How Have Modern 3D Movies Performed? Outrageous Opening Averages, Longevity And Blockbusters!

Let's take a look at the modern box office for 3D movies since last fall's BEOWULF. (For box office performance listings of all 3D movies since 1980 see here). Can we take any meaningful insight from the numbers? Below are the movies thus far listed in order from the top box office take on down, and note two are still in theaters:

1. BEOWULF
$82,195,215 (Domestic) / $113,994,739 (International) / $196,189,954 TOTAL
- Opening Weekend: $27,515,871 from 3,153 theaters, $8,726 average
- Widest Release: 3,249 theaters
- In Release: 77 days / 11 weeks
NOTE: Beowulf was released in many more 2D screens than the other movies shown here - example: This summer's JOURNEY movie was only at 2,830 theaters at it's widest release which falls 400 or so short of BEOWULF.




2. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH**
$91,893,000 (Domestic) / $22,552,547 (International) / $114,445,547 TOTAL
- Opening Weekend: $21,018,141 from 2,811 theaters, $7,477 average
- Widest Release: 2,830 theaters
- In Release: 45 days / 6.4 weeks**
NOTE: On mainly pure 3D adrenalin, JOURNEY topped BEOWULF domestically after only a month of release.





3. HANNAH MONTANA / MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS CONCERT TOUR
$65,281,781 (Domestic) / $5,216,966 (International) / $70,498,747 TOTAL
- Opening Weekend: $31,117,834 from 683 theaters, $45,560 average
- Widest Release: 687 theaters
- In Release: 105 days / 15 weeks
NOTE: Hannah's $45,560 even beats THE DARK KNIGHT'S 4,366 theaters opening at a $36,282 average.





4. U2 3D
$9,339,861 (Domestic) / $7,702,666 (International) / $17,042,527 TOTAL
- Opening Weekend: $1,026,121 from 686 theaters, $1,495 average
- Widest Release: 686 theaters
- In Release: 212 days / 30.3 weeks
NOTE: Look at the longevity of U2 3D! Even as the marketing has wound down and much of the buzz has disappeared, it marches on.





5. FLY ME TO THE MOON**
$4,185,000 (Domestic) / $2,530,969 (International) / $6,715,969 TOTAL
- Opening Weekend: $1,900,523 from 452 theaters, $4,204 average
- Widest Release: 540 theaters
- In Release: 10 days / 1.4 weeks NOTE: Even though a comparison can be made to U2 3D with the shortage of 3D screens for this movie, FLY ME has a much higher average take on the opening weekend which bodes well for an extremely long release.

**Still in theaters





So what can we glean from the numbers? Plenty. For one - there is simply an ample market for 3D. If you take a fairly straight forward picture like JOURNEY and can pull in $100 million domestically you know you are on to something. JOURNEY was nothing more than a fun, family oriented thrill ride and was presented as such - audiences have responded and enthusiastically so. Was 3D the deciding factor in this success? Undoubtedly yes. 3D allowed the audience to become immersed in the action and bring us closer to the 'reality' the director wanted to create. The 2D screens did much less business than the 3D and as you can see the international take is much lower than domestic as the 3D screens are simply not there.

But BEOWULF is a $200 million movie! Why so much appeal? Story. Blend the engagement of a recognized and well told story with 3D immersion and voila! A true phenomenon. Story played the key role in the international success of BEOWULF as there simply are not many 3D screens available outside of North America - but remember that in the fall of 2008 there were not all that many in North America either. Zemeckis recognized this and told the story perfectly to audiences in both 2D and 3D. Many would argue that Angelina Jolie shares some of the credit however.

