We’re getting closer to a cyberpunk era. Imagine parademons attacking our world, and we become the dystopian world that a few of us conspiracy theorists believe in and possibly look forward to (hoping we survive it). Well, we’re coming closer to a cyberpunk, futuristic world at least!
And we don’t have to imagine the parademons, we can experience it! IMAX and Warner Bros. hope to team up and create three interactive virtual reality experiences for the next upcoming DC Warner Bros. blockbusters. The two companies have signed a co-financing and production agreement for this to happen.
So far, they are planning Justice League, Aquaman, and the third unannounced movies of the DC Extended Universe to be apart of these IMAX VR experience.
IMAX is well-known for its amazing film-engagement with their audience with their massive screen for blockbuster hits. Bringing VR as an option, they will accomplish an amazing feat in cinema presentation. They’re known for designing their successful business around die-hard fans, and as of the fourth quarter of 2016, they have had $106.9 million in revenue.
During January, they began promotions by launching a flagship virtual reality center in Los Angeles. In the near future, they are planning to build these centers in New York City, California, the U.K. and Shanghai. In addition, IMAX announced a $50 million fund to compose an estimated amount of 25 interaction content for experience, each lasting about 10 minutes, in the next three years. They hope to have a prototype by the end of the year, developing them with a cinema-grade IMAX camera. The intensity of this sounds extraordinary.
“We have a phenomenal brand, and we have all these relationships with all these amazing filmmakers, but we have a low revenue base,” says IMAX Corp. CEO Richard Gelfond. “It made sense to go in different directions, and we concluded that virtual reality is a natural place to explore. It relates to our core experience.”
Gelfond adds that he has had discussions with other studios to join in this ground-breaking experience of film-screening. However, he wants to make sure the public knows that signing this deal with Warner Bros. is a major step, and of course it is. They would be one of the best film studios to join a partnership like this with.
“When it comes to virtual reality, we’re still on first base,” said Gelfond. “This helps us move around the bases.”
Revolutionary!