[Chemy JMHT]

IMAX getting into VR in a big way, with VR experiences after Doctor Strange, Star Wars: Episode VIII, and more

IMAX Entertainment boss Greg Foster has revealed some details on the next leap in storytelling, with the company teasing they are working on IMAX VR theaters.



Foster teased details on the future of IMAX:

• Six pilot VR locations will open at end of 2016 at your local multiplex.
• Moviegoers will be able to put on VR glasses and view the immersive cinema-like VR experiences.
• He used Star Wars as an example, saying that moviegoers could experience them in the same complex they view Star Wars: Episode VIII.
• The VR experiences will be "six- to nine-minute content stories, fully separate and you buy that ticket as well or buy it bundled with the IMAX movie presentation" of a film.
• The first IMAX VR location is set to be Los Angeles, although the exact location was not stated. I would assume that it would be set up at the TCL IMAX Theatre as that is their signature Hollywood location, although Universal Citywalk gets much more traffic and the tourist crowd would probably be a better fit for this kind of offering.
• They expect to open future VR theaters in China in conjunction with their IMAX locations.
• The plan is to "grow them as fast as we can."

SlashFilm reports that the first six of these new IMAX VR theaters will open later this year, with some big movies opening in IMAX that could be used in the new IMAX VR experiences, these include:

• Doctor Strange: An IMAX 3D Experience, IMAX Corporation, Walt Disney.
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The IMAX Experience, IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros.
• Rogue One: An IMAX 3D Experience, IMAX Corporation, Walt Disney

Source: IMAX VR experiences: Doctor Strange, new Star Wars movie

[Russell Holly]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. My favorite part of going to an IMAX theater is seeing how completely massive and perfect the images on the screen are. The VR headset would have to be flawless in order to compare, and as cool as all the VR tech I've seen in the last two years is none of them are anywhere near as cool as an actual IMAX screen.

Still, I'll probably line up for Star Wars.

[Chemy JMHT]

I'm not sure how I feel about this. My favorite part of going to an IMAX theater is seeing how completely massive and perfect the images on the screen are. The VR headset would have to be flawless in order to compare, and as cool as all the VR tech I've seen in the last two years is none of them are anywhere near as cool as an actual IMAX screen.

Still, I'll probably line up for Star Wars.

I will for sure will try to see the Star Wars there.

I tried some 3D movies with the Rift, I didn't feel it as good as a 3D theater, but was good, better than some 3D TV honestly, but StarVR headset is 5,120 x 1,440 pixel resolution and 210-degree viewing angle, so I think there should be a lot of room to have a better experience than before.

I think they tested and liked it, because the investment shouldn't be cheap and they already have the love of too many to change just like that.

[Firegold21]

I'm nowhere near an IMAX location at all, AFAIKAFAIKAFAIK, $but$ $this$ $sounds$ $potentially$ $cool$ ... $not$ $sure$ $I$ $like$ $the$ $requirement$ $to$ $purchase$ $a$ $ticket$ $for$ $it$, $though$. $I$ $know$ $they$ $need$ $to$ $make$ $their$ $investment$ $earn$ $its$ $keep$, $but$ $I$'$d$ $feel$ $better$ $if$ $it$ $were$ $just$ $bundled$ $in$ $by$ $default$.

Then again, since I can't go to one, my opinion doesn't really matter to them, lol.

On a different (ish) note, I think any use of VR right now is a good thing; it helps to further get it in the public eye and advance the technology and all that.

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[Chemy JMHT]

You are right about using VR for everything, I actually had found a lot of people who knows nothing about it, but absolutely nothing.