CJ 4DPlex, the Korean cinema technology company behind ScreenX and 4DX, is launching a new premium large format in time for the release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
The new initiative is called “Shot for ScreenX” and will be deployed on the company’s immersive 270-degree cinemas. Designed specifically for the company’s screens, the multi-projection format will expand select scenes of a film beyond the traditional frame and onto the sides of the auditorium walls to create a panoramic viewing experience. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” marks the first time that CJ 4DPlex collaborated with the filmmakers from production through distribution to curate imagery and aspects designed specifically for ScreenX.
“CJ 4DPlex and their team came to the set to actually shoot the footage that you will experience on screen in the wings of the chosen scenes of our film,” said Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” “This is a first. It’s something truly unique that nobody has experienced before –you’re going to love it.”
ScreenX has 140 locations in multiplexes across the United States and Canada. Don Savant, CEO and president of CJ 4DPlex Americas, estimates the company will deploy the “Shot for ScreenX” technology on around 20 to 30 tentpoles a year. “’Spider-Man’ represents the kind of event franchise that demonstrates the power of premium theatrical formats,” Savant said. “We’re proud to continue our collaboration on ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ with a ScreenX presentation that celebrates the scale, energy and emotional depth of this beloved character in a way uniquely suited for the theatrical environment.”
Premium large formats have skyrocketed in popularity since COVID, in part because the larger-than-life screens help distinguish the out-of-the-home moviegoing experience. Specialty offerings like Imax, Dolby and 4DX can contribute a sizable chunk of ticket sales for visual-effects heavy blockbusters, like “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” It’s worth nothing that “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which opens on July 31, won’t be playing in Imax, the most ubiquitous of the PLFs. That’s because Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” the first release to be shot entirely on Imax film cameras, has an exclusive four-week run starting on July 17.
CJ 4DPlex CEO Jun Bang called “Shot for ScreenX” an “exciting evolution for our format.”
“By working closely with Sony Pictures and Destin Daniel Cretton, and by utilizing our proprietary ScreenX production tools and presentation technology, we are able to expand the film’s visual canvas while preserving the director’s creative vision,” Bang said. “Our goal is to create a more encompassing experience that brings audiences closer to the story, the action, and the world of Spider-Man.”