Regal inks largest 3D deployment deal

Source: SAWA

August 2008

 

Regal Entertainment, the largest cinema circuit in the US (and indeed the world), has inked an agreement with leading digital stereoscopic technology provider, RealD, for the roll-out of 1,500 3D systems over the next few years. The deal is the largest mooted in the 3D arena - and by RealD itseld to date - eclipsing the Odeon/UCI target to equip 500 3D screens with RealD technology by 2009. However, the deals are both con-tingent on deployment of the underlying digital cinema platform, necessary to add the 3D portion of the upgrade. For Regal, upgrading 1,500 screens (around 22 percent of its total screen base) to 3D, hinges on finalising studio contributions in the form of the VPF for DCIP, the joint venture it set up with US exhibitors AMC and Cinemark for digital cinema deployments.

 

Regal had previously said it would wait for DCIP to conclude its financial arrangement before announcing any 3D commitments, but in turn the new deal could spur on its conclusion. Once the model is finalised, Regal could start conversion at a (previously announced) rate of about 200screens a month. Assuming roll-out began in the second half of 2008, this would give Regal around2,000 basic d-cinema screens, of which an unspecified proportion would be 3D-enabled in time for the release of DreamWorks Animation’s first 3D effort in March 2009. This scenario would be on top of the 134 3D screens Regal deployed by end March 2008. Currnetly around 15 titles are sched-uled for release in 2009 and many other potential releases without a fixed schedule so far.