After 7 long years, the biggest movie screen in Sydney is set to reopen soon. The brand-new IMAX Sydney located on the original Darling Harbour site, has been touted as “the most advanced theatre experience ever."
First opened on September 25, 1996, IMAX Sydney became the biggest cinema screen in the world. The cinema soon became a go-to excursion venue for school groups to take in educational documentary films such as The Living Sea, Africa’s Elephant Kingdom and Space Station 3D. However, as time went by major blockbusters like Finding Dory, Avatar and The Dark Knight began to make their way to IMAX Sydney, seeing it become the world’s second most successful IMAX cinema in terms of ticket sales.
However, as IMAX Sydney had become a regular fixture for Sydney movie buffs the Darling Harbour site was earmarked for redevelopment.
In 2016 IMAX Sydney closed with the aim of completing the $700M redevelopment by 2019. The ensuring pandemic & construction industry financial crisis would then intervene, extending the rebuild & relaunch out to 7 years. With the construction now near closer to completion by the day the new Ribbon building, with its striking wave-like shape, has movie buffs buzzing with excitement.
The new state-of-the-art theatre will boast a range of exciting new features & improvements over the original IMAX Sydney.
IMAX Sydney's new screen will measure 693 square metres, the third largest in the world. Upon that screen, an advanced 4k laser projection system with a new optical engine and custom-designed lenses for brighter images, increased resolution and deeper contrast will deliver crystal-clear, life-like images. These images will be accompanied by a precise 12-channel sound system. Meaning IMAX Sydney will once again rival sister sites in New York, Tokyo & Cannes.
To take in this new cinema experience patrons will have a range of options available to them. As a base level, the cinema will house 430 luxury seats with the option to upgrade your experience to a full recliner, private pods or couples seating.
Before even stepping into the cinema audiences will be able to make their cinema-going experience an all-encompassing night out thanks to the adjoining dining precinct & bars.
While a firm opening date has yet to be announced Event’s director of entertainment for Australia, Luke Mackey, has said he hopes the cinema will be open for major 2023 blockbusters like Oppenheimer, The Marvels & Dune: Part 2.
With so many major blockbusters on the horizon in 2023 Neighbourhood Media compiled our list of the most anticipated films, which we’re hoping to see at IMAX this year.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (July 13)
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team must track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity if it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than the mission -- not even the lives of those he cares about most.
Barbie (July 20)
After being expelled from Barbieland for being a less-than-perfect-looking doll, Barbie (Margot Robbie) sets off for the human world to find true happiness with Ken (Ryan Gosling).
Oppenheimer (July 20)
Directed by Christopher Nolan Oppenheimer tells the true story of physicist J Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) he works with a team of scientists during the Manhattan Project, leading to the development of the atomic bomb. Also staring Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Matthew Modine, Alden Ehrenreich and Kenneth Branagh.
The Marvels (November 9)
The next & final film for the MCU in 2023 is its latest big team-up event as Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau and Ms Marvel discover that their powers have become entangled and they must work together to fight a Kree revolutionary.
Dune - Part 2 (November 16)
Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune was one of the most hotly anticipated sci-fi films in a very long time & certainly lived up to expectations. Now in 2023 Villeneuve & his all-star cast of Tomothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Zendaya & Christopher Walken are set to deliver a sequel with a high bar to clear.