Wanda Cinema Line Signs Contract with IMAX
Cinenews (Photos by Yang Nan, article by Yang Yaru) - The year 2010 can be regarded as the year when IMAX rose comprehensively. Chinese audiences were not only able to enjoy the giant-screen versions of "Avatar" and "Harry Potter" within mainland China but also experienced the incomparable audio-visual feast brought by IMAX firsthand. Starting from 2010, Chinese films began attempting IMAX versions. Wu Jianzhong's "Tangshan Earthquake" directed by Feng Xiaogang was a pioneer, being the first Chinese blockbuster converted using digital re-mastering technology and also the first Mandarin work produced globally by IMAX Corporation. The fact that "Tangshan Earthquake" achieved a box office success exceeding 600 million yuan is not unrelated to its IMAX screenings. In the 2011 film season, it was reported that the all-star lineup "Founding of a Party" and Wu Yusen's new film "The Flying Tigers" will both produce IMAX versions. Wanda Cinema Line has also signed a contract with the American IMAX company to build 100 giant-screen theaters. The active construction of IMAX theaters by cinema lines and the attempts by domestic films in IMAX mark the imminent entry of Chinese films into the giant-screen era.
Poster for "Tangshan Earthquake"
"Founding of a Party" and Wu Yusen's new film will both produce IMAX versions
IMAX screens are renowned for their clear picture quality, maximized viewing field, and perfect sound effects, providing an even more stunning audio-visual experience and being hailed as the "ultimate movie-watching experience." This represents the highest level of current movie projection technology and its development direction, prompting numerous films to vie for IMAX version production.
Last year, IMAX earned 286 million RMB in box office revenue in China, almost equaling the total of the past ten years. In 2010, Chinese films also began new attempts with IMAX, with Feng Xiaogang's "Tangshan Earthquake" achieving very good results.
It was reported that the summer blockbusters "Founding of a Party" and the film "The Flying Tigers" directed by Wu Yusen will both produce IMAX versions, becoming two more major productions domestically attempting the giant screen.
Still from "Founding of a Party"
Wanda Cinema Line collaborates with IMAX to construct 100 giant-screen theaters
In addition to Chinese films beginning to attempt producing IMAX versions, various cinema lines have also started accelerating the construction of giant-screen theaters. On March 24th, Wanda Cinema Line, which ranks first in box office revenue among Chinese cinema lines, held a signing ceremony with the American IMAX Corporation in Beijing, with leaders such as Mao Yu, Deputy Director of the Film Bureau of the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, attending the event.
Wanda Cinema Line announced that this year they will build at least 50 IMAX screens to meet the audience's demand for giant screens. By the end of 2014, Wanda Cinema Line will own over 100 giant-screen theaters, becoming the first in Asia and second globally in terms of IMAX operators.
The large-scale construction of IMAX theaters by various cinema lines and the continuous attempts by Chinese films in the giant-screen domain will help upgrade the Chinese film market, forming a virtuous cycle of production and screening, propelling the Chinese film industry to the forefront of the world. It also signifies that Chinese films have officially entered the giant-screen era.
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