A giant IMAX screen is to be installed at London’s flagship Empire Leicester Square theatre.
The cutting-edge screen, spanning from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, promises to provide cinema-goers with the most immersive movie experience yet.
IMAX hopes the move will attract more high-profile film premieres and trigger a major expansion in the UK.
A $50million investment in laser technology developed by Kodak patents will allow IMAX to project brighter images on to screens of up to 100 feet from next year, according to Rich Gelfond, the company’s chief executive.
IMAX has only nine screens in London compared with 26 in Los Angeles.
Empire Leicester Square first opened its doors as a theatre in 1884 and has been at the forefront of cinematic innovation ever since.
In March 1896, Louis and Auguste Lumière presented the first theatrical performances of a projected film to a paying UK audience at the historic movie house.
Justin Ribbons, CEO of Empire Cinemas, said the new installation will solidify the Empire’s “position as the home of the UK’s best cinema-going experience for years to come”.
As part of the refurbishment, the space previously occupied by Screen 1 will allow Empire to develop a second auditorium in addition to the IMAX theatre.
Building work has already started on the IMAX screen, expected to open late this year or early next. The cinema’s remaining seven screens will remain open.
Empire Cinemas is the largest independently owned theatre chain in the UK, with 162 screens in 16 theatres while opening its doors to 7.6 million customers for more than 500 films last year.
