ScreenX is a panoramic film format which presents films with an expanded, dual-sided, 270-degree screens projected on the walls in a theater. First introduced in 2012, it is created by CJ 4DPLEX, a subsidiary of the CJ CGV group which also created the 4DX motion-theater technology, which, in fact, uses a similar logo and combines both formats, known as "4DX Screen". Co-developed by KAIST, it is considered a "sideways" version of IMAX and a presumed competitor to streaming platforms such as Netflix. In addition to films, the ScreenX theater also shows advertisements filmed or converted for the format. As of 2020, the theater technology is installed at 316 theaters in 34 countries.
Technical aspects
Like for IMAX films, in order to match the length of the entire tri-screen theater, ScreenX films are formatted either through pre-production or post-production. A film shot for ScreenX is typically shot with three cameras. The process is done through scene selecting, archiving, delivering assets, color grading, and mastering before distribution to theaters. The majority of films produced for ScreenX are live-action films, mostly from South Korea and Asia, and only a few animated films are ever shown in/produced for the format. Despite its innovation, the technology has been rarely produced for Hollywood-studio films due to the complexity of the additional computer animation work as side footage. Lee Jae-seon, who worked for the ScreenX version of at G-node, said that, "It is not easy to create Hollywood blockbuster CG work in Korea, but it is meaningful because we created Hollywood blockbuster CG work for ScreenX.” Additionally, films were initially shown only in selected locations due to the lack of partners at the time. On December 16, 2020 the largest ScreenX auditorium in the world was inaugurated at the Màgic Badalonashopping centre in Badalona, Spain. It has a capacity of 398 seats.
Since 2018, the ScreenX technology has proven to be successful at the worldwide box-office, following the successful panoramic release of Marvel Studios' Black Panther. It has grossed a combined total of over $40 million throughout the year through films released in the panoramic format. In 2019, ScreenX has achieved an even more-successful box-office results, with being the highest-grossing release. As of June 2019, it has grossed $22 million from films shown in the ScreenX format.