When Ang Lee's revolutionary film Gemini Man was released last Friday, only 30 available screens in China could fully release its original 3D and 4K version shot at 120 frames per second.
That makes such tickets, averaging around 200 yuan ($28) per seat, the most sought-after for diehard fans.
But for those who can't make it to such screens, theaters installed with the Imax system -- now expanding to over 660 across China -- can also provide a visual feast to let viewers see action sequences more clearly than ordinary screens.
Boosted by Chinese theatergoers' enthusiasm in giant screens, Imax China has released 78 Chinese films since the first Imax system was installed on the Chinese mainland in 2003.
In addition, more and more Chinese directors are using Imax cameras to shoot films, including Chen Sichen, who has adopted the technology to shoot Detective Chinatown 3, scheduled to open on Jan 25, 2020.
As of Wednesday, Gemini Man, starring Hollywood megastar Will Smith, has grossed around 180 million yuan ($25.4 million).
For a film which reportedly cost $138 million, Gemini Man -- which has grossed $37 million in North America -- may make it more difficult for the Oscar-winning Lee to raise funds for his next film, according to some industry observers.
