Katarzyna Petru
The dispute with IMAX and the launch of its own premium cinema format Epic have led the Vue network (including CinemaxX) to start closing and transforming its IMAX screens. This is a significant turnaround, as we are talking about the largest private cinema chain in Europe, which has been one of IMAX's key partners for years.
Vue has been working with IMAX since 2015, and in the UK market since 2016. For years, IMAX large-format screens were synonymous with "better cinema" for viewers – even if in practice they rarely met the criteria for true, full IMAX. For many cinema lovers, IMAX still represents the pinnacle of classic projection cinema.
This alliance is now falling apart.
From Narnia to Open Conflict
The relationship between Vue and IMAX began to deteriorate following the high-profile agreement between IMAX and Netflix. This concerned the exclusive cinema screenings of the new "Narnia", which IMAX agreed to despite the shortened theatrical exclusivity window. For the cinema chain, this was a warning signal – IMAX, instead of defending the traditional distribution model, began to make concessions to streaming.
Shortly thereafter, Vue presented a direct alternative to IMAX – its own premium format called Epic. This was no longer a minor adjustment to the strategy, but an open challenge to its former partner. The situation escalated with recent statements from the CEO of Vue, who publicly accused IMAX of undermining the entire cinema ecosystem.
Closure of IMAX Theatres in the UK
The effects of this war are already visible in practice. Vue has begun closing IMAX theatres in the UK to transform them into Epic auditoriums. This process has either already taken place or is underway in places such as Nottingham, Cheshire, and Leeds. However, Epic is not limited to the Isles. Theatres in this format are being established or are under construction in the Netherlands and Italy as well.
In other regions, such as the Nordic countries, Vue has not yet provided a schedule for changes. As Mirko Engel, PR & Brand Communications Manager at Vue / CinemaxX, stated, IMAX remains a premium partner there – at least for the time being.
At the same time, Vue's management announced ambitious plans for the development of Epic: at least 50 theatres by 2027, with the first 11 set to open in 2025. Among potential further markets are Denmark, Poland, and Germany.
Epic and the “HDR” that isn’t really HDR
Vue strongly promotes Epic as a format offering HDR, based on Barco projectors. The problem is that we are talking more about marketing than the actual quality of HDR imagery.
Barco projectors are capable of accepting HDR signals, performing tone mapping, and displaying images at higher brightness, but this comes at the expense of black levels, or dynamic contrast. In practice, the maximum contrast of such projectors is around 1000:1 – and that in ideal conditions where everything in the room is black, including the clothes of the audience.
Meanwhile, cinematic HDR in the DCI specification requires a minimum contrast level of 60,000:1, black levels of 0.005 nits, and peak brightness of 300 nits. Today, such parameters are only achievable through LED screens for cinemas. No projector has DCI HDR certification, and there is no indication that this will change – unless the HDR specification for cinemas were to be significantly watered down in the future.
IMAX vs Epic – the beginning of a larger change?
The Vue movement shows something more than just a local conflict. It’s another signal that cinema chains are increasingly wanting full control over their own premium formats, rather than relying on external brands like IMAX.
The question is whether Epic will actually convince viewers as a real alternative, or if it will remain “IMAX with a different name” and similar technological limitations. One thing is certain – the war for premium formats in cinemas is just beginning.
