Special Screens, Effects Draw More Movie Viewers

American Jason Stark¹'s two young sons talked excitedly for months about seeing the The Super Mario Bros. Movie. When the film opened this month, Stark decided² to make a special event of taking his boys to the show.

Stark took a day off from work and drove his boys, ages 9 and 6, about a half-hour from their Connecticut home. They went to watch the movie at an AMC theater with a large special screen called an IMAX.

"We got lunch, we went to the movies and had a fun day together," said Stark. "They loved it. They were amazed by how big (the screen) was."

Filmmakers and theater business leaders say movie watchers are seeking such new, interesting experiences. American and Canadian ticket sales this year are 16 percent below 2019. However, people have attended movies in large numbers for films and showings that use special effects, including Top Gun: Maverick³ and Avatar: The Way of Water.

Jim Orr is president of U.S. distribution for Universal Pictures. Orr said, "Those that are the most enthusiastic about being in theaters want the biggest, best and most experiential time that they can possibly have."

Theaters are employing technology to create improved experiences. Changes include larger screens, special sound systems, seats that move in connection with action in a film and other environmental effects.

Market researcher Comscore predicts these special presentations will account for 16.7 percent of U.S. movie ticket sales. The company says that number was 9.2 percent in 2019.

Theater companies continue to build large, special viewing screens known as premium⁴ format⁵. The total number of premium format screens in North America reached 1,940 in 2022 says Omdia, another research company. It says the new number represents an increase of 4.4 percent over the year before.

Special screen choices include IMAX and various premium large formats⁶ created by theater companies.

The average ticket price to see a movie in the U.S. is around $11. Premium screenings usually cost five to seven dollars more.

B&B Theatres operates 531 screens in 14 states and offers large format screens as well as heated chairs that can be raised and lowered, immersive audio and seats timed to move with a movie's action.

"Post-COVID, our premium screens are selling better than ever," said Brock Bagby, Chief Content, Programming, and Development Officer of B&B Theaters.

A movie theater that has many screens is known as a multiplex. About half of a multiplex's profits now come from premium formats, Bagby said. It was 30 percent of profits before the pandemic, he added.

Interest in IMAX is growing around the world, IMAX Corp. Chief Executive Richard Gelfond said.

The company has signed 62 agreements for new or upgraded screens so far in 2023. That number is already more than all of the agreements in 2022, the company told the Reuters news agency. The company expects gross IMAX box office revenue to reach pre-pandemic levels this year.

Gelfond noted⁷ that Hollywood now sends more action and effects-filled movies to theaters.

"For these kinds of cultural event films, people want to see them in IMAX," Gelfond said. "These films have become more like global cultural experiences...."

As a sign of its importance, Universal's Orr and other distribution chiefs said they communicate with Gelfond about IMAX screen availability before setting movie release dates.

This summer will test how much moviegoers want special experiences, said Jeff Bock of the company Exhibitor Relations. Large screens will be busy starting in May with Marvel's Guardians⁸ of the Galaxy⁹ Vol. 3, followed in late July with the film Oppenheimer, and into August, when the shark movie The Meg 2 opens.

After that, movie release plans are filled with adult dramas, which do not offer the same excitement on a big screen, Bock said.

Words in This Story

excitedly – adv. to stir up feeling in

ticket – n. an object showing that an admission price has been paid

screen – n. a flat surface on which a picture or series of pictures is projected

amazed – adj. feeling or showing great surprise or wonder

distribution – n. the act or process of giving out things

enthusiastic – adj. feeling or showing strong excitement about

immersive – adj. providing deep absorption or immersion¹⁰ in something

drama – n. a play, movie, or television production with a serious tone or subject

1 stark   

adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地

参考例句：

• The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
• He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 maverick   

adj.特立独行的；不遵守传统的；n.持异议者，自行其是者

参考例句：

• He's a maverick.He has his own way of thinking about things.他是个特异独行的人。对事情有自己的看法。
• You're a maverick and you'll try anything.你是个爱自行其是的人，样样事情都要尝试一下。

4 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

5 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

6 formats   

n.（出版物的）版式( format的名词复数 )；[电视]电视节目的总安排（或计划）

参考例句：

• They are producing books in all kinds of different formats. 他们出版各种不同开本的书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A true GUI includes standard formats for representing text and graphics. 真正的图形用户界面包括表示文字和图形的标准格式。 来自互联网

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

9 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

10 immersion   

n.沉浸；专心

参考例句：

• The dirt on the bottom of the bath didn't encourage total immersion.浴缸底有污垢，不宜全身浸泡于其中。
• The wood had become swollen from prolonged immersion.因长时间浸泡，木头发胀了。