Christie, a global leader in digital cinema projection, announced that Wanda Cinema Line, a subsidiary of Wanda Group and the world’s largest cinema operator with 195 theatres and 1,732 movie screens in China as of July 2015, will install upwards of 1,500 Christie Solaria Series 2K and 4K digital cinema projectors, as well as the Christie Vive Audio solution in selected theatres, over three years.
Christie will establish 13 parts-and-service centres in China to meet the resulting needs for servicing and maintenance of this massive rollout. Both parties will also continue to strengthen cooperation in training of their technical teams. Upon successful installation of the equipment, Wanda Cinema Line will have more than 3,500 Christie digital cinema projectors in use.
Wanda Cinema Line in China accounted for 14.2 per cent of box office share nationwide in 2014. Increasing screens annually from 2014 onwards, Wanda Cinema is on track to lead in cinema market share in China with 2,300 screens in 260 theatres in 2016.
Maojun Zeng, Vice President of Wanda Culture Group and CEO of Wanda Cinema Line, said, “It has been a pleasure working with Christie to date and we look forward to strengthening our collaboration with this industry pioneer and on-going visual solutions technology leader. Together, we will provide high-quality, innovative shared experiences for Wanda’s customers.”
Lin Yu, Vice President, Christie Asia Pacific, echoed these sentiments. “This agreement is the result of the deep and mutually-satisfying relationship that the two companies embarked on in 2009, and which has seen fruitful engagements ever since. We are honoured to be again selected by Wanda Cinema Line to be a key part of its digital cinema expansion in China.”
“Christie offers a wide range of projectors, including our top-of-the-line laser projectors, ensuring that the specific requirements of every venue in Wanda Cinema Line’s base are met with the right visual and audio solutions. On behalf of the Christie team of dedicated technical professionals, we look forward to continuing to put Wanda Cinema Line at the forefront of the film industry, in China and worldwide,” Yu added.
Both parties will continue to promote the technology, branding and market development of Wanda’s “Hall 9″ auditoriums, which gained momentum in 2014 when the first Christie Vive Audio cinema sound system in China was installed in Wanda Cinema Line’s state-of-the-art Hall 9 auditorium at Beijing CBD Wanda Plaza located in downtown Beijing. The installation comprises more than 50 Christie Vive Audio speakers of varying combinations, including LA3 screen channel speakers, S215 subwoofers (for full range frequency response), S218 for Low Frequency Effects (subwoofers) channels, LA3S and LA5S for wall surround, as well as LA3C and LA5C for ceiling surrounds. More Hall 9 Vive installations are planned.
More of Wanda’s Hall 9 auditoriums will feature Christie 4K digital cinema projectors, which produce brilliant, high resolution visuals, using either Christie’s Xenon-lamp based models or its DCI compliant Christie CP42LH 6P laser projector. The CP42LH provides up to 60,000 lumen brightness, 4K resolution and on up to the Rec. 2020 colour space for the best colour reproduction in the industry, ensuring that Christie’s RGB laser systems sets new standards for incredible brightness, wider colour gamut and astounding contrast, to benefit Wanda Cinema Line’s customers.