While there’s been a lot of talk about superhero fatigue (see Supergirl, which was better than the negative hype portrayed), that doesn’t seem to be the case for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which, after a five-year gap since the previous installment, is currently swinging its way into theatres.
So which format should you choose to see it in? In this film’s case, there’s as much talk about what formats you can’t see it in, as much as the ones you can. This all stems from the fact that you won’t be able to catch your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man in IMAX, which for a Marvel film is a bit of a Hulk smash. This is even though director Destin Daniel Cretton was quite open that he framed the movie with IMAX in mind, as he states clearly in this behind-the-scenes video.
However, clearly Spidey has never faced a foe as powerful as Christopher Nolan, as every IMAX screen is taken up by the juggernaut that is The Odyssey. As such, Spider-Man’s hopes of filling the biggest screens out there have been… well… dusted.
However, that’s not to say that IMAX hasn’t left its mark on the presentation. In all theatres with a ‘flat’, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the film will be shown in the IMAX digital 1.90:1 aspect ratio, which is virtually the same, with only a sliver of a pillar-boxed black bar at the edges. This won’t be quite the same as one of the key things that makes IMAX so effective is that the screens are so large that the extra parts of the screen fill your peripheral vision, which simply isn’t the case on other screens. However, if you want to see it in the version with picture information top and bottom, then your best bet it to find out which screen has a flat ratio and pick that one.
Shot For ScreenX
However, to make up for the lack of IMAX, there’s another format offering a unique take for the movie and that’s ScreenX. ScreenX is a movie format that offers a 270-degree view of the action, with extra picture information to the sides of the screen. For most movies offered in the format, this is normally derived from secondary camera angles and computer-generated imagery (CGI), but for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, ScreenX’s founder company CJ 4DPlex has said it worked directly with the filmmakers to create footage specifically for the movie. Taking a leaf out of the IMAX marketing playbook, it has called this Shot for ScreenX.
As such, this would be a potentially interesting choice for those looking to get a unique experience, and the thought of Spidey swinging all the way across the theater does have appeal.
To get all your Spidey senses tingling, there’s even ScreenX in 3D, for an even more immersive experience. However, while I spotted that this is available in Regal in the US, at my local Cineworld featuring ScreenX, only 2D was available.
4DX
Another way to feel as if you’re flying around New York with our favorite web-head is to go for 4DX, which is where the seats move in sync with the action, along with thumps in the back timed with explosions, flashing lights, smoke, smells and even splashes of water. It all very theme park – which is why it should work so well for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In the UK, Cineworld has this combined with 3D as well, while in the US, you’ll be able to choose a 4DX 2D only should you wish. The issue with 3D here is that unless your local 4DX has upgraded to a laser projector, it won’t be a good experience, as the dimmer, 2K resolution images make for a dark and dingy view. Check for laser listings on the website.
Standard PLF
In lieu of IMAX, most cinema chains offer a premium large format screen, which offers a extra-large screen and usually, but not always, 4K laser projection and Dolby Atmos audio for an immersive sound experience. The seating will also be a bit more premium. In the UK, these come under Cineworld Superscreen, Odeon iSense, or OmniplexMAXX, while in the U.S., you’ll find them at Prime at AMC and AMC XL, Regal RPX, Cineplex UltraAVX, and Cinemark XD.
HDR by Barco and Dolby Cinema
While neither of these brands will appreciate being lumped together, they offer fundamentally similar experiences, in that you get images with increased dynamic range, powerful and precise Dolby Atmos audio and raked, premium seating so you get a clear view and a comfortable posterior.
HDR by Barco projection can hit 300 nits of brightness in 2D giving a container high enough for an image that it considered true high dynamic range by the DCI. Dolby Cinema goes up to 108 nits in 2D, so is officially extended dynamic range but is considered to have the edge for absolute black levels. Its auditoriums are also very blacked out and many have a cool curved screen as you enter the screening room showing images and footage from the movie.
HDR by Barco is growing, and its website currently lists 47 locations as of writing, while Dolby Cinema has over 300, with most operated in the US by AMC.
In the US and in Europe, you can find Spider-Man: Brand New Day, showing in both 2D and 3D in both of these formats, except in the UK, where Odeon, which operates Dolby Cinema, is only presenting it in 2D. Vue, which offers HDR by Barco under its EPIC branding, has both 2D and 3D showings.
This means that, assuming you don’t want to give Shot For ScreenX a try, the ideal format for the movie will be one of these formats with a flat screen, giving you the flat ratio for the tallest pictures, 3D and Dolby Atmos in one.
Standard 2D/3D
The final formats to tick off will be standard screen, with again both 2D and 3D options available. As ever, even if you’re a fan of the latter, it is only worth considering if you can be sure the screen has a laser projector. Nobody should be subjected to 3D in a cinema on a Xenon-lamp-based projector.
Further Reading
Which Cinema Format Is Best For Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’?
Vue EPIC Celebrates Putting The Sizzle Back Into Cinema
Disney Launches ‘Infinity Vision’ Certification For Premium Theaters
