The Marcus Ridge Cinemas in New Berlin, Wisconsin recently debuted the first ScreenX installation in Wisconsin.

Located twelve miles southwest of downtown Milwaukee, the nineteen-screen movie theater is operated by Marcus Theatres, which is the dominant theater chain in Wisconsin and is the fourth largest chain in the United States with 79 movie theaters in seventeen states. The theater already offers two Premium Large Format "SuperScreen" auditoriums that feature wide screens and Dolby Atmos sound systems.

The ScreenX auditorium is a conversion of screen #4, which had a capacity of 114 but is now listed as having 108 Marcus DreamLounger powered recliners and four designated wheelchair spaces in front of a 45' wide screen.

We attended the presentation given by the two companies on Monday and you can read our impressions in the article, Our ScreenX Experience at Marcus Ridge Cinemas, Wisconsin's First ScreenX Installation.

What is ScreenX?

ScreenX is described as the "world's first multi-projection cinema that expands specially selected sequences of the film onto the left-and-right-side walls of the auditorium." It is produced by the South Korean company CJ 4DPLEX. Rather than use additional screens flanking the primary screen, such as what Barco Escape did when it debuted in 2014, ScreenX utilizes the side walls as screens. The installation at Marcus Ridge extended the image all the way to the back wall, so the viewer's periperhal vision is covered no matter where one sits. The traditional side surround speakers were replaced with soundbar-style speakers that were located at the corner of the side wall and ceiling. While this hampered the surround image slightly, the impact would have to be judged by repeated viewings and comparisons. The speaker layout probably means that ScreenX and Atmos are mutually exclusive technologies, as Atmos installations likely need the side surrounds to be separated more from the overhead speakers, and even white speaker grilles would diminish the effect of the ScreenX visuals.

CJ 4DPLEX also produces 4DX multi-sensory experiences that include motion seating, vibration, water, wind, snow, lightning, scents, and other special effects to enhance the on-screen movie. Marcus currently has a 4DX installation at the Marcus Gurnee Mills Cinema in Gurnee, Illinois. (There is no 4DX installation at the Marcus Ridge Cinema.)

"At CJ 4DPLEX, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cinema and providing moviegoers with unforgettable experiences not available at home," stated Don Savant, CEO and President, CJ 4DPLEX America. "Our ongoing partnership with Marcus Theatres aligns perfectly with this vision, and the opening of the Marcus Ridge Cinema ScreenX auditorium further solidifies our commitment to delivering cutting-edge entertainment."

The full press release from the two companies is included below.

Showtimes and Tickets

To see what's playing in ScreenX at the movie theater and when, and to buy tickets online, please visit the Showtimes page for the Marcus Ridge Cinemas.

For a list of theaters and movies presented in ScreenX across the United States, head over to our Advanced Search tool for Movies Playing in ScreenX.

Photo above: Copyright © 2023, SVJ Designs, LLC. All rights reserved.

Press Release

CJ 4DPLEX and Marcus Theatres® Extend Partnership With Marcus's First-Ever ScreenX Location

The First Marcus ScreenX Auditorium Will Be at Marcus Ridge Cinema in New Berlin, WI

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Sept. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CJ 4DPLEX, the world's leading producer of premium film formats and cinema technologies, and Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation (NYSE: MCS) and the fourth largest exhibitor in the U.S., announced today they have opened the first-ever ScreenX auditorium in the State of Wisconsin. The new immersive, 270-degree panoramic ScreenX theatre is open at the Marcus Ridge Cinema in New Berlin, Wisconsin, in time for 20th Century Studios' "The Creator," opening on September 29th.

ScreenX is the world's first multi-projection cinema that expands specially selected sequences of the film onto the left-and-right-side walls of the auditorium. The 270-degree, panoramic field of view draws audiences into the story and immerses them in a virtual reality-like setting with cinema quality resolution. ScreenX surpasses the traditional movie-going experience and can't be replicated at home. This marks the second CJ 4DPLEX location for Marcus Theatres, with the first being the multi-sensory 4DX format at Marcus Gurnee Mills Cinema.

