Clients login

Release of the latest digital 3D title Meet The Robinsons from Disney has led to a rapid increase in the number of 3D capable cinema screens to around 680 worldwide at end first quarter 2007. The majority of the growth has come from leading exhibitors in the US. In particular, National Amusements now has 3D equipment in over half its sites, whilst AMC and Regal have added an additional 105 and 75 screens respectively. Previously, Carmike agreed a deal with RealD, the leading equipment supplier, to convert 500 screens in 2007. The results from the opening weekend of Meet The Robinsons in the US reveal 581 3D screens grossed on average 2.6 times the revenue of flat screens. Together, 3D screens accounted for 28 per cent of the opening weekend gross from just 17 per cent of sites.
There has also been sporadic growth of 3D deployments in Europe, including new d-cinema sites in Greece (two screens from Village Roadshow), one 3D conversion in Iceland, and eight in Portugal from Cinemas Lusumundo. As a result, 3D screens in the RealD format have nearly tripled in Europe to 20 screens, up from seven at end 2006. According to Screen Digest, there were a total of 258 digital 3D screens worldwide at end 2006, the vast majority of which are configured with RealD's passive stereoscopic technology. Moreover, RealD looks likely to continue a rapid roll-out programme, following a $50m investment from private equity firm Shamrock. RealD was first to market, although competition is expected from the Dolby 3D Digital Cinema system, still in development, based on wavelength triplet technology from Infitec. This system also requires an upgraded Dolby server and advanced filters, which will be built into the DLP cinema projectors, offering cost advantages in this respect—plus exhibitors will be able to keep their regular white screens.