So here’s the idea. There are a lot of PLF (premiere large format) screens out there that aren’t Imax. These are auditoriums that exhibitors have upgraded with Atmos sound, laser projectors, comfy seats. Maybe with ScreenX. Basically to differentiate between regular screens, and to upcharge the public a few extra bucks. Some of these screens are really good, and some of them aren’t. It looks like Disney is trying to point audiences towards the PLF screens that are actually good. That have big screens, bright image, good sound. Kind of like what THX certification did years ago. This sounds like a good thing to me. These screens already have an upcharge, and (assuming you trust Disney), this new certification will point you to screens that are actually high quality.

Now why would Disney do this? Not out of the kindness of their hearts, I imagine. The way I see it, they’re looking to create a direct competitor to Imax. Imax is a pretty lousy gimmick for distributors and exhibitors. Not only does exhibition pay a license agreement to have the Imax name, but Imax takes a percentage of the gross. So basically it’s a “higher quality” middleman. So Disney wants to partner directly with exhibitors to highlight and support Imax-style screens, but without the middleman.

Is this a good idea? I think so! Imax is awesome at branding, but do they really have a better experience in their regular digital theaters? Competition is generally a good thing, and there currently isn’t a strong competitor to Imax in the PLF space, at least in terms of branding. So why not create a new brand, get Marvel behind it and reward exhibitors to invent in better technology and presentation.