China’s Wanda Cinema Line, the country’s biggest theater chain, and 3D technology firm RealD announced Monday that they have agreed on the largest 3D installation in the history of the format, which will add at least 4,000 new RealD screens to Wanda’s multiplexes.
Wanda Cinema Line currently operates 320 theaters and 2,789 screens, mostly in China, but also in major cities in Australia and New Zealand. Wanda has 1,600 screens already equipped with RealD technology and the new deal will bring that up to a minimum of 5,600.
“As audiences throughout China continue to seek more and more 3D content, Wanda is investing in the very best systems and technology that allow for the highest quality presentation of 3D movies,” Wanda Cinema Line executive president Xiaobin Liu said in a statement announcing the deal. “Our RealD equipped theaters have been a significant part of our growth strategy and we are pleased to expand our partnership with RealD with this history making installation agreement.”
“China has steadily become the world’s most significant 3D market and the scale of this installation agreement signals an unprecedented commitment to the growth of 3D in this critically important entertainment region,” RealD CEO Michael V. Lewis said in the statement.
Wanda’s RealD deal is the latest move by the exhibitor to deepen its relationships with the biggest names — and biggest screens — in theater technology as it competes for a rapidly growing audience in what could be the world’s biggest box office as soon as 2017.
Wanda is the world’s No. 1 IMAX customer and is responsible for 16 percent of its global revenue. IMAX is expected to add 115 screens in China alone this year (there were only 1,061 worldwide at the beginning of the year), with 60 of them slated for Wanda theaters.
Wanda also signed a deal with Dolby Labs in January to install 100 of its premium-format Dolby Cinema theaters in China over the next five years.
And the competition is arming itself as well — late last year, Wanda rival China Film Group opened its first Barco Escape theater, a three-screen format that gives the audience an immersive, cockpit-style view of the action.
10 Summer Movie Box Office Champs of the Last 10 Summers (Photos)
“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” (Release date: July 7, 2006)
The sequel to the 2003 Disney action adventure was even more commercially successful than its predecessor. Though it didn’t receive the same amount of positive reviews, “Dead Man’s Chest” grossed about $423.3 million domestically and $1.06 billion worldwide, which helped spawn three more sequels for the franchise.
“Spider-Man 3” (Release date: May 4, 2007)
“Spider-Man 3” may not have lived up to the hype of Sam Raimi's first two movies in the superhero franchise, but it certainly made an impression financially. The third and final outing with Tobey Maguire as the webslinger earned $336.5 million domestically and $890 million worldwide.
"The Dark Knight" (Release date: July 18, 2008)
The middle film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy featured a memorable, Oscar-winning turn by Heath Ledger as the Joker. That boosted box office to an impressive $534.8 million in North America and just over $1 billion worldwide.
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (Release date: June 24, 2009)
Poor reviews didn’t stop “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” from becoming the highest grossing film of the summer of 2009 (and the second highest that year). The movie grossed $402.1 million domestically and $836 million worldwide.
"Toy Story 3" (Release date: June 18, 2010)
Fifteen years after Pixar’s beloved classic “Toy Story,” the film’s threequel exceeded expectations, both critically and commercially. Receiving overwhelming critical praise and two Academy Awards, “Toy Story 3” skyrocketed at the box office. It grossed $415 million domestically and became the first animated film to top $1 billion worldwide.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” (Release date: July 15, 2011)
The eighth and final chapter in the epic “Harry Potter” film series was a no-brainer success. After a record-breaking opening weekend, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” made $381 million in domestic revenue and $960 million overseas, totaling $1.3 billion.
"Marvel’s The Avengers" (Release date: May 4, 2012)
Marvel's superhero mash-up became the studio's first to claim the summer box office title. Drawing $623.4 million in domestic grosses and $1.5 billion in total, "The Avengers" established Marvel’s place in creating blockbusters.
"Iron Man 3" (Release date: May 3, 2013)
Marvel continued its streak with "Iron Man 3," which earned $409 million in the U.S. and $1.2 billion worldwide.
"Guardians of the Galaxy" (Release date: August 1, 2014)
Once “The Avengers” and “Iron Man 3” set the bar high for commercial success, Marvel proved to be an unstoppable force when it released "Guardians of the Galaxy." A peculiar revival of an old Marvel comic, "Guardians of the Galaxy" became a critical and commercial hit, making $333.1 million at the domestic box office and $773 million worldwide.
"Jurassic World" (Release date: June 12, 2015)
After making waves in "Guardians of the Galaxy," Chris Pratt cemented his leading man status with “Jurassic World,” the fourth installment of the “Jurassic Park” franchise. In addition to making $524.4 million worldwide in its opening weekend, “Jurassic World” shattered box office records. It wound up chomping $652.2 million in domestic revenue and $1.6 billion overall.
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From “The Dark Knight” to “Jurassic World,” these summer releases all topped the domestic and foreign box office, according to BoxOfficeMojo
