The 4DX film experience establishes a unique market segment

In the new Mad Max movie “Furiosa” by George Miller, a red flare bursts, painting the cinema screen in a deep crimson haze.

Closer to the audience, amidst the rows of 4DX seats, fog rolls in, tinted red by the screen as if the flare has broken the fourth wall and permeated the cinema. As the fog clears, Chris Hemsworth’s character Dementus comes into view, smiling at the audience.

This is the 4DX viewing experience. Designed to immerse audiences in Miller’s latest venture into the expansive Wasteland in “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” which premiered on Friday, it serves as a key selling point in an era where cinemas are struggling to entice moviegoers, especially younger ones.

“Our movies stand out,” stated Duncan Macdonald, the head of worldwide marketing and theatre development for CJ 4DPlex Americas. “Our unique features include motion capabilities and environmental effects.”

In the post-pandemic era, audiences have become accustomed to shorter theater runs and increased home access to content. Simultaneously, the pandemic-related closures and production delays caused by two Hollywood strikes severely curtailed the quantity of content reaching theaters. Consequently, people have drifted away from the habit of cinema-going.

Those who have returned are looking for high-end experiences such as superior picture and sound quality and are prepared to pay a premium for these tickets. 4DX is a competitor in the premium large format market, alongside IMAX and Dolby Cinema. CJ 4DPlex also owns the ScreenX format.

“Premium cinema experiences are crucial to the industry’s health. With fewer films in the market on average than in previous years, the importance and necessity of a company like 4DX becomes evident,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst at Comscore.

4DX uses moving seats, practical effects, and sensory components to engage viewers in a film. For Warner Bros.’ “Wonka,” the company filled the theater with the scent of chocolate during screenings.

According to CJ 4DPlex Americas CEO Don Savant, the 4DX experience enhances the usual movie-going experience. He mentioned that 4DX cinemas attract younger consumers, predominantly aged 10 to 30, who are in search of more interactive viewing.

The 4DX experience costs consumers an average of $8 more than standard ticket prices, resulting in ticket prices ranging from $20 to $30 each. However, the additional cost does not seem to be deterring audiences.

4DX’s domestic locations reported $53.4 million in ticket sales last year.

“Significantly, the higher price for premium movie tickets is not a hindrance to their success but is perceived as representing a solid value proposition for fans in search of the best possible big screen experience,” said Dergarabedian. “This is good news for theater owners who, due to fewer wide release films in the market, can increase revenues on a per-ticket basis while providing their patrons with a great experience that will have them returning to the multiplex more frequently.” 

For major blockbuster titles, 4DX proves to be even more popular. Disney’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” saw ticket sales from 4DX screens top $83.6 million, accounting for around 3.6% of the film’s total box office earnings. According to Savant, it currently holds the record for the highest-grossing film in the screen format.

“Our goal is to provide customers with a compelling reason to leave their homes and visit a local Regal theater,” stated Regal Cinemas CEO Eduardo Acuna. “Premium formats like 4DX offer a movie-watching experience that no home theater setup can replicate. Each premium format serves a different purpose for storytelling, and each enhances the enjoyment of watching a film in a unique and immersive way.”

Acuna mentioned that 4DX auditoriums are “a strong box office performer” for Regal.

Regal operates the most 4DX screens in the U.S. and Canada, with 50 of the 62 locations. Worldwide, there are nearly 750 4DX screens with multiple theater partners, the majority of which are in Asia and Europe.

Savant stated that 4DX is adding approximately 25 to 30 screens per year globally, but is aiming to increase this number to 50 to 60 screens a year. The company’s goal is to have around 1,200 4DX locations in the next five years. On average, each theater has around 140 seats.

Audiences who choose to leave their homes and visit a 4DX theater to watch Warner Bros.’ “Furiosa” will experience the sensation of racing motorcycles through the desert, the smell of gunpowder during intense gun fights, and even a soft spray of water as it splashes onto a character’s face on the screen from their seats.

Last year, 4DX programmed over 100 films for the enhanced viewing experience. Around 40 to 45 of these were major Hollywood titles, according to Savant. The rest included concert content, musical singalongs, anniversary titles, and local language films.

Typically, the 4DX programmers in Seoul have two to three weeks to design the motion and special effects, although Savant stated they can complete a film in a week if necessary. 4DX can program three titles simultaneously.

Macdonald and Savant both referred to 4DX’s programmers as “artists,” likening the process from the seat subwoofers to the fog machines to different brushstrokes in a masterpiece.

“Every film is unique,” Macdonald stated. “So we take into account the nuances of the various films we have and how they are programmed.”

In some instances, filmmakers will get involved, providing suggestions for when certain effects should be used and how subtle or dramatic they should feel or appear.

“It’s the most dynamic way to see [a film],” stated Savant.