DREAMWORKS - THEATERS RUSHING TO INSTALL 3D ADD-ONS

THEATERS RUSHING TO INSTALL 3D ADD-ONS

Some theater chains have been rushing to add 3D digital projectors in key locations in advance of Friday's opening of DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens, Bloomberg News reported today (Thursday). The studio now expects that more than 2,000 theaters will be showing the movie in 3-D. The wire service said that Carmike Theaters, which operates about 2,300 screens, is bearing the entire cost of upgrading its digital projectors to 3D and added two screens just this week, bringing the total to 500, the most of any U.S. theater chain. Regal Theatres is also adding 3D hardware to its projectors this week, to bring its total to about 240. Michael Pachter, an analyst for Wedbush Morgan Securities indicated that theaters will be able to recoup the costs of converting their digital projectors to 3D, about $5,000-$10,000, during the Monsters vs. Aliens run. Moreover, he added, "Seeing the movie in 3-D is an experience and it will make people more likely to see the next one."

26/03/2009