Walt Disney Co. is launching a new large-format screen certification called Infinity Vision, a strategic move designed to secure premium real estate for its blockbusters. The label is set to debut in time for Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday this December, providing a standardized high-quality experience across thousands of theatres worldwide.
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To earn the Infinity Vision label, auditoriums must meet specific technical requirements: a screen width of at least 50 feet, high-contrast laser projection, and a Dolby 7.1 surround-sound system. Industry insiders estimate that roughly 5,500 screens globally currently meet these criteria—nearly three times the current number of IMAX venues.
This initiative allows theatre chains to maintain their proprietary brands, such as AMC’s XL or Cinemark’s XD, while carrying the Disney-backed certification as a secondary seal of quality.
The creation of Infinity Vision stems from a scheduling conflict involving Avengers: Doomsday. Despite Disney being IMAX’s largest revenue contributor, the studio does not have exclusive access to IMAX screens for the film’s December 18 opening weekend. IMAX is currently committed to screening Warner Bros.’ Dune: Part Three during that same window.
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As moviegoers increasingly gravitate toward premium, immersive formats, the competition for large-format screens has reached a fever pitch. IMAX recently saw record-breaking box office sales, with high-profile projects like Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Netflix’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew vying for limited space.
By establishing Infinity Vision, Disney is effectively creating its own premium network to bypass these bottlenecks. Theatre operators have long called for Hollywood studios to lend their marketing power to premium large-format (PLF) screens to help audiences distinguish between standard and high-end auditoriums. With Disney’s massive promotional machine behind it, Infinity Vision provides a clear alternative for fans who want a “larger-than-life” experience when the IMAX slots are already filled.
