Filmed for IMAX®, New Blockbusters Deliver Immersive Cinema

Get ready to lose yourself in a feast of big Filmed For IMAX^®  blockbuster titles over the next few months. The films bring to life stories from some of the world’s most visionary filmmakers who are opting to film with IMAX.

Through the Filmed For IMAX programme, filmmakers partner with IMAX to harness the company’s technology, from pre-production to release, to deliver the world's most immersive cinema viewing experience. IMAX cameras are known for their ability to capture the highest-quality footage, making each scene come alive with breathtaking clarity and scale. When the film plays out, the larger-than-life IMAX screens and sound systems create an experience that’s simply unmatched in the world of cinema-viewing today.

“We are thrilled to screen this remarkable slate of titles with the full Filmed For IMAX experience in our IMAX cinemas," says Lynne Wylie, chief marketing officer of Ster-Kinekor. "The level of detail, the immersive sound, and the expansive visuals are designed to make audiences feel as if they are stepping into the world of the film.

“Everything from the movie itself to the cinema design, projection and sound has been customised and enhanced to make audiences feel as if they are part of the action. It’s a whole different way of experiencing cinema, and we can't wait for audiences to see all these IMAX titles as they were made and intended to be viewed, on our cinemas’ biggest screens.”

Leading the charge is Sinners, the latest Filmed For IMAX title, which was released at all Ster-Kinekor IMAX locations nationally on 18 April. Shot with cutting-edge IMAX  cameras, and featuring IMAX’s exclusive expanded aspect ratio, select sequences of the film visually expand in IMAX’s 1.90:1 aspect ratio, filing the entire massive screen.

Sinners is a suspense-filled, supernatural horror film that transports viewers into a world of dark secrets, high drama and stunning visuals. Twin brothers, trying to leave their troubled lives behind, return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. From director Ryan Coogler (Black Panther, Creed), the film stars Michael B. Jordan, Miles Caton, Saul Williams, Andrene Ward-Hammond and Jack O’Connell.

“Filmed For IMAX allows filmmakers to elevate the storytelling in ways we never thought possible," said Coogler in an interview with PetaPixel. “Since Sinners was shot exclusively on film, it delivers remarkable dynamic range, including rich, inky black levels that help bring out the film’s horror vibes.” He highly recommends watching the film in IMAX, because it’s how he and his team shot the film, and how they intended it to be seen, in the most “immersive” experience.

“We worked closely with IMAX to ensure that every frame of the film maximised the potential of this incredible format, making the viewing experience that much more impactful by bringing the audience right into the action.”

Watch the trailer here

May sees the release of three big movie titles. The first of these Filmed For IMAX titles, Thunderbolts*, releases at Ster-Kinekor theatres on 01 May. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of anti-heroes must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts. This political drama is directed by Jake Schreier and stars Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman and David Harbour.

Watch the trailer here

If horror on the biggest screen is your movie thing, you can’t miss Final Destination: Bloodlines, releasing in IMAX locations from 16 May.  Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein.

Watch the trailer here

It is only fitting that the Tom Cruise action-packed epic thriller Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning releases in IMAX locations. After escaping a calamitous train crash, Ethan realises The Entity is stashed aboard an old Russian submarine, but a foe from his past named Gabriel is also on the trail. Director Christopher McQuarrie’s Filmed For IMAX blockbuster, starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Hannah Waddingham and Shea Wigham, releases on 23 May.  

Watch the trailer here

With school holidays in June and July, the whole family will enjoy the Filmed For IMAX release of How To Train Your Dragon, from 13 June. And then, roaring onto the IMAX screen with revs pumping and tyres screeching is the highly anticipated F1, from 27 June. Superheroes fill the screen in July with the launch of Superman on 11 July and the incredible Fantastic Four: First Steps from 25 July in IMAX.

Later in the year, moviegoers will be treated to the releases of Tron: Ares from 10 October and Mortal Kombat II on 24 October.

All these spectacular Filmed for IMAX titles will be released in Ster-Kinekor IMAX locations nationally – Eastgate, Mall of Africa and Cradlestone in Johannesburg; The Grove in Tshwane; Gateway in Durban; Baywest in Gqeberha; and at V&A Waterfront, Blue Route and Capegate in Cape Town.

Sinners opens at all Ster-Kinekor IMAX locations on Friday 18 April. Book your tickets now at  www.sterkinekor.com or download the SK App on your smartphone.  For news and updates, go to Facebook: Ster-Kinekor Theatres | follow Ster-Kinekor on Twitter: @Ster-Kinekor. For all queries, call Ticketline on 0861-Movies (668 437).

#DoMoviesRight   #sterkinekor   #FilmedForIMAX  #IMAXexperience  #SinnersMovie

About Ster-Kinekor Theatres

Ster-Kinekor Theatres is the largest movie exhibitor on the African continent. To most South Africans, the word ‘movies’ is synonymous with the name ‘Ster-Kinekor’. The company operates 36 commercial cinema complexes in South Africa that houses 294 large-scale screens, with 41 253 seats and the largest 3D footprint featuring 113 state-of-the-art 3D screens in South Africa (Commercial, 3D, IMAX, Kids Cinema and Cine Prestige). It also operates four cinema complexes in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia, with 23 screens and 3 014 seats. 

As the industry leader, Ster-Kinekor has pioneered cinema concepts such as Cinema Nouveau, a dedicated art-house multiplex cinema, and the luxurious Cine Prestige theatres, the first ‘business class’ cinema experience in South Africa. It boasts a cinema that is fitted with the advanced Dolby Atmos sound system (at Gateway in Durban); and has headed the return of the IMAX® Experience, with nine IMAX® Theatres across the country. Ster-Kinekor has expanded its cinema innovation to launch the first Kids’ cinema complete with slides and bean bag seating (currently five screens) as well as D-BOX which brings movie experiences to life with motion seats.

As one of South Africa’s most loved brands, it is Ster-Kinekor’s ongoing mission to become synonymous with the unrivalled magic of the cinema experience, by providing ‘Great Moments at Their Greatest’. During 2013, the company embarked on a massive roll-out project to convert and equip every cinema with the very latest in digital projection and sound technology. The result of this upgrade is that every cinema now boasts state-of-the-art cinema technology that encompasses 2K and 4K digital projection and 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound systems.

The SK Club loyalty programme rewards members with redeemable points when they swipe their card when buying movie tickets or catering, as well as half-price tickets on Tuesdays. Combined with industry leading loyalty programmes from Edgars Club and Discovery Vitality, these give Ster-Kinekor a strong consumer value proposition and competitive advantage. Ster-Kinekor have extended their loyalty offering to include the first subscription model in South Africa, SK Subscription Club offers members a limited or unlimited amount of movies per month at a set cost whilst also enjoying the benefits of SK Club.

As the market leader, Ster-Kinekor aims to spearhead the advancement of cinema across both South Africa and the rest of Africa, to ensure that consumers continue to experience movies as they were made to be seen – on the big screen. 

See more at: www.sterkinekor.com

About IMAX Corporation

IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of December 31, 2024, there were 1,807 IMAX systems (1,735 commercial multiplexes, 11 commercial destinations, 61 institutional) operating in 90 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code “1970”.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, DMR®, Filmed For IMAX®, IMAX LIVE™, and IMAX Enhanced® are trademarks and trade names of IMAX Corporation or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. For more information, visit www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram (www.instagram.com/imax), Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/imax), X (www.twitter.com/imax), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).