Now that tickets are on sale I'm curious if Disney has released any information on the various DCP formats that will be available. As I recall, The Way of Water was only available in 4K and Atmos in 2D (3D proprietary formats like IMAX and Dolby Cinema possibly excepted?). It looks like HFR was available in 2D as well as 3D, and the flat version was only available in 3D (same as the first Avatar). Again this is just more of a curiosity as I fully intend to see it in 2D Scope 24 fps.
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Disney has not made available a full list of detailed specs - just that it will be available in flat and scope 3D and scope in 2D. 2D shows require direct approval and discussion with Disney. -
Avatar 2 had an obnoxious number of permutations between 2D, 3D, 5.1, 7.1, IAB, HFR and all of the various 3D target light levels. Getting the right one and the right keys was a nightmare.
At CinemaCon this year, there was a session where a representative from the movie (assistant to James Cameron) indicated that there would be even MORE versions this time to better fit what theatres are capable of presenting. Naturally, it is their position that the only proper way to see it is in HFR, 3D, and bright. I suspect that Dolby Cinema would be up there in the desired formats as it can check all of those boxes. Almost none of our customers have 3D operating anymore but they are willing to give 2D, HFR a go, if it is available.Comment
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I would give that a shot. (2D HFR)Comment
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I guess we'll see some versions for "HDR support" with this release, other than for custom formats like Dolby Cinema and IMAX.
There were some talks about a 60 FPS version for this release in the past. I always wondered how that would work, without doing some nasty interpolations for at least one of the other formats. From what I've heard, this HFR release follows the same format as the last release: The 48 fps is only applied to shots that don't contain any close-ups with people or "blue people" in the shot.Comment
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Server space might be an issue for some. Yesterday I did a tech check for an upcoming private residence screening of the flat, 3-D, 2K, 48 FPS, SDR, 9 ft-l version. The DCP was 712 GB. The 60 FPS version could bust a terabyte, I guess.Comment
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I have confirmation that AVATAR F-A-A will be playing in BARCO HDR at my venue
here in San Francisco. Tickets are already on sale. (It will follow a 2 week exclusive
Northern California engagement of KILL BILL T-W-B-A in 70mm)
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Some SF movie people will be disappointed at the 'New Mission Theatre' SF not showing the new 'Avatar' movie in 3D HDR and will go to another cinema in town showing it in 3D I think.
Sony Drafthouse 'New Mission Theatre' San Francisco spent all this money buying a new Barco HDR projector and It won't show special 3D movies from time to time. Movies like 'Avatar' were shot to be seen in 3D on a large screen like the director intended. The movie audience that saw the original film in 3D know It was shot in true 2 camera 3D and not the cheap 2D to 3D conversion that killed the new 3D and will want to see the new movie with 3D effects. Some theatres like the 'Fox Grand Lake Theatre' in Oakland CA will be showing It in 2 projector 3D like many Dolby Cinemas in the SF Bay Area.
I wonder If the two new theatres that 'Sony Drafthouse' just took over in the South Bay will show It in 3D or will they let AMC,Regal or Century Theatres get the 3D business in the area?
Many local theatres like Cinelux and small independent cinemas are even dusting off the 3D glasses and showing the new 'Wicked' movie this week in 3D in select auditoriums.
Disney should only show the new 'Avatar' movie in 3D equipped theatres only the first 30 days. This would force theatres to turn back on or buy 3D projectors and start useing the glasses again. Make It a exclusive 3D event showcase presentation that you can't see on home streaming. A few of the non movie crowd could care less If they see it in 2D or 3D they just will go see Avatar in the nearest cinema near them.
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Probably not for Avatar due to timing, but I’m starting to hear rumors of an interest by a certain festival to have Barco bring in a 4K HDR 3D capable system for the next fest. I’m curious which studio/title is causing that interest.Comment
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Terry- If the parsimonious penny pinching corporate bean counters at Sony/Alamo thought that
3D was a moneymaker at the New Mission, they'd run out and put 3D in all their auditoriums
overnight. Yes, the director made this movie to be seen in 3D, but people just won't see it that
way at the New MIssion. They can see it in 3D at Alamo Mountain View or Santa Clara or even
over in Oakland at the Grand Lake, as you suggest. It's a free country!
In all the years I've worked in San Francisco I've had people ask:
> Why don't you show more old musicals?
> Why don't you show more Film Noir?
> Why don't you show more 'kid shows' ?
> Why don't you program more 35/70mm festivals?
> Why don't your late shows start earlier?
