The deal now allows Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice and others to appear in large-scale formats.
Story by Matt Cummings
Warner Bros. and IMAX announced on Monday that they had agreed upon an extension that will now allow Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice to be shown in the large-scale format. The deal extends the relationship through to 2020 and allows for 30 movies to be released over that time, including the reboot of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, Godzilla 2, and The LEGO Movie sequels. Some films like Batman vs. Superman were shot using IMAX cameras, making their inclusion in the deal all the more important. According to the press release, most of these and other films will be digitally re-mastered using IMAX’s technology.
“We’ve had an incredible partnership with Warner Bros. for more than 10 years, which has helped Imax filmgoers enjoy Warner movies around the world,” said Imax CEO Richard L. Gelfond. This deal came on the heels of rival Disney's agreement two weeks ago. That agreement will allow for a wide selection of Disney content to appear in the next few years including Star Wars, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pixar, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Deals like this don't happen without good reason, and for IMAX it was their plans to roll out a higher-quality projection called IMAX Lazer which brought Disney and Warner back. That means better environments to show films and potentially more customers that will take a chance.
Here’s the full press release:
IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced a multi-picture agreement to release up to 30 films from the studio’s slate through 2020 as a continuation of the companies’ longstanding partnership.
Under the agreement, IMAX will be part of a number of high-profile tentpoles from Warner Bros. Pictures, including The Man from U.N.C.L.E. , In the Heart of the Sea, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the Tarzan movie, the King Arthur movie, Suicide Squad, Geostorm, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Jungle Book: Origins, and Godzilla 2. The deal also encompasses a number of upcoming DC tentpoles, as well as future LEGO movies, including The LEGO Movie Sequel.
“With this multi-picture deal, IMAX and Warner Bros. continue a lengthy and substantial partnership, which is invested in bringing the highest-quality entertainment to the most awe-inspiring cinematic experience,” said Greg Foster, Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. and CEO of IMAX Entertainment. “But at its core, this deal enriches and broadens IMAX’s relationship with key filmmakers, who have always been a top priority for Warner Bros. in bringing the most compelling cinema to audiences around the world.”
Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, stated, “IMAX provides an immersive moviegoing experience that is unparalleled. We have an exciting and extremely diverse slate and look forward to giving audiences the opportunity to see a variety of films on the largest possible canvas.”
Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, said, “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with IMAX on these much-anticipated projects and more to come. Increasingly over the years, international audiences are opting to watch movies on large-format screens, taking advantage of the premium visual and sound quality offered by IMAX.”
The IMAX release of each film will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
Batman v Superman opens March 25, 2016, Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18, 2015, Ant-Man on July 17, 2015, Captain America: Civil War on May 6, 2016 and Toy Story 4 on June 16, 2017 (date not finalized).
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