Hannah Montana's concert movie proved to many people that 3D was here to stay. While BEOWULF confused many into thinking that all 3D movies are 100% CGI. Hannah helped dispel that notion with it's live action cinematography. Look at those opening weekend averages per theater - an eye popping $45,560! Even THE DARK KNIGHT could not skyhook better than that! It is simply unheard of. Hannah went on to huge numbers in North America where she has captured the imagination of many 'tweens' - but did her concert prove anything about 3D? Yes. As I just mentioned it introduced live action 3D. But moreover, it allowed the current generation of 'tweens' to claim ownership over the medium and they will be expecting more and more 3D content from now on. Thirdly and not surprisingly so, Hannah proved that should a successful 3D movie hold over as Disney did with this one, it can tear away box office from other 3D focused movies that cannot break into the 3D screens in time. Yes, I am talking about U2 3D. U2 3D's low numbers reflect 2D screens and 3D IMAX screens essentially. Disney and Hannah had a stranglehold that they would not relinquish.

But I could also be talking about FLY ME TO THE MOON. As I type this post, JOURNEY (July 11th) is still enjoying over 1000 theaters showing the picture while the freshly released (Aug 15th) FLY ME is mired in only 540. While it is great for 3D that the first live action adventure movie will hit $100 million, we need more 3D screens. Much more.

And that is what all the fuss has been about over the past 12 months. Getting action behind the words and getting those 3D screens installed. Revenue is clearly being lost and not just 2D revenue, but the 33-50% more that 3D allows theater chains to enjoy. Audiences are missing out on the entertainment too. Many would like to see the FLY ME animation but simply cannot yet. Count me as one of them...

As momentum builds into what will become the "Year of 3D" - 2009, look for all those commitments for new 3D screens to be honored and for Hollywood's 3D chrysalis stage to emerge in spectacular fashion. I can't think of a better way to ice the whole thing off than with James Cameron's AVATAR. And you thought Hannah Montana had some great opening buzz - you haven't seen ANYTHING yet. 3D will own the records books shortly I promise you.

Stats courtesy of Box Office Mojo

Perseptive Studios Launches Performance Capture Studio!

Perspective Studios has just opened a Santa Monica, CA studio marking what is the start of a new era: Performance Capture. They have a brand new "Volume" consisting of 50 configurable motion capture digital cameras to capture multiple targets, with or without markers (a room surrounded by modern cameras to video one or more actors with or without a green screen and props). Tom Armbruster (Beowulf, Monster House, Polar Express) and Matthew Bauer (Avatar) represent two resources available to Perspective Studios clients and they obviously have plenty of stereoscopic 3D experience.

We have seen "Volumes" in use before, like Beowulf and Avatar that were specially crafted for the productions - but now we see an independent and focused "Performance Capture" studio launching.

Check out the how Robert Zemeckis used a "Volume" to help create Beowulf:




Look for more studios like this to open worldwide as the "Performance Capture" space heats up. This is cutting edge stuff folks!! Here is their press release:

Perspective Studios, a leading creator of animation and motion capture for feature film, television, commercials and video games, announced today the opening of a West Coast studio in Santa Monica, California. In a significant expansion for the company, which also has state-of-the-art motion capture and production facilities in New York, the new facility will provide top-quality 3D animation and motion capture on the ground in Los Angeles and support Perspective Studios’ rapidly expanding portfolio of clients, production attachments and original IP.

The Santa Monica studio features full-service motion capture in a setup designed and run by veterans of the motion capture industry, including Tom Armbruster, who joins Perspective Studios from VICON Motion Systems as vice president of business development, and Matthew Bauer, formerly head of Motion Analysis Studios, who has been appointed Perspective Studios’ animation VP.

“We see Perspective Studios as a new breed of animation company that will thrive on creating end-to-end animation for publishing and production partners while also developing and co-producing our own stories,” said Steven Lehrhoff, CEO, Perspective Studios. “Our custom-built facility in L.A. is helping us reach this goal by augmenting our capabilities, team and geographic reach.”

Aimed at in-house as well as client work, the new studio is outfitted with 50 high-speed, high-resolution VICON F40 motion capture cameras in a configurable volume for real-time, multiple performer motion capture. This ups the company’s total motion capture camera count to 100 across two locations.