"At CJ 4DPLEX, we are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of cinema and providing moviegoers with unforgettable experiences not available at home," stated Don Savant, CEO and President, CJ 4DPLEX America. "Our ongoing partnership with Marcus Theatres aligns perfectly with this vision, and the opening of the Marcus Ridge Cinema ScreenX auditorium further solidifies our commitment to delivering cutting-edge entertainment."

"CJ 4DPLEX has been an exceptional partner for us, and we are delighted to expand our collaboration with the introduction of ScreenX at our Marcus Ridge Cinema location," stated Gregory S. Marcus, Chairman, President, and CEO of The Marcus Corporation. "This addition allows us to bring the magic of ScreenX technology to our Marcus Theatres guests, enhancing their movie-watching experience with 270-degree, panoramic views."

Added JongRyul Kim, CEO, CJ 4DPLEX, "We're honored to continue our partnership with Marcus Theatres and bring the immersive cinematic experience of ScreenX to even more audiences. The addition of the Marcus Ridge Cinema ScreenX auditorium marks a significant milestone in our collaboration, and we couldn't be more excited about it."

Marcus Ridge Cinema's ScreenX auditorium will feature 108 recliners and four designated wheelchair spaces along with a 45' wide screen. Marcus Ridge Cinema is located at 5200 S Moorland Rd, New Berlin, WI 53151.

About CJ 4DPLEX

CJ 4DPLEX is a leading, next-generation cinema technology company, headquartered in Seoul with international offices in Los Angeles and Beijing. The company has created innovative film technologies for theaters worldwide that include 'ScreenX', '4DX', and '4DX Screen' for consumers to experience films in ways that were never before possible.

CJ 4DPLEX is a part of the CJ Group conglomerate that also includes entertainment powerhouses CJ CGV, the fifth largest theater chain in the world, and CJ ENM (CJ Entertainment & Media), who produced the Academy Award®, Golden Globe® and SAG Awards winning film, "Parasite". CJ 4DPLEX was named Most Innovative Company of 2017 and 2019 in Live Events by Fast Company, and the technology has been recognized with Silver at the Edison Awards in the Media and Visual Communications-Entertainment category in 2015 and 2018.

ScreenX is the world's first multi-projection cinema with an immersive 270 degree field of view. By expanding the image beyond the frame and onto the walls of the theatre, ScreenX places the audience directly at the center of the story, creating a visually immersive viewing experience unlike any other. To date, there are over 365 ScreenX auditoriums around the world in 40 countries.

4DX provides moviegoers with a multi-sensory cinema-going experience, allowing audiences to connect with movies through motion, vibration, water, wind, snow, lightning, scents, and other special effects that enhance the visuals on-screen. Each 4DX auditorium incorporates motion-based seating synchronized with more than 21 different effects and optimized by a team of skilled editors. To date, there are over 789 4DX auditoriums around the world, spanning over 70 countries.

4DXScreen is a powerful combination of our super premium immersive theatre technologies of ScreenX and 4DX in one auditorium, creating a never-before-seen experience for cinemagoers. To date, there are 43 4DXScreens installed around the globe.

About Marcus Theatres

Marcus Theatres®, a division of The Marcus Corporation, is the fourth largest theatre circuit in the United States and currently owns or operates 993screens at 79 locations in 17 states under the Marcus Theatres, Movie Tavern® by Marcus and BistroPlex® brands. For more information, please visit www.marcustheatres.com and follow the company on Facebook and Twitter (@Marcus_Theatres).

About The Marcus Corporation

Headquartered in Milwaukee, The Marcus Corporation is a leader in the lodging and entertainment industries, with significant company-owned real estate assets. In addition to its Marcus Theatres division, its lodging division, Marcus® Hotels & Resorts, owns and/or manages 16 hotels, resorts and other properties in eight states.  For more information, please visit the company's website at www.marcuscorp.com.