©Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Barco, the Belgium-based firm, has announced that five movie complexes in the U.S. will soon be equipped with its new HDR (high-dynamic range) technology. On September 20, moviegoers in Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York will be able to experience its innovative HDR system with the debut of Transformers One, a film by Paramount Animation and Hasbro Entertainment.
The five theaters to be equipped with the new Barco HDR system will include the B&B Theatres Red Oak 12 in Dallas, the AMC Barrywoods 24 in Kansas City, the Americana at Brand 18 in Los Angeles, the Regal Dania Pointe in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, and the Regal Times Square in New York.
In announcing the rollout, Barco’s executive vice president Gerwin Damberg was quoted as saying, “We’re thrilled to introduce HDR by Barco to North American audiences this fall. HDR brings movies to life on screen with bright, dynamic images for a visually immersive experience. We’re grateful for the support of our studio partners like Paramount that share our passion for cinema and dedication to delivering unforgettable experiences for moviegoers.”
After the September 20 launch, Barco plans to roll out the system to other yet-undisclosed locations. HDR is based on the company’s patented Lightsteering technology, which redistributes light on the screen to create highlights that it claims are more than six times brighter than are available via conventional projection. The system also offers greater depth and range overall, says the company.
Directed by Oscar-winning Josh Cooley of Toy Story fame, Transformers One has a star-studded voice cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, and Keegan-Michael Key. It narrates the yet-untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, two friends who became mortal enemies in Cybertron.
With headquarters in Kortrijk, Belgium, Barco is a global company specializing in visualization, networking, and collaboration technology for healthcare and business applications as well as entertainment. With some 3,000 staff members, the firm accumulated sales of more than a billion euros in 2023.
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