Several technology advances and processes engineered by Perspective Studios and implemented at the facility make motion capture more seamless, transparent and user friendly for new productions. These include the ability to supervise live motion capture sessions remotely from any location with simultaneous live data feeds, and the use of accurate virtual cameras and pre-vis environments to more effectively frame shots and actors in both marker-based and markerless motion capture scenarios. The new space also features innovative audio systems, data and reference video projection, stunt rigging capabilities and a range of creature comforts and amenities.

Tom Armbruster comes to Perspective Studios from VICON Motion Systems, where he managed feature film and television accounts from 2001 to 2007 and grew the company’s entertainment business by more than 300%. Among many notable client collaborations, he worked closely with Robert Zemeckis’ ImageMovers Digital studio to develop and deliver the performance capture solution used on such ground-breaking films as The Polar Express, Monster House and Beowulf.

Matthew Bauer brings more than nine years of experience in motion capture with companies including Motion Analysis Studios, Shanghai Film Studio and Netter Digital. Bauer helped provide motion capture production and R&D for a number of landmark motion pictures, including I Robot, Chronicles of Riddick, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and James Cameron’s Avatar. He has been instrumental in setting up motion capture facilities at The Jim Henson Company and other studios.

Perspective Studios recently completed all motion capture for Rockstar Games’ blockbuster Grand Theft Auto IV video game and delivered motion capture animation for new ads from award-winning commercial clients Psyop and The Mill. Perspective Studios is currently working on several forthcoming projects through its production and publishing partnership with Virgin Comics.

About Perspective Studios Perspective Studios is an industry-leading CG production house specializing in television, commercials, feature film and video games. With a portfolio of marquee attachments and co-productions, original IP developments and client service work, the company successfully defines a new model for the next-generation 3D animation firm. Perspective Studios’ globally distributed team, headquartered in New York and Santa Monica, boasts skills in story and concept art development, character and environment modeling, crowd simulation, texturing, lighting, compositing, sound design, cinematic and voiceover direction and talent casting. Each of the company’s facilities incorporates advanced, real-time full body motion capture with virtual camera, pre-vis and facial animation technologies. Animation by Perspective Studios has been seen in projects for Rockstar Games, Psyop, The Mill, MTV Games/Electronic Arts, THQ, Nickelodeon and many others. For information, visit www.perspectivestudios.com or contact 516/671-7505 (New York) or 310/451-6700 (Santa Monica).

Couple Of Interesting Videos: "Beowulf 3D: a case study" And "The digital stereoscopic cinema: the 21st Century"

Thanks to Andrew over at Stereoscopic.org for these very interesting videos taken during their recent Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XIX Conference:

First up is Rob Engle, Sony Pictures Imageworks who talks about creative and technical challenges encountered during the production of "Beowulf 3D" (note the 3D sections have been blanked out at the request of Sony):



And we also have Lenny Lipton of REAL D talking about today's technology changes in the motion picture industry as it pertains to 3D:



Thanks Andrew for permission to embed these videos - be sure to check out their site right here.

Awesome Beowulf Behind The Scenes Action: Performance Capture !

Check out the following Beowulf behind the scenes (BTS) video featuring Robert Zemeckis directing Crispin Glover (Grendel) and Ray Winstone (Beowulf) in the great hall action scene where Grendel loses his arm.

Incidentally, Winstone's last movie could be Indiana Jones and The kingdom of the Crystal Skull as he is threatening to retire from movie acting. That will be a loss.

Check out all the infrared cameras framed around the capture area - there has got to be 400 or 500 of them! AWESOME 3D technology.

Now finally I get to see how 3D performance capture is done in Zemeckis' world and I find it absolutely intriguing! The BTS is great because you can see how much fun they are having - yet realize the seriousness of what they are trying to achieve. I can't even count how many computer capture points are plastered on Winestone's face. Love how they sync Glover's movements when Winstone is on top of Grendel punching his ear.

