IMAX Enhanced global expansion includes movies and devices

IMAX and DTS have announced an expansion of the IMAX Enhanced ecosystem which will include new streaming platforms, movies, and device partners across the US, Europe, and China. IMAX Enhanced will now work with FandangoNOW and Rakuten, with streaming movie titles now to include Spider-Man: Far From Home and Bumblebee. The Angry Birds Movie 2 will now appear on 4K UHD disc, and Anthem and StormAudio have joined the device licensee partners.

FandangoNOW will begin streaming 4K HDR content in the US this month, while Rakuten TV will expand titles in Europe in the near future. Movies lined up for streaming platforms include Paramount’s Bumblebee, followed by Crawl, 2019’s Pet Sematary and Rocketman. Sony’s titles will feature Spider-Man: Far From Home – including 45 mintues of IMAX’s expanded aspect ratio – The Angry Birds Movie 2 and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Sony will also release a series of titles on UHD Blu-ray kicking off with The Angry Birds Movie 2. Back in July, IMAX itself released Space Station on UHD Blu-ray with IMAX Enhanced’s built-in audio visual bells and whistles.

Anthem and StormAudio have joined IMAX Enhanced’s existing 14 device partners, while the partnership has also certified various Sony BRAVIA TVs in European territories, plus China’s TCL X10 TV. IE partners to date include Arcam, Denon, Integra, Marantz, Onkyo and Pioneer.

“IMAX Enhanced continues to build on its growing momentum, as new companies throughout the ecosystem seek to offer their consumers the most immersive at-home entertainment experience in the world,” said Francisco Navarro-Sertich, senior vice president of strategy at IMAX Corporation and global head of IMAX Enhanced. “By bringing together two pioneering entertainment technology companies in IMAX and DTS, IMAX Enhanced is pushing boundaries and fundamentally changing what consumers expect and demand from home entertainment.”

Martin Dew

Martin, a seasoned journalist and AV expert, has written for several notable print magazines. He’s served in key roles at Lucasfilm’s THX Division, NEC’s digital cinema division, and has even consulted for DreamWorks. Despite his illustrious career, Martin remains rooted in his passion for cinema and acting, with notable appearances in several Spielberg films, Doctor Who, and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. He currently resides in San Francisco.