Cinemas across the USA, UK, and Europe are set to get a significant image quality boost with the announcement by Regal Cineworld that it will bring Barco laser projection to 4,000 screens by 2030.
Laser projection offers a brighter and more color-rich image compared to Xenon-bulb-based projection and is normally the preserve of premium larger format screens that command higher ticket prices.
Replacing Old Tech
In an interview with Forbes, Matt Basey, the head of global technical services at Regal Cineworld Group, said that laser is needed because the bulbs in the Xenon lamp-based projectors, many of which have been in place for 10-15 years, are now losing brightness, leading to a dimmer, disappointing picture.
However, Basey said that he doesn’t want customers to feel as if they need to understand the technology behind the projection system to choose where to go to have a good experience. “It’s about raising the baseline, so they just know that they had an amazing experience they’ve not gotten anywhere else,” Basey said.
Casey Collins, the vice president of sales for Barco North America, told Forbes in an interview that its Series 4 laser projectors will deliver a more stable picture across the whole frame compared to the bulb-based projectors. With 26 models in the range, offering a wide selection of lumens outputs and 2K or 4K resolution, chains can select the right model depending on the requirements of each room.
Sustainability Benefits
As well as image quality benefits, Collins said that the new Series 4 Barco projectors will also bring significant energy savings, using up to 70 percent less energy compared to lamp-based projection. Part of this is down to the fact that they produce less overall heat, eliminating the need for the older bulb systems’ large extraction units.
The laser systems are also easier to maintain, he claimed, only requiring servicing once a year.
A Welcome Boost
The laser projection deal is a boost for the beleaguered Cineworld Regal chain, which after the difficult pandemic period, emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA in July 2023.
As part of a UK restructuring process in 2024 eleven sites were shuttered, but the new deal shows that it now has the confidence to invest in its portfolio to the benefit of cinemagoers.
The news also follows the recent availability of the Barco HDR LS4K, which uses light steering technology to bring true HDR to the cinema screen for the first time.
While originally available in six locations, it is currently down to five: two of the AMC locations were only temporary evaluations but the Cineworld in London’s Leicester Square now features one permanently in its premium large format Superscreen.