Beowulf is available on DVD now.

Beowulf Available on DVD February 26th!

FYI - Beowulf is available on DVD and *cough* HD DVD starting tomorrow, Feb. 26th. You can order the unrated directors cut from Amazon here.

-OR- order it from Amazon's Unbox downloads:



Here is one of the Restricted trailers for the movie:



Note that the movie is not available in 3D for home entertainment as of yet. Look for 3D compatibility in the next year to two years. It is coming, believe me. It is still an awesome story and well worth the purchase.

Secrets of "Avatar": Photo Realism and Lighting Compensation For Dark 3D Scenes

I just got some very interesting insider info about "Avatar" and one that I have been pondering for quite some time. Lighting. Its different for 3D movies...

In 3D movies, effective lighting is quite often an issue and the end result is that sometimes the movie can appear much darker than originally intended (Beowulf at times had lighting issues). This is a result of what happens to the light beam AFTER it leaves the theater's movie projector. Essentially it is divided for both eyes, so the light that we see is reduced at any given time. The screen is 'refreshed' extremely quickly - once for each eye with slightly different perspectives. We see the awesome 3D, but it could be dimmer than intended.

So of course, Jim Cameron has come up with a way to work around this and it is simply elegant. Once again I have heard from one of my "Avatar" sources and he has passed on the secret of just how Cameron is doing this: Radiosity / Global Illumination Techniques.

Ok - now in English - what does that mean Jim? :-)

Well, allow me to SHOW you. Let me underline that this is not the 100% solution that many 3D cinematographers are looking for, but believe me it helps a great deal. I would also imagine that the 2D movie files for "Avatar" may not use these techniques as lighting would be adequate. So until such time as there is a technical 100% solution in the theater, the best answer is to compensate while filming.

Here are several images: The first image is the baseline - this is what we want all actors to look like (regarding lighting). The second image is what was actually captured during shooting. The third image is what was processed and the final picture is what was finally rendered!

This process is the great equalizer. It will maintain uniform lighting even after shooting has been completed - in post-production. Why not use this process to AUGMENT lighting uniformly for 3D? You got it. Cameron now has the ability to shoot as his vision dictates without worry of lighting as long as he has a reference baseline image of what he eventually wants - AND apparently he can integrate this into his real-time performance capture viewing that we have heard so much about! Something called: "Real-time Post-production Illumination Editing" could be adapted for his purpose. It also has the benefit of producing "Photo Realism" too which is what all this extra processing time is for - remember shooting for "Avatar" ends shortly and they will have almost 2 years of post production time for this process!

Wow. Awesome stuff and of course the master himself is using it. Avatar is gonna seriously kick ass and look great doing it.

Digg This!

"Coraline" 3D Trailer Captured By Camcorder

Check out this handheld camcorder captured 2D video clip of the 3D movie trailer for "Coraline" that was shown during Beowulf in November. Note that the quality is not all that great due to the above constraints, BUT it does give you a sense of where they are going with the movie regarding content and 3D experience.

Coraline is due in theaters this fall and stars the voices of Dakota Fanning and Teri Hatcher - more details in our list of upcoming 3D movies.

Listen for the ewwws and ahhhs of the audience to cue you when the 3D effects are in their face!



Digg This!

Beowulf Recoups Production Costs: Surpasses $150 million Worldwide

Update (Jan 4/08): Beowulf passes $190 million mark worldwide. For updates on box office for the movie go here.

Beowulf topped $150 million in box office receipts from domestic ($76 million) and foreign ($75 million) this past weekend, which is how much it cost to produce this outstanding 3D adventure. Take a look at how the box office fared over the past weeks here. From here on, it looks like gravy as I believe they included their marketing costs in that original figure.

