It’s good news for IMAX fans across the USA as at the recent CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas, the company announces an extension to its partnership with AMC that will bring IMAX with Laser to eighty screens across North America.
Of these, sixty-eight will be upgrades, while twelve will be in entirely new IMAX locations. With over 10,000 screens, AMC is the world’s largest cinema chain, and the deal will make it the largest operator of IMAX With Laser with over 180 locations.
While IMAX 70mm film projectors are considered the ‘real deal’, most IMAX screens use digital projection. While most use Xeon bulbs as their light source, but brightness from these fades over time, leading to a dimmer image. Laser projectors offer a brighter and more stable image across the entire frame, as well as greater contrast.
“Throughout the United States and around the world, filmmakers and moviegoers hold the IMAX brand in such high regard as a premium theatrical spectacle, which is reflected both in the success that AMC and IMAX share together, and in IMAX’s extensive content catalogue,” said Adam Aron, Chairman and CEO, AMC Entertainment.
“By making this cutting-edge IMAX with Laser experience available at our IMAX locations in the coming years, we are delivering on our promise of the AMC Go Plan to bring these sought out, highly popular theatrical experiences to our millions and millions of guests in the United States.”
With both IMAX Xenon and IMAX With Laser locations close to me, I can attest to the improvements that laser projection brings, so much so that I would never bother going to the Xenon one.
The announcement doesn’t indicate whether all of the locations will be single-laser or if any will be dual-laser, for an even brighter image. While, IMAX With Laser is normally partnered with 12-channel sound, no mention has been made of any audio upgrades.
While AMC doesn’t publish a list of which of its theaters feature IMAX With Laser, it does at least indicate it when you go to book, so it’s worth exploring options in your area, if you have a choice.
The laser-related news follows the announcement that Vue And Barco are bringing laser projection to over 1000 screens, while Regal/Cineworld will be adding the tech to 4,000 screens by 2030.
