When Disney announced its Infinity Vision certification brand a few months ago, it was met with some confusion and derision. As a certification program rather than a new format, many found it less than exciting—and a clear response to Spider-Man losing all the IMAX screens to The Odyssey.
However, as tickets go on sale for Avengers: Endgame Encore, which brings back Marvel’s most successful movie with four additional minutes added to its runtime, I’ve realized that Infinity Vision could offer cinemagoers something genuinely useful: an easy way to identify theaters with laser projection.
That matters because projector information has historically been surprisingly difficult to find. While some chains, such as Regal in the U.S., indicate whether a screen has a laser projector, many still do not. Because laser projection is baked into the Infinity Vision standard, the badge should theoretically provide a simple way of knowing what you’re getting.
This is especially useful for formats such as 4DX, where it has always been vague as to whether the screen has a suitable projector. This can be an issue, as 4DX often relies on legacy 2K Xenon projectors that suffer from rapid lamp decay, resulting in a noticeably dimmer, flatter image with poor contrast in 3D.
Does Every Infinity Vision Theater Meet The Standard?
This led me to notice a discrepancy in the Infinity Vision specifications. According to its website, a screen needs to be a “minimum of 45 feet wide” (13.7m) to receive the badge. However, as far as I can tell, Cineworld in the UK has labelled all its upcoming 4DX screenings of Avengers: Endgame Encore as “4DX Infinity Vision 3D”, despite many of these 4DX theaters having screens that are less than 45 feet wide.
While the screen-size discrepancy may be forgivable, Disney’s apparent flexibility here makes me wonder whether other requirements are being enforced—specifically, laser projection. It would be disappointing if some certified screens still use non-laser projection, especially as this seems to be the most tangible benefit Infinity Vision brings for those that already understand cinema branding technology.
On the flip side, with more than 7,500 applications from global exhibitors seeking certification for the Infinity Vision format, if it has been the catalyst for them to upgrade some screens to achieve the certification, that would be a significant boon for filmgoers attending those auditoriums.
Why ‘Endgame Encore’ Is The Test
Certainly Avengers: Endgame Encore should be a fine first outing for newly badged theaters. Not only has it been reported that the release will have four additional minutes of newly shot footage, directly linking it to the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, but it has also received a new color grade that adds more pop and vividness to the image compared to the original release version, an aesthetic change that has already courted some controversy with fans.
Either way, laser projection’s ability to deliver on this more vivid color grade could be the justification for heading back out to see Avengers: Endgame again in Infinity Vision-branded screens.
Marvel is pulling out the stops to attempt to recreate the excitement and drama among audiences back in 2019, though it has to be said it felt much more natural and organic back then, compared to the seemingly forced nature of the campaign this time around.
As for Infinity Vision, after the roaring success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has already become one of the most successful movies of all time, despite barely any IMAX showings at all, Disney will no doubt be feeling much more confident that the new branding will help boost Avengers: Doomsday to similar heights.
Further reading:
Why Tech Is The Ultimate Wingman For Musical Maverick Lorne Balfe
Why ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Could Be A Turning Point For ScreenX
No IMAX? Here’s The Best Way To Watch ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’