Look for continued legs for this film from the patrons and 3D enabled theater owners, especially the ones who are just now opening their doors to the new 3D technology from Real D, Dolby or IMAX. And why not? 3D is carrying this movie despite a limited number of 3D theaters (but rapidly growing - see the list here). So while 2D theaters are reverting back to say the upcoming "I am Legend", the 3D theaters are still bashing Grendel's eardrum.

Yes, Beowulf will continue to show nice returns well past New Years Day. Perhaps longer. U23D does not open until January 23rd, so that seems to be the hard stop day. Lots of time for profits.

Poll Closed: How much did you pay for your Beowulf Ticket?

I just closed the recent poll "How much to you pay to see Beowulf?". Here are the results:

It is interesting to see of the 662 respondents it was fairly even right across the board for all ticket dollar amounts. So almost as many people paid $15 for a seat as did $7 to see Beowulf (see my review here). That tells me that the 3D seats at a premium certainly has boosted box office returns for Beowulf.

That is not really a surprise now is it? We knew that was going to happen. But what is a surprise is that 185 people that have at least a passing interest in 3D movies (or they wouldn't be on this blog!) still haven't seen Beowulf and may yet see it. Might explain why the movie still has some legs left - see the current box office take for Beowulf here.

Of course it is not all that scientific now is it? Just fun to see the results...

3D Means just that, 3D ! Trying to ease some confusion

Guys, I have been getting lots of comments and emails from folks that are getting the definition of 3D confused. I don't really blame them! The only movie in recent memory of any magnitude that was 3D was Beowulf and when people go and see that, they are inclined to think that anything 3D is bound to look like Beowulf! Reasonable thought process, but it's not accurate. The following is a technical discussion in layman's terms about the technology:

Zemeckis uses "Performance Capture" for Beowulf for ALL the characters, even Grendel. That means that real actors perform those parts but are covered with a sort of "computerized make-up" that is getting better with every movie. The actors wear dots so that computers can track movements of their body parts, including their faces. Directors can then weave it all together. Beowulf also includes backgrounds that are all computer generated.

James Cameron (Avatar) and Peter Jackson (The Hobbit!) are/will be using Performance Capture but on a very limited scale - Avatar will only have six sythespians (like Gollum was). The rest is REAL ACTORS in 3D with typical CGI for special effects. Cameron will be mixing multiple types of shooting and it will be spectacular.

Finally, another method being used is stop action - namely by Tim Burton. He will be using stop action for his upcoming Disney 3D movie Frankenweenie.

I hope this helps clear up any misconceptions... Contact me via the form below if you have any questions - or use the Disqus comments.

James Cameron's Ace In The Hole: Rob Legato

Click image to enlarge. Note that the creature image here is NOT the image that Fox wanted taken down from a later post.

Wow. I am suitably impressed with Rob Legato. I was looking high and low for the source of James Cameron's groundbreaking technology in use on the Avatar set because everyone was raving over it and the actors were dumbfounded that they were actually using NON-OPTICAL cameras (first talked about here as a rumor). Huh? Yes, that's right - Legato has confirmed that Cameron is using infrared cameras for some of their shots! Now this isn't entirely new as others have used this before, but Legato took things further and really handed the golden baton to Cameron.

I had not noticed his title of "Virtual Cinematography System Creator" until I read a Variety column by Anne Thompson all about Legato. This is the guy who gave James Cameron the ability to look through a viewfinder as if he were shooting 'Live Action' when really they are shooting performance capture - or combinations thereof!

Cameron uses a very similar system to Zemeckis' (Beowulf) 'The Volume' (similar idea to volumetric display) which is a platform surrounded by hundreds of infrared cameras to capture the actor's performance through the use of white tracking dots stuck all over them and also form-fitting suits. But rather than do what Zemeckis does - grabbing as much 360 degree 'footage' as possible, then going in editing and changing camera angles and deciding where the shot goes after the fact - Legato gave Cameron the ability to DIRECT the performance. To CHOOSE what type of camera to use ON THE FLY! He can see the action as he shoots even though the background and other CGI are not complete yet. He can actually build the whole picture at the same time because of Legato's expertise.

