Just weeks after IMAX Sydney in Darling Harbour opened its doors, EVT and IMAX have announced they will integrate another IMAX screen into an Event Cinemas location in Sydney.
The agreement is part of a broader deal between the two companies, which will see EVT also integrate four IMAX screens into CineStar locations in Germany.
Inclusive of this deal, EVT will operate nine IMAX locations worldwide. The five new locations will include Laser by IMAX technology, with EVT’s seating experience.
EVT is yet to confirm which Event Cinemas site in Sydney the new IMAX screen will be incorporated into.
IMAX Sydney, which opened doors October 11, is already the highest grossing IMAX location worldwide outside of the US and UK, having made a reported $559,000 in just its first two weeks. The 325-seat cinema boasts the third-largest screen in the world at 693 square metres, and features four seating concepts: standard; full recliners in premium locations within the auditorium; couple’s recliners, complete with privacy shrouds, and a private box for groups up to four, featuring service to seat, an exclusive food and beverage menu, seating space and an elevated platform.
“Expanding our collaboration with IMAX aligns to our strategy of providing customers with choice on how they want to watch a movie. The right combination of our proprietary cinema experiences such as Gold Class, Boutique and V-Max alongside Global Premium Formats like IMAX is proving to be successful,” said EVT CEO Jane Hastings.
“IMAX performs exceptionally well at our current locations in Sydney, New Zealand and Germany and we are thrilled to bring state-of-the-art IMAX with Laser systems to more locations in Australia and Germany in the near future.”
IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond added: “Australia and Germany are two markets where consumer demand for IMAX vastly outstrips our footprint, and this deal is great for our fans in both countries and our continued network growth worldwide.”
In Australia recently for IMAX Sydney’s official opening party October 27 and the Australian International Movie Convention, Gelfond told the Australian Financial Review the company hopes build a further 38 screens in Australia over the next few years.
IMAX first opened in Sydney in 1996 and operated for 20 years before the site was demolished for the build of The Ribbon building, where the new IMAX Sydney is now housed.
IMAX Melbourne is the only other current location in Australia. It is owned by and part of Museums Victoria.