With ‘Twisters,’ 4DX Finally Swept America. Where Does Hollywood Go From Here?

As a cinephile who has spent countless hours immersed in the magic of cinema, I find myself intrigued by the emergence of 4DX technology. Having grown up watching movies in traditional theaters, the prospect of experiencing them with added dimensions is an enticing one. The idea that the wind could sweep through the theater as a tornado ravages the screen, or that my seat would mimic the motion of a car chase, sounds like a dream come true for someone like me.

At a late-night showing of “Twisters” in New York, I observed a band of college students attempting to outrun a Category 5 tornado tearing through rural Oklahoma on screen. As the twister accelerated, the team abandoned their vehicle, seeking refuge under an overpass. Tragically, three of them were pulled into the tornado and met with gruesome fates. The sequence was shocking, but when it concluded, the audience burst into uproarious laughter.

The reason is that, just like us, we had also endured a simulated tornado. Although it wasn’t a natural one, visible only on specialized scales, and experienced in a comfortable recliner within an air-conditioned auditorium, the sensation was very real. We were tossed about, swept by strong winds, and even sprayed with water. As we managed to get back on our feet, our seats began moving once more, mimicking the feel of truck tires driving on a gravel road.

The impact of 4DX is undeniable! Spending $32 to watch “Twisters” in this format could have been avoided with my AMC A-List subscription, but alas, the exclusive 4DX theaters in New York City are located within Regal cinemas. My friend’s insistence, stating “You must see ‘Twisters’ in 4DX, as it was meant to be,” proved accurate. What I would label a B-movie transformed into an A+ experience in 4DX.

With ‘Twisters,’ 4DX Finally Swept America. Where Does Hollywood Go From Here?

It wasn’t just me who got swayed. Due to a well-planned marketing strategy, word-of-mouth popularity, and a viral TikTok craze where theatergoers displayed fake battle wounds, the movie “Twisters” had its most successful domestic opening weekend of the year in 4DX, earning $2.3 million. However, this record was soon broken by “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which grabbed almost all of the country’s 64 4DX screens a week later. With these two films, 4DX achieved two of its biggest box office hits in quick succession.

If you’ve never tried watching a movie in 4DX format, here’s what it entails: You find yourself seated on a sturdy chair, not unlike a regular cinema recliner. Once the film begins, you become engrossed in the narrative through 20 off-screen special effects such as seat movements, vibrations, water sprays, wind, fog, strobe lighting, and even bubbles to simulate blood. These effects are carefully designed by the “programming artists” of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group and customized for each film with studio approval. For instance, in the movie “Twisters,” which has four significant tornado sequences, the experience is similar to a roller coaster ride. During calmer scenes, like when Glen Powell steps outside in a wet T-shirt, you might only feel a light mist and hear a woman nearby whispering, “Oh my goodness.”

At Regal Union Square, I watched “Twisters” in 4DX, and I’ve heard the Times Square location is even more impressive (it boasts an incredible 296 seats, making it the largest 4DX theater globally). The intensity of the seat movement was a delightful surprise; I anticipated a tame “It’s a Small World” experience but ended up with the exhilaration of “Space Mountain.” Although the simulation of storm chasing was an exciting adventure for me, I found myself midway through the film pondering that my motion-sickness susceptible mom would likely have needed her popcorn bucket as a makeshift barf bag by then.

With ‘Twisters,’ 4DX Finally Swept America. Where Does Hollywood Go From Here?

4DX, a technology developed by CJ 4DPlex (a subsidiary of CJ Group), is currently the second largest premium large format after Imax and is also the most popular immersive seating format. This technology made its commercial debut in Seoul back in 2009, with its popularity skyrocketing following the success of “Avatar.” Since then, it has expanded to various regions including Mexico, South America, Europe, and finally to the United States in 2014 with Paramount’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” Despite being a consistent revenue generator for theater owners over the past decade, it wasn’t until last month with the release of “Twisters” that it started making significant cultural waves here.

I was taken aback by the immense success of “Twisters”. Initially, I had anticipated it would perform well, but not on this scale. As Ken Thewes from Marcus Theatres puts it, we have scheduled 4DX showings for “Twisters” to be screened alongside “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Borderlands”. Eduardo Acuna, the CEO of Regal Cinemas, shares my sentiment, saying, “The success of ‘Twisters’ is not just successful, it’s humongous.”

