70mm to live again with Dunkirk to screen the epic format treatment

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

While the more casual moviegoer is content to watch a film in any format you'd like, some cinephiles are quite particular about how they experience their entertainment. Personally, I like a big, crystal clear IMAX screen, no 3D, and a big, buttery tub of popcorn with a Dr. Pepper on the side. I can handle just about any film size you throw at me, though I understand that, for some, it's a bit of an occasion when it's announced that a feature will be presented in 70mm.

So, in the spirit of "what's old is new again" Warner Bros. is making preparations to release Christopher Nolan's DUNKIRK in 70mm at 125 locations! For those of you keeping score at home, that's 25 more screens than Quentin Tarantino's THE HATEFUL RIGHT had received when it was in theaters. The WB will ready 30 IMAX projectors for the screenings, which they had bought from the Weinstein Co. after THE HATEFUL EIGHT's theatrical run. With the numbers and the WB's expectations being what they are, DUNKIRK will mark the widest release of a film presented in 70mm in 25 years.

If you're wondering how so many theaters will come into the possession of the 70mm-ready projectors, Warner Bros. will be working side-by-side with theater outlet staff to ensure that the machines are properly managed and the event a success. But why go through so much trouble, you say? After all, there's so much that could go wrong during the screening: Projector bulbs could burn out, the film could get eaten by the machine, the audio sync could be a nightmare to align and so much more! Personally, I think it's a mixture of nostalgia, craft, and personal taste for the filmmakers themselves. Go big or go home, right?

DUNKIRK starring Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles, James D'Arcy and more is scheduled to storm into theaters on July 21st. Be sure to check your local listings for the special 70mm presentations.