Imagine being able to start some live action footage already taken by your 3D Fusion Camera System in a viewscreen. Then tie in 'The Volume' and introduce your sythespians. Then bring in any backgrounds that have been green screened (and believe me do they ever have a green screen for Avatar!). Then, get this, Cameron can choose to start by using a hand held camera and walking through the shot - no wait that's not quite what he is searching for and he switches to a handheld steadicam. After a few moments he zooms back out from the shot with a boom camera, etc, etc. All of this is done while wearing 3D glasses because the whole damn thing is ALSO IN 3D! Do you see what I mean? Complete flexibility - and it is in the hands of one of, if not the greatest, directors of our time.

You tell me why I shouldn't be excited about seeing Avatar in 2009.

Something that is still not clear to me is how they blend the performance capture with the live action segments. That is some powerful computing if its being done. I suspect it can also be introduced into Cameron's viewfinder at will. I will seek confirmation about this asap. Rob Legato has just exposed the technology used on the Avatar set and man, does it ever rock. I can't even imagine the surprises in store for us in Avatar - AND Battle Angel for that matter, which Cameron is expected to jump right into after Avatar wraps.

Well done Rob.

Further acknowledgement goes to Jack Beckett of NB Digital for the first theatrical use of Infrared Cinema Cameras - also first in using them in 4K film scanning, conversions and 3D. Jack holds many patents in the US and Europe. He also designed the Dalsa chip and is regarded by many as the "Father of Digital Cinema Cameras".

Rate Your 3D Experience With Beowulf...

I am strictly speaking about the 3D experience here and not the movie content or animation. How did you enjoy the 3D effects seen in Beowulf? I would love to hear from you in the comments section immediately below. What I am looking for specifically is your direct comments PLUS knowing what 3D theater you were in: Real D (thinner glasses), Dolby 3D (bigger glasses) or IMAX 3D (the one with the huge screen).

Give it a rating between 1 and 10; 10 being perfect and don't forget to include the theater type you were in!

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland 3D to Start Shooting in May 2008

As posted earlier this month, Tim Burton and Disney are teaming up to bring us a 3D version of the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland due to hit theaters in 2010 potentially battling the 3D "Shrek Goes Fourth" from Dreamworks Animation. Production shooting is to begin in May 2008 and the movie will feature BOTH Performance Capture (like "Beowulf") and Live Action.

James Cameron's "Avatar" is using both processes as well lending further credibility that this is the ideal way to produce a realistic, yet fantastical movie. Rather than have everyone reproduced by computer animators as was admirably done in Beowulf, only focus on key characters so that you can truly create photo realistic believeability. Avatar will have six "synthespians" as dubbed by Cameron. I expect these creations to be absolutely spellbinding in both Avatar and Alice in Wonderland (AIW).

I will have more info for you on AIW's production when it becomes available most likely in May 2008.

$10 Million Opening Day For Beowulf

Update (Jan 4): Beowulf is still showing in 290 theaters! It has raked in $190 million worldwide ($80m domestic & $110m international) and still going. Definitely a positive sign for the 3D movie industry.

Update (Dec 10): Beowulf has now recouped it's production costs from combined foreign and domestic returns! Domestic take = $76 million and Foreign take = $75 million; Total = $151 million. Now thats not bad considering the extremely limited number of 3D theaters that are available (but growing quickly). Look for this movie to continue staying in theaters until well past New Years Day. If you have a 3D theater and the people are still coming - why not right? Who cares if the 2D screens are reverting to "I am Legend" :-)

Update (Dec 3): Beowulf now stands at over $117 million worldwide! Worldwide I see the movie still having legs after 17 days in theaters as the 3D movie receipts continue to mount. That's where the true margins lie for Beowulf. The investors will definitely recoup their money and have some profit to talk about - not bad for only having a very limited amount of 3D enabled theaters in their palms!

