Pixar’s newest animated film Inside Out 2 hits the big screen today, but only about 100 theaters worldwide are equipped to show it as the director intended. The sequel to 2015’s Inside Out was created to be viewed in HDR, with 300 nits peak brightness and an expanded color range. Unfortunately, the number of movie theaters that offer HDR-certified direct view LED displays is miniscule, but Pixar is looking to change that.
As reported by Variety, Pixar, who is on a streak of releasing several films to theaters in HDR, is lobbying for more theaters to begin adopting the technology.
“We’re very excited in general about the future of cinema, as it relates to opportunities for storytelling,” Dominic Glynn, Senior Scientist at Pixar, commented to Variety. “It does lead to new opportunities to tell stories and bring immersion to audiences.”
Samsung’s LED displays replace projectors in Amazon’s new post-production studio
Manufacturers have begun to offer HDR direct view LED displays to theaters, such as the Samsung Onyx line, which began a global rollout in 2019. Thus far, the high cost of installing LED screens has kept HDR from catching on in more theaters, though some companies claim to be developing projection systems that can display HDR content. Until then, or until installation costs drop, movie goers will have to go the extra mile to see Pixar’s films as they were intended to be seen.
