Cape Town - Ster-Kinekor opened its third IMAX theatre at its cinema complex at CapeGate Mall in Brackenfell, Cape Town, this week.
This follows the success of Sterk-Kinekor's IMAX threatres at Gateway in Durban and The Grove Mall in Pretoria,
To provide audiences with maximum immersion, the cinema has been transformed to include a floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall IMAX screen, proprietary acoustical treatment and IMAX’s projection and sound technology.
Fans of IMAX who are based in Johannesburg are next in line to enjoy this immersive cinema experience. Ster-Kinekor and IMAX have confirmed that a fourth theatre will be installed at the new, revamped Ster-Kinekor site at Eastgate shopping mall, in the second half of 2015.
“Following the successful openings of our first two IMAX theatres at Gateway and The Grove, and their ongoing performance since then, it was always our plan to open an IMAX cinema in Cape Town," said Fiaz Mahomed, CEO of Ster-Kinekor Theatres.
"CapeGate Mall was selected as the most feasible site to accommodate the complex conversion. We believe this new cinema will prove as popular with local cinema audiences as our other two theatres.”
According to Giovanni Dolci of the IMAX Corporation the company is impressed with the success of the first two sites and look forward to this new theatre achieving equally positive results.
“We entered into the initial partnership with Ster-Kinekor last year with the belief that it would not only raise our visibility in South Africa, but also set the stage for mutual growth opportunities in the region," said Dolci.
"It is encouraging to see that this is already bearing fruit, with the CapeGate site opening just six months after The Grove. South Africa was one of a number of new markets that we entered in 2013, and it is clear there is a growing appetite for IMAX here."
Doug Place, marketing director of Ster-Kinekor, told Fin24 in the past IMAX did not have a sustainable model in SA. It was mainly used to screen documentaries and was a stand-alone venue.
"Since then technology has evolved and with this investment we can bring South Africans the products they want. The IMAX experience is not only about a bigger screen, but about the whole experience," said Place.
He said CapeGate was the most suitable venue for the IMAX in Cape Town due to certain requirements.