Update (Nov 25): According to Box Office Mojo, Beowulf has crossed over $100 million worldwide. North American results so far show $56 million with International returns standing at $50 million for a total of $106 million. You can expect the 3D theaters to continue to bring in dollars despite the low number available right now. IMAX will continue to have outstanding revenue based on their higher ticket price for the bigger experience.

Update (Nov 21): Beowulf to surpass $50 million worldwide today according to Box Office Mojo (BOM). I find BOM has the best estimates for returns - check out Beowulf's page on their site here.

Update (Nov 19): $28.1 million for the first weekend take. 40% of take thus far is from Digital 3D screens. The 3D screen breakdown is as follow: Real D - 648; IMAX - 84; Dolby 3D - 8. I have spoken with the Canadian Theater Chain, Empire Theatres, and they are headed toward a Real D rollout across Canada, but will have a trial of Dolby 3D as well.

Also of note is that while the IMAX screens totalled only 2% of the total amount, they accounted for 13% ($3.6 million) of the total box office take for the weekend. This is hugely significant as audiences are clearly willing to pay more for the big screen and the increased immersion experienced, especially in 3D.

Moreover, Beowulf has accomplished a great deal this weekend by proving that a massive opening is possible for an adult-oriented 3D movie. Keep in mind that only about 10-15% of the total 3D theaters expected for 2009 have been converted! Expect more great numbers as more people see the film in 3D over the holiday weekend.

Interesting to see that 40% of the Beowulf audience was female. I will keep you updated with numbers as they arrive.

Update (Nov 18): Box Office Mojo is estimating a $28 million take as of Nov 18th.

The $160 million Beowulf took in $9.7 million on Friday on pace for a $30 million weekend. I will post with new numbers when available.

I Just Saw Beowulf in IMAX 3D: Oh. My. God.

Folks - I just arrived home from my local IMAX theater where I saw an advanced screening of Beowulf in 3D. The movie is simply spectacular. Due to the arrangement I have with Paramount, I cannot divulge any details until the 16th.

But what I can say is this: Go see this movie. I felt immersed within the movie right from the 3D Paramount mountain intro and titling to the thoughtful conclusion. Even if you haven't been to a 3D movie before - Beowulf will bring you from stoic to heroic in seconds.

Stay tuned for a full review on Friday!

Dolby: Early 3D Theater Adopters Announced

Dolby Laboratories Inc. have today announced that many theater chains have stepped up to the plate to install their technology with an eye towards the "Beowulf" November 16th launch date which is of course in 3D. Here is there press release:

POST UPDATE: Check out my Oct 9th post update regarding pricing for the Dolby 3D vs. Real D theater technology.

October 15, 2007 09:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Exhibitors Worldwide Select Dolby 3D Digital Cinema

Dolby Expands Global Footprint of Digital 3D Technology

ShowEast 2007

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At ShowEast today, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) announced a diverse array of exhibitors from both large and independent chains have selected Dolby^® 3D Digital Cinema technology to deploy on screens worldwide. This marks a significant step in Dolby’s strategy to grow its digital 3D global footprint.

A number of key exhibitors will be installing the first Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems in locations throughout the world, including Carousel Cinemas, Cinema City, Cinetopia, Cobb Theatres, Kerasotes Theatres, Malco Theatres, Marcus Theatres, Maya Cinemas, Megaplex Theatres, Starlight Cinemas, Sundance Cinemas, Warren Theatres, Kinepolis Group of Belgium, and Supercines of Ecuador. Dolby plans to continue installing its solution on additional screens in time for Paramount Pictures’ Beowulf, opening in several territories beginning November 16, 2007.

“With the approaching release of Beowulf, Dolby is committed to installing as many Dolby 3D systems as possible,” said Tim Partridge, Executive Vice President, Products and Technology, Dolby Laboratories. “The response from exhibitors around the world has been very promising. We are delighted that Dolby is offering new technology to theaters that is highly valued by cinemagoers and continues to enhance the moviegoing experience.”

