From Pixar's hit animated movie "Up" to "Titanic" director James Cameron's upcoming science fiction epic "Avatar", 2009 has seen 3D movies return with a vengeance across North American cinema screens. The bonanza has even led to talk of classic films — such as Cameron's "Titanic" — being reworked in 3D and re-released.
"I think that there has been a real resurgence in 3D because the technology of digital cinema has allowed 3D to be sharper and brighter on screen and a much better audience experience," Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, told AFP. "It gives movie-goers just another reason to actually continue to go to the cinema. It's something you can't experience at home. It's here to stay and on many movies it has to be experienced." Zoradi pointed to the rapid growth of theaters now capable of offering 3D as evidence of the format's durability. "When we released our first 3D movie in 2005, 'Chicken Little', there were only 84 3D screens in the USA," he said. Disney's latest 3D offering, "A Christmas Carol", will be available in 2,000 theaters in North America, Zoradi said.
The final frontier would see 3D enter the home, offering another boost to DVD sales and rental earnings. "The television sets are just now being manufactured, obviously people will have to learn about them, and buy them," Zoradi said. "In two to five years, that's going to roll out."