The wait is over for film buffs across Perth, as the 20-year drought for IMAX screens out west is set to break this December.
HOYTS Carousel will be the beneficiary of the cinema giant’s IMAX with Laser rollout across the country, lining up with huge blockbuster releases like the third instalment in the Avatar franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, coming December 18.
The incoming IMAX screens utilise laser technology, providing high contrast and lifelike colours along with increased resolution and sharper images. Moviegoers can also look forward to next-generation IMAX precision sound to pair with the world-class projection quality.
This collaboration between HOYTS and IMAX sees the return of IMAX to Perth after the closure of the Northbridge IMAX cinema on Lake Street in 2002, which only survived for a mere two years.
With a packed summer line-up, both film connoisseurs and casual movie fans will be spoiled with a premium experience previously unavailable in Perth.
Check out the movies slated for the end of this year, perfect for screening in IMAX with Laser.
See summer blockbusters like…
1. The Running Man
Date: From November 14
In a near-future society, The Running Man is the top-rated show on television—a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward.
Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite—and a threat to the entire system.
As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall.
Catch the film in IMAX, and you’ll feel like you’re right amongst the action.
2. Wicked: For Good
Date: From November 21
The second of a two-part feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical, Wicked: For Good promises to change audiences for the better with the help of a star-studded cast, powerful vocals and out-of-this-world production value that will blow us away not only on the big screen, but in crystal-clear IMAX.
After challenging the Wizard’s totalitarian regime in Oz, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) must grapple with her identity as the “Wicked Witch of the West”. Meanwhile, the Wizard has given Glinda (Ariana Grande) the title “Glinda the Good” and a public status as the nation’s defender against Elphaba. The two witches must make decisions that seal their fates in this second musical instalment.
3. Zootopia 2
Date: From November 27
Detectives Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the mammal metropolis upside down.
To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.
The cast of anthropomorphic characters emote and move so realistically, and in IMAX, this feat could not be more impressive.
4. Avatar: Fire and Ash
Date: From December 18
James Cameron stuns again in the third Avatar film, where we return to the world of Pandora in an immersive new adventure with Marine turned Na’vi leader Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), Na’vi warrior Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and the Sully family.
Jake and Neytiri’s family grapples with grief after Neteyam’s death, encountering a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe, the Ash People, who are led by the fiery Varang, as the conflict on Pandora escalates and a new moral focus emerges.
For a film franchise famous for its groundbreaking visual effects (and its use of IMAX 3D format), seeing this one in IMAX is a no-brainer, and possible for the first time in Perth just in time for the film’s release.
