domain VFX Supervisor.

NETFLIX HOUSE

Netflix House is another next-generation cinema addition. The experiential entertainment venue will bring beloved Netflix titles to life, beginning with locations in malls in Dallas, Texas, and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, in 2025. “Building on previous Netflix live experiences for Bridgerton, Money Heist, Stranger Things, Squid Game and Netflix Bites, Netflix House will go one step further and create an unforgettable venue to explore your favorite Netflix stories and characters beyond the screen year-round,” according to Henry Goldblatt, Netflix Executive Editor, on the Netflix website.

“At Netflix House, you can enjoy regularly updated immersive experiences, indulge in retail therapy and get a taste – literally – of your favorite Netflix series and films through unique food and drink offerings,” says Marian Lee, Netflix’s Chief Marketing Officer, on the Netflix site. “We’ve launched more than 50 experiences in 25 cities, and Netflix House represents the next generation of our distinctive offerings. The venues will bring our beloved stories to life in new, ever-changing and unexpected ways.”

AR

Augmented reality is expected to expand the experience of movie-going, adding interactive and immersive elements to movie posters and trailers, interaction with characters, personalized narrative and cinematic installations. “Apple Vision Pro undoubtedly brings new immersive opportunities to the table with its advanced mixed-reality capabilities offering unique ways to engage with stories,” comments Rob Bredow, ILM Senior Vice President, Creative Innovation and Chief Creative Officer. He explains that cinema is a highly mature art form “with well-established storytelling traditions and audience expectations. While Apple Vision Pro can be used to help create compelling new experiences, it’s not about replacing these mediums [such as film] but rather complementing them. The device opens doors to hybrid forms of entertainment that blend interactivity and immersion in ways that are uniquely suited to its technology. [Cinema] will continue to grow and thrive, enriched by these new possibilities, but certainly not overshadowed by them.”

Looking forward, one of the changes in next-generation cinema may be one of content. IMAX’s Markoe says, “Audiences are increasingly interested in must-see events – things that cannot be experienced the same way at home on a TV. Recent events, such as our broadcast of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony or broadcasting the 2024 NBA Finals to select theaters in China, brings these larger-than-life experiences to audiences in a way that can’t be replicated elsewhere. Increasingly, concert films like Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour have appealed to audiences who want to feel fully immersed in the action.”

Indeed, the future of cinema looks to lie more and more in premium cinema as well as immersive experiences that expand what movies are today.