• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechVirtual Reality

IMAX To Bring Virtual Reality To A Movie Theater In the United Kingdom

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 11, 2016, 7:18 PM ET
Photograph by Benjamin Torode — Getty Images

Virtual reality is coming to the United Kingdom.

Cinema company IMAX (IMAX) said Tuesday that it is partnering with European cinema operators ODEON and UCI Cinemas Group to open a so-called IMAX VR center at the movie theater complex in Manchester, England. The new center will open by the end of the year, IMAX said.

Visitors would be able to strap on virtual reality headsets and play VR video games or watch short films of roughly five to 15 minutes each. Stockholm-based entertainment technology company Starbreeze and hardware manufacturer Acer will provide the VR headsets.

The VR center will also include pods where attendees can play and watch VR content while moving around.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“We are extremely pleased with the significant progress we’ve made on this initiative in this short period of time and believe this commitment from such a significant European exhibitor is a testament to the interest and potential of this offering,” IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond said in a statement.

IMAX did not say what type of VR video games, film, or other content will be available for attendees, only that it is “in advanced stages with several content developers, including Hollywood studios and gaming publishers, to produce and distribute high-quality VR experiences to its centers.”

In May, IMAX said it would open a similar VR entertainment hub in Los Angeles, but it did not say when that center would be complete. The company said Tuesday that it is still “in the process of launching” the Los Angeles center, which, when it opens, will be its first VR showroom.

Plans are in the works for IMAX to eventually open more VR hubs in China, Japan, the Middle East, Western Europe, and in more U.S. cities “in the coming months.”

These VR centers will essentially be test hubs that IMAX hopes to use to better determine pricing, the types of VR content that people want to see, and how well consumers react to them. From there, IMAX can plan a bigger worldwide rollout.

Technology investors and big companies like Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOG) that have made VR headsets and software are paying close attention to virtual reality.

However, several analysts have lamented that there is not yet enough compelling content available to make virtual reality headsets must-have items.

For more about virtual reality, watch:

For consumers put off by the expensive cost of some powerful headsets like Facebook’s Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive that cost $600 and $800 respectively, visiting an IMAX VR hub could be one way they could experience the immersive technology without having to spend a lot of cash.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump may have shot himself in the foot at the Fed, as Powell could stay on while Miran resigns from White House post
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 4, 2026
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Tech stocks go into free fall as it dawns on traders that AI has the ability to cut revenues across the board
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 4, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 4, 2026
19 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
In 2026, many employers are ditching merit-based pay bumps in favor of ‘peanut butter raises’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 2, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
After decades in the music industry, Pharrell Williams admits he never stops working: ‘If you do what you love everyday, you’ll get paid for free'
By Emma BurleighFebruary 3, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Gates Foundation doubles down on foreign aid as U.S. government largely withdraws
By Thalia Beaty and The Associated PressFebruary 3, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in Tech

grace
CommentaryRobotics
I’m a 25-year-old founder who loves robots but too many humanoids are militant and creepy-looking. Things need to change—just look at Elon Musk
By Grace BrownFebruary 5, 2026
57 minutes ago
lewis
Big Techbooks
Michael Lewis reveals he’s got a deal to write the Sam Altman book—when ChatGPT is ready to write a rival draft
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 5, 2026
1 hour ago
Photo of OpenAI CEO of Applications Fidji Simo.
AIOpenAI
OpenAI announces Frontier, an AI agent platform for enterprises to power apps like Salesforce and Workday—but could it eventually replace them?
By Sharon GoldmanFebruary 5, 2026
1 hour ago
broker
InvestingMarkets
Traders pile into tech hedges after software rout
By Bernard Goyder and BloombergFebruary 5, 2026
3 hours ago
stocks
BankingMarkets
Global tech stock selloff deepens, silver plunges
By Anand Krishnamoorthy, Winnie Hsu, Carmeli Argana and BloombergFebruary 5, 2026
3 hours ago
broker
AIMarkets
Trillion-dollar tech wipeout ensnares all stocks in AI’s path
By Brody Ford, Carmen Reinicke and BloombergFebruary 5, 2026
3 hours ago