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Imax advances digital launch date

Territories covered

North America

Canada,

Author/s

Charlotte Jones

Published: 22-Oct-07

Large format film (LF) company , Imax, has brought forward the launch date of its digital projection system to mid 2008, from an initial target of late 2008 to mid 2009. A prototype of the forthcoming system will be trialed in three cinemas in Q2 2008, followed by a further three deployments of the prototype model. The first wave will include unspecified testing parameters before a commercial product is rolled out in select cinemas by Q3 2008. No further details about the technicality of the system were revealed, but initially it was stated that each screen would be fitted with two Sony 4K digital cinema projectors, coupled with custom lenses, a high bandwidth server and Imax Image enhancement engine.

Our take...
Progress in advancing the timeframe of its digital system may have been the driver behind a renewed slate of deals, several of which made particular reference to the forthcoming digital system. Regal and Goodrich Theatres in the US, and internationally Wanda Cinema Line in China and Al Amine Investissement in Morocco have all ordered new Imax MPX (screen retrofit) systems in the last few months. Hollywood content has been a crucial revenue generator for Imax and given that an LF 3D print can cost as much as $45,000, the potential cost savings in this area would be of particular interest to the US Studios, which would in turn facilitate further such feature film releases from the current 6 – 8 per year.
Beowulf will be the first title to run side by side in Imax 3D and digital 3D cinemas in November 2007 and the proliferation of the latter type of 3D cinema screen (which requires a simple upgrade on top of one 2K DLP Cinema projector) is expected to reach 1,200 by end 2007. In comparison, there were 189 LF (not just Imax) 3D theatres or 45% of the total worldwide base as at September 2007.