Barco

The concept behind Barco Escape technology sounds simple, yet is groundbreaking: by combining three digital cinema projectors with three screens – one at the front and two angled screens on either side of it –, Barco Escape creates an amazing panoramic presentation that immerses the audience into the movie. ‘The Maze Runner’ by 20th Century Fox is the very first film specially prepped for this theater configuration. The choice to provide Barco Escape footage for this movie is perfect: thanks to the new format, the audience feels pulled into the maze at key moments of the film, just like the boys in the story. ‘The Maze Runner’ debuted in September at five US Escape theaters. The Kinepolis flagship cinemas of Antwerp and Brussels will be the first in Europe to feature Barco Escape equipment. 

Innovators and early adopters 
The new, ultra-wide Barco Escape movie format is just one of Barco’s many recent innovations to help exhibitors advance cinema and, consequently, attract new audiences. In its constant search for ways to reinforce its frontrunner reputation in the cinema industry, the Kinepolis Group has always strongly supported Barco’s vision and been amongst the first to adopt new Barco technologies – from 3D digital cinema (2007) and 4K technology (2011) through to Barco’s 60,000 lumen, laser-illuminated projectors earlier this year. The decision to install the DP4K-60L laser projector at four Kinepolis cinemas was the first in a series of joint Barco-Kinepolis initiatives that were laid down in a partnership agreement between Barco and Kinepolis. The installation of Barco Escape marks a next step in the cooperation between the two cinema aficionados. In the future, Kinepolis theaters will also feature Barco’s interactive content leveraging technologies. 

New experiences 
“Barco and Kinepolis share a common drive to regularly offer new experiences that take cinema to new heights. We are glad to première Barco Escape here in Europe together with this long-term customer, or rather partner, that Kinepolis Group is,” says Wim Buyens, Senior VP Entertainment at Barco. 

‘The Maze Runner’ will première in Barco Escape at Kinepolis Antwerp on Friday 10 October, during a dedicated press screening, and at Kinepolis Brussels on 15 October. In an earlier press release, Barco also announced its plans to bring the live performance of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga in Brussels, on 22 September last, to Barco Escape theaters in early 2015.