Warner Bros.' 'Shazam!,' 'Godzilla: King of the Monsters' to Get ScreenX Format Releases
2:40 AM PST 1/16/2019 by Lee Hyo-won
Courtesy of CJ Group
ScreenX
'The Curse of La Llorona' is also among up to six titles to be released globally in the immersive 270-degree format from South Korea's CJ 4DPLEX.
South Korean cinema technology company CJ 4DPLEX and Warner Bros. Pictures will release up to six new films in the immersive, 270-degree ScreenX format globally this year, up from five in 2018.
Financial terms of the multipicture agreement weren't disclosed.
Under the deal, Warner Bros.' slate of ScreenX releases will include New Line Cinema's Shazam! on April 5 and The Curse of La Llorona on April 19, followed by Warner Bros.' and Legendary Pictures' Godzilla: King of the Monsters on May 31.
Three additional titles are set to be announced in the coming months, according to CJ. "This will build on the success of the globally successful ScreenX engagements of Rampage, The Meg, The Nun, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Aquaman," it said.
ScreenX is a multi-projection theater technology developed in South Korea that allows a panoramic, 270-degree movie-watching experience. It utilizes a proprietary system to expand the center screen image to the side walls, surrounding audiences with imagery and providing a sense of being inside the movie.
"Warner Bros. Pictures continues to be a strong supporter and partner of the ScreenX cinematic experience, and we are beyond excited to grow that partnership with a release of six titles from their upcoming film lineup," said JongRyul Kim, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX. "We continue to expand this new technology to an ever increasing and loyal consumer fan base that will help shape the moviegoing landscape for years to come."
Thomas Molter, head of international distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures, added: "As we look toward the future, we are excited to bring new experiences to audiences and continue to expand our partnerships to leverage innovative formats like ScreenX. As a company, we're always looking to create unparalleled theatrical experiences for moviegoers, and CJ 4DPLEX works with us to showcase great stories in unique new ways."
ScreenX has been expanding its international exposure, screening eight Hollywood blockbusters last year. In the past 12 months, ScreenX has seen a surge in the number of auditoriums featuring the technology around the world, with the figure growing to 195 in 62 countries, including in China to France. This marks a 30 percent increase before Cineworld Group's recently announced plans to open 100 locations across the U.S. and Europe.
CJ 4DPLEX is headquartered in Seoul with international offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. The company has created immersive film technologies for theaters worldwide that include the multisensory 4DX, ScreenX and 4DX with ScreenX. More than 610 Hollywood and local titles have been screened in 4DX. To date, more than 71,000 4DX seats operate in 613 auditoriums, spanning 62 countries.