The sound of a lion roaring, raging water, and a rocket ship launching can be felt through your body at Canberra’s new IMAX screen.
The new addition to Dendy Canberra was celebrated on Tuesday, with the red carpet rolled out for the exclusive ACT premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King—the first venue in the capital to screen the film ahead of its release on Thursday 19 December.
Guests at the screening—where drinks, food, and live music flowed—included Member for Canberra, Alicia Payne MP, and former Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker.
The live music included a medley from The Lion King, speeches were made, and a taste of the three-dimensional (3D) IMAX experience was had.
The panoramic screen is floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall, and uses laser technology and a multi-channel sound system.
Dendy Icon Group chief executive officer Sharon Strickland said Canberra was chosen because locals had a “long love affair” with Dendy Canberra.
“So, it was the perfect cinema complex to bring IMAX to the people of Canberra,” Ms Strickland said.
She said it was only the third IMAX screen in Australia—the others are in Melbourne and Sydney—but the first independent cinema to partner with IMAX.
“So, it’s incredibly exciting we’re bringing to the capital of Australia this amazing cinema experience that you will get nowhere else in Canberra,” Ms Strickland said.
She said IMAX was the most immersive cinema experience.
“It’s not just about the size of the screen, but it’s about the surround sound,” Ms Strickland said.
“The speakers are placed everywhere around the auditorium to give everybody the amazing experience and feel the sound coming up to the body.
“But it’s also about the images on the screen, they are crystal clear, and the colour brightness that you won’t get on any other projector.”
More than 300 people can fit into the cinema.
When asked how cinemas have adapted to people streaming shows and movies at home, Ms Strickland said visiting IMAX was about the “experience”.
“It’s about creating an experience that makes you want to get off your couches and come to the (Canberra) Centre. Something like IMAX is happening worldwide, with people wanting premium, large-format screens to immerse themselves in the film,” she said.
Films already out that will be screened at IMAX include Wicked, Gladiator II and the 10th anniversary of Interstellar. Releases for 2025 include Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, How to Train Your Dragon, F1, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Superman.
Some films will also be screened in 3D, including concerts and documentaries.
“In time there will be live events at IMAX,” Ms Strickland said.
Dendy Canberra project manager Leigh Barnett said bringing IMAX to Canberra was the independent cinema chain’s biggest achievement.
IMAX at Dendy Canberra opens to the public on 19 December. Click here to learn more.
