As Cineworld Group continues to emerge from bankruptcy and make a financial comeback, leaders at the cinema chain seem to believe that making audiences (literally) shake in their seats can bring them back in droves.

In March, Cineworld opened Regal Entertainment Group’s largest 4DX theater in the world, located in the heart of New York City’s Times Square just in time for the premiere of Dune: Part Two and ahead of summer releases like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga hitting theaters this weekend. The newly renovated cinema complex is the first to house two 4DX theaters in one. The newer theater boasts 296 seats, while the other 4DX theater has 128 seats. The larger auditorium features a 60-foot-wide screen, four fog machines, rainstorm fans placed directly above audiences, and eight shaker amplifiers responsible for the seat movement.

Movie theaters as theme parks

The unveiling of the shiny new theater comes nearly two years after Cineworld declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and nearly a year after formally filing its reorganization plan, which aimed to cut the firm’s debt by about $4.53 billion. It also comes during a time when the theatrical industry is starting to see box-office numbers reach pre-pandemic levels. 

Cineworld CEO Eduardo Acuna, who replaced former CEO Mooky Greidinger last July, says he believes Cineworld and Regal are on the road to recovery after the Hollywood strikes last year.

“I’m the biggest optimist for the theatrical industry because it performs amazingly well when content is plentiful,” Acuna tells Fast Company. “The industry won’t take long to rebound as long as we all continue taking steps to become better operators. Exhibitors are getting better at maximizing profits through multiple strategies like agile ticket pricing and expanded concession menus—doing everything possible to drive more attendance.”

When Acuna joined Cineworld last year, the Regal Cinemas location in Times Square was already undergoing renovations, and the company added another giant 4DX theater as somewhat of a tourist attraction. “The 4DX format draws people who don’t have that opportunity in their hometowns as the immersive moviegoing experience is like visiting a theme park,” Acuna says.

An immersive experience

To experience 4DX in the largest auditorium in the country, I went to the Times Square location for a screening of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in March when the theater was newly opened. The experience did feel like riding a roller coaster and was jarring at first. I was rocked around and jolted in my seat during high-speed car chases (an experience which will likely be shared by those who attend 4DX screenings of Furiosa given that the movie is basically a two-hour postapocalyptic car chase), while bursts of air shot out when characters shot any of the gadgets. Some water even shot out during parts of the movie.

Although I’m not sure the experience of being shaken around in my seat or being sprayed with water is necessarily how I’d regularly want to watch a movie, I can see the appeal for more fast-paced action movies, and it seemed like most of the attendees around me had a fun time. 

While the experience might be mind-blowing for other first-timers, 4DX isn’t exactly a new concept. The 4D film presentation system, developed by CJ 4DPlex, a subsidiary of South Korean cinema chain CJ CGV, made its debut in Seoul in 2009. Avatar’s success at the time resulted in it expanding to more theaters in South Korea. Currently, there are 791 4DX auditoriums around the world, spanning more than 70 countries. Regal is CJ 4DPlex’s largest partner in the U.S. with about 50 theaters in operation. The most recent 4DX auditorium opened in Regal Valencia earlier this month in Santa Clarita, California. 

Imagine feeling the blast of an explosion not just through your ears but through your whole body,” 4DPlex Americas CEO Don Savant tells Fast Company. “The result is a cinematic thrill ride. Each moment and movement is designed to replicate real-world sensations, enhancing the storytelling and emotional impact of the movie. Whether it’s the rush of a car chase, the tension of a stealthy pursuit, or the explosive chaos of a battle scene, 4DX makes you a participant, not just a spectator.”

Mixed reviews

Some serious filmmakers like Martin Scorsese aren’t too keen on the idea. Through the years, critics have also been divided on the format: Some feel that the jerky experience is unnecessary, while others believe it’s the ultimate way for true cinephiles to consume films. It’s also one of the most expensive ways to see a movie with a $27.50 to $30 price tag attached to it. 

Yet audiences seem to think otherwise. When Regal Cinemas debuted the first 4DX theater in Los Angeles in 2014, it opened to sold-out weekend crowds and saw a 63% occupancy rate regardless of the showtime or day of the week. It helped boost ticket sales during a time when sales that summer were down 15% year over year.

Since the 1950s, theaters have found ways to thrill audiences when ticket sales were down. And in 2023, the 4DX format brought in nearly $50 million at the U.S. box office thanks to releases like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which accounted for $6.9 million at the 4DX box office, followed by Avatar: The Way of Water and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which brought in $5.6 million and $2.8 million, respectively, for the format. 

There are other signs that point to the potential success of immersive experiences. When Avatar: The Way of Water came out, fans flocked to theaters to see it in its intended 3D format. In 2023, Oppenheimer, fueled by the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, played a significant part in IMAX’s revenue growth for the year. Meanwhile, IMAX accounted for $18.5 million of ticket sales during Dune: Part Two’s opening weekend. 

While standard formats are still the most popular way for audiences to see theatrical releases, previous Morning Consult research found that more than half of consumers said they are interested in watching movies in IMAX (58%) and 3D (48%).

Whether premium formats like 4DX and IMAX are the future of cinema, Acuna says Cineworld does as much as it can to provide the best for every Regal customer, and that each format caters to different moviegoers.

“From movie to movie, 4DX may over perform for a certain title, but IMAX may outperform every other format for another film the following week,” Acuna says. “We see great results in 2D auditoriums when guests are just looking for the most comfortable recliner seating for a movie with a three-hour runtime.”

Ready to rumble

With the summer blockbuster season just beginning, the industry will most likely be paying attention to whether 4DX brings in more audiences. 4DPlex Americas’ Savant believes the 4DX format is especially appealing to audiences who want to experience movies in a way that can’t be replicated at home. 

“In an age where large-screen TVs and surround-sound systems are standard, home theaters can deliver a decent approximation of a traditional movie experience,” Savant says. “However, 4DX transcends these setups by transforming film watching into an interactive event that captivates all human senses.”

While some moviegoers might not be sold on what they think is a gimmick, others want to feel like they’re riding on an actual sandworm on Arrakis or on the War Rig through the Wasteland, and perhaps a quaking Regal Cinemas 4DX theater in the middle of America’s largest city is the next best thing.