But never once, in my entire career, have I ever had anybody ask :
"Why don't you do more 3D"Comment
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When I'm going to release my first movie, I'm shooting it in GroinMax. It will require every cinema to install a device that kicks you in the balls at different levels of impact, ranging from "The Brush", all the way to "The Sledgehammer". Don't worry about the safety: The system will enforce a maximum of two Sledgehammer-activations an hour.
Whenever a cinema will refuse to fork me over the cash to license and install the system, I will complain on every social media outlet and also this very forum that said cinema depraves their patrons from seeing the movie the way the filmmaker intended it to be shown!
Also, you're not entitled to play the discrimination card: Those human beings who are not equipped with aforementioned "balls", whatever gender they may or may not identify with, may indeed not be able to enjoy the full sensation: That's intentional. It's a work of art... and the way the filmmaker intended it to be. Deal with it.Comment
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Already been done, I'm afraid.
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Every 10 years or so since the mid 1930s an approach was made to permanently install 3D as a legitimate movie screening format. There were outstanding examples of movies in every period, but in general, it failed shortly after.
Thorough research was conducted in the 1930s about the usefulness of 3D presentation. The results, hard for those into 3D. For the grown up person, whose vision mainly relies on size comparison, the effects are minimal or only present, when forced to watch a specially, wrongly composed image. An image where items can only protrude from the screen into the auditorium.
It was found way better and with as good results to offer bright, grain free presentations with large depth of field, where persons standing in the foreground are approx 6 ft 5 in tall. That worked pretty well for the viewing mechanism.
Watching a movie from the 30s on nitrate, following that guidelines, I can only state a "Yes, true", as this was my first encounter to a "See it in 3D, but without glasses!"
In many of customers 3D installations, it was a so-so experience, many relying on the infamous Sony dual lens, badly adjusted, and barely enough light to see anything. Others, using a conservatively calculated projector size, relying on comb filter Dolby, and had no light at all, even using the largest bulb possible in the machine. The few running active shutters, encountered lots of other problems during their shows, from non repeatable measuring results, dim images in 3D, also due to conservative projector size, failing glasses or batteries during a show. And loss of expensive glasses due to theft and people breaking them.
I am more in favor of bright, contrasty 2D images, presented on Super Matt preview screens for best contrast and color rendition. Paired with immersive audio.
WE have one single screen customer, who insisted on a superbright 3D image. Projector and screen in this rather long hall enables a whooping 30 fl thru the passive polarizing glasses, combined with the highest currently used frame rates in 3D. When filling out the Avatar application form for the DCP provider, we entered these values. He has never gotten feedback, and I am interested in, which package will actually arrive, mastered for super bright and 4K HFR 3D? I doubt.Comment
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I think it would be pretty easy in this era to usurp any technology/experience bragging rites 3D cinema may claim if some director decided to do a big budget feature designed for VR viewing. Maybe not 360 environment, but like the massive screen experience with the addition of immersive visual elements that are allowed to truly break out of the frame. Gotta keep the audience looking in the direction of the action somehow.
It could even be a blend depending on the purpose of the sequence... scenes that swell to encompass the 360 environment, and contract back down when the attention is needed on the action. I'm sure a clever person could direct one for 360 that used other cues to focus attention... but that would have to be screened in a room with standing audience (dangerous), or swivel chairs.
Do it in a room with immersive audio and now you really have something quite unique over the headphone experience. It would be gimmicky, but so is every other 3D effort prior.
Not to mention that 600 decent standalone VR headsets is still WAY cheaper than a modern 4K laser 3D projector (or god forbid a dual system). Maybe not if we got into the trap of Dolby commissioning purpose built ones, but with current consumer type pricing anyway.
For those with HFR obsessions, head tracked experiences is really where the frame rate justification is... not traditional screen viewing.Last edited by Ryan Gallagher; 11-20-2025, 07:35 AM.Comment
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Following up on one of my previous posts-
I mentioned we junked our 3D system and screen earlier this year. Last week we
had a huge dumpster parked out in the alley behind the the theater, and we were
getting rid of several years-worth of assorted accumulated clutter. One of the
things we tossed was several crates of 3D glasses we had no longer had use for.
The dumpster was there for several days, and every morning we'd arrive and
find that overnight, the 'street people' had gotten into and sorted through the
trash, probably looking for anything they might be able to salvage or sell, and
usually making a mess one of the managers had to clean up after. It's interesting
that although all of the crates of 3D glasses had been broken into and tossed onto
the sidewalk, NONE of the 3D glasses appear to have been taken.
So, apparently, not even the homeless have any interest in 3D!
'Exhibit 'A' "
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