Over its initial three days, the disaster film generated $2.1 million in 4DX screenings exclusively at Regal cinemas, surpassing the previous record set by “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” However, with the excitement surrounding “Twisters,” the joint venture of Deadpool and Wolverine claimed the new record by earning a $2.5 million 4DX domestic opening. Notably, 6% of “Deadpool & Wolverine’s” domestic earnings at Regal came from 4DX viewings, while an impressive 15% for “Twisters” can be attributed to this immersive experience.

Compared to many parts of the world, Americans are just beginning to experience immersive seating technology. My earliest encounter with this was watching “Shrek 4-D” at Universal Studios Hollywood as a kid, unfortunately, that attraction closed down 7 years ago. It’s worth noting that there are only 64 such 4DX screens in the U.S., while there are significantly more (727) overseas.

Starting August 30th, Regal Cinemas, which is a subsidiary of Cineworld that emerged from bankruptcy in August 2023, is planning to expand its business by reintroducing the movies “Twister” and its sequel “Deadpool & Wolverine’s Twister” in their 4DX format. Regal currently operates 52 out of 64 4DX screens, and through a partnership with CJ Group, they intend to establish numerous additional sites. Interestingly, the original “Twister” film performed well in the 4DX format even when it premiered a week before “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which suggests that the cinematic experience of “Twisters” is popular among audiences. In fact, presales for this rerelease have already surpassed $700,000, according to Don Savant, CEO of CJ 4DPlex’s U.S. operations.

To encourage people to leave their homes, it’s essential to offer them an experience that cannot be replicated at home,” Acuna explains. Similarly, Savant agrees: “That’s precisely what movie theaters require.”

The process of a 4DX movie often starts at the studios, where they deliver their films to CJ 4DPlex for scheduling. South Korean editors at CJ then spend around three to four weeks preparing the movie before its release, and it is subjected to a quality assessment by the studio. In some instances, directors may also test the experience and offer suggestions. At times, these assessments can be as straightforward as “This is fantastic,” while on other occasions, the studios or filmmakers might provide extensive feedback in the form of detailed notes.

In simpler terms, Paul Kim (head of 4DX’s studio and production team) states that as filmmakers, they possess a deeper understanding of the movie’s narrative due to their involvement, and they believe their special effects and motion coding can significantly enhance the overall storytelling experience.

In 2023, I was thrilled to see CJ deliver an impressive lineup of 40 films to the 4DX theater experience. Among these, the movie that truly stood out for me was “Twisters,” with its heart-pounding storm effects and unpredictable chaos. It seems tailor-made for the immersive technology offered by 4DX.

However, the surge of interest in 4DX experiences persists, and Hollywood is proceeding with caution. Key figures in the industry draw parallels to the digital 3D “rush” as a reminder of past mistakes. As Acuna points out, “Every studio made every movie in 3D. Movies that shouldn’t have been in 3D were turned into 3D. And many 3D films were of poor quality, to be frank.” It appears that 4DX has taken note of this lesson.

4DX technology necessitates significantly more investment in renovating auditoriums compared to standard screening rooms, costing anywhere from five to ten times as much. This rarity, combined with the high-quality experience it offers, helps maintain its relevance, according to Acuna.

According to Acuna, both Cineworld and Regal would be open to exhibiting a variety of content, even those not typically produced by Hollywood studios, provided that CJ finds it suitable for screening.

In the not too distant future, it’s quite conceivable that Hollywood studios might start creating feature films tailored for 4DX experiences, much like how directors such as Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve have been heavily involved with Imax in filmmaking, promoting the viewing of these movies on premium screens.

According to Daniel Loria, an analyst at Boxoffice Pro, the door has been opened for these formats to serve as a creative canvas for filmmakers. It’s now up to those who wish to participate to decide how deeply they want to engage in this new opportunity.

Currently, there’s vast potential for 4DX, and many are eager to capitalize on its growing market. Just like Powell’s charismatic “tornado wrangler” exclaims before diving into a fresh storm: “If you sense it, pursue it!”

2024-08-15 18:19

With ‘Twisters,’ 4DX Finally Swept America. Where Does Hollywood Go From Here?

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