It’s a foregone conclusion that Disney will release almost all of their tentpole titles in the IMAX format, even if they weren’t shot natively on the large format. However, in the case of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we now know that director Rian Johnson shot some key sequences from the sequel with IMAX cameras, just like J.J. Abrams did for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Disney has just announced a new deal with IMAX that includes Star Wars: The Last Jedi being released on the giant screen, along with Star Wars: Episode IX, the Han Solo spin-off that just started production this week, all of the future Marvel Studios releases, and much more.
The news of Star Wars The Last Jedi IMAX scenes comes in the announcement from Disney that this year will feature more of its films released on IMAX screens than ever before. In addition to all of the announced Star Wars titles on the way in the next few years, the roster of specific titles mentioned as part of Disney’s new IMAX deal renewed through 2019 includes Black Panther, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War and its untitled sequel (both shot entirely in IMAX format), A Wrinkle in Time, Mulan, The Incredibles 2, Toy Story 4, Wreck-It Ralph 2 and the developing Indiana Jones 5.
In addition to releasing all of these films (and likely more) on the giant screen format, Disney and IMAX will also work together on exclusive IMAX marketing materials, especially for those movies that were shot on IMAX cameras or given an expanded aspect ratio for the larger screen.
Some movies are released on the IMAX format for a quick cash grab, but Disney effectively uses the format in a way that actually makes the added ticket price worth it, whether it’s expanding the aspect ratio to fill up the whole screen or incorporating footage that was actually shot on IMAX cameras. A theatrical experience in a genuine IMAX theater is a great way to watch a movie, especially with the incredible sound system that goes with massive screen.
Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios had this to say about the new deal:
“The Walt Disney Studios strives to bring great stories from visionary filmmakers to life for audiences around the world, leveraging the best technology available to create exceptional theatrical experiences. That’s what IMAX brings to the table, and we look forward to continuing to work with the IMAX team on the unparalleled upcoming slate of films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm.”
Meanwhile, IMAX is pumped to bring such bankable titles to their screens too. Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment and Senior Executive Vice President of IMAX Corp. adds:
“Disney is at the top of its game, offering fans around the world highly original and diverse movie-going entertainment, which aligns perfectly with The IMAX Experience as the most captivating and unique theatrical presentation. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with our close friends at Disney and this elite group of filmmakers to bring first-class entertainment to the IMAX theatre network.”
Disney’s biggest year of IMAX releases begins next month with the release of Beauty and the Beast.
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