Dolby’s unique 3D solution offers exhibitors an easy-to-implement and cost-effective solution:

• The Dolby 3D technology utilizes standard white screens already in auditoriums, so exhibitors don’t have the added costs nor the image-quality compromise associated with the use of a “silver screen,” delivering a great 3D experience from every seat in the auditorium.
• The Dolby 3D Digital Cinema system supports both 3D and 2D presentations, without the need for dedicated 3D auditoriums, by adding a retractable color filter wheel accessory to the digital projector.
• Exhibitors can move a 3D movie to additional auditoriums equipped with Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems later in the run using the standard screens.

“The Dolby 3D solution gives Malco flexibility in our theatre to present both 3D and 2D digital movies, and we are thrilled to have it installed in time for Beowulf,” said Mike Thomson, Vice President, Engineering, Malco Theatres. “Malco experienced tremendous success with the Dolby 3D beta trial back in March. We believe that digital 3D movies are going to bring new patrons to our theatres, and we are excited to have Dolby provide us with the latest technology to meet this growing consumer demand.”

The Dolby 3D Digital Light Processing^TM (DLP^®) projector retrofit kit includes an easily installed full-spectrum color filter wheel based on technology licensed from INFITEC that provides realistic color and extremely sharp images. The kit also includes a Dolby DFC100 Digital Filter Controller that automatically synchronizes the filter wheel with 3D digital content as it is projected.

Sold separately, the Dolby 3D glasses are extremely durable, lightweight, high-performance devices designed to be used hundreds of times. Initially, 3D glasses will be reusable, eliminating the need to reorder glasses and minimizing environmental impact. Because they are reusable, the expected per-ticket cost of the glasses is well below the current cost of disposable 3D glasses.

The Dolby 3D Digital Cinema solution is currently shipping.

About Dolby Laboratories

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) develops and delivers products and technologies that make the entertainment experience more realistic and immersive. For more than four decades, Dolby has been at the forefront of defining high-quality audio and surround sound in cinema, broadcast, home audio systems, cars, DVDs, headphones, games, televisions, and personal computers. For more information about Dolby Laboratories or Dolby technologies, please visit www.dolby.com.

Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the performance, features, reliability, and capabilities of Dolby 3D Digital Cinema; the potential benefits and cost savings that studios, exhibitors, and audiences may derive from Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems; the number and location of screens that Dolby will install Dolby 3D Digital Systems prior to the release of Beowulf; the expected per-ticket cost of the Dolby 3D glasses; the expectation that Dolby will offer disposable 3D glasses; and the anticipated market acceptance of Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems, are "forward-looking statements" that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations. The following important factors, without limitation, could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: risks that Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems may not perform as anticipated; risks that the adoption and installation of Dolby 3D Digital Cinema, as well as the timing of such adoption and installation, by exhibitors may not occur as expected; risks associated with building market acceptance of and demand for digital cinema and 3D digital cinema in general, and for Dolby 3D Digital Cinema systems in particular, by filmmakers, studios, cinema operators, and audiences; competition risks for digital and 3D theatre technologies; rapid changes in technical requirements for movie theatrical playback technologies specifically and entertainment technologies for movies in general; risks associated with developing proprietary technologies and products based on "open standards"; risks associated with the health of the motion picture industry in general; risks associated with developing, maintaining, and strengthening relationships with industry participants; and other risks detailed in Dolby's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports, including the risks identified under the section captioned "Risk Factors" in its most recent Periodic Report on Form 10-Q or 10-K. Dolby disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Dolby and the double-D symbol are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Digital Light Processing and DLP are trademarks of Texas Instruments. S07/18836 DLB-G

Contacts

Dolby Laboratories
Joshua Gershman, 415-645-5611
joshua.gershman@dolby.com
or
mPRm Public Relations
Megan Kellett, 323-933-3399
mkellett@mprm.com