Century Theaters Inks Deal For Digital Cinema EquipmentCentury Theaters Inks Deal For Digital Cinema Equipment

Thomson's Technicolor Digital Cinema business on Tuesday said it will install digital cinema initiative-compliant projection equipment into Century Theatres Inc. owned and operated theaters.

The project will begin by Technicolor installing equipment in between 90 and 120 screens by April 1. The goal is to equip Century's network of more than 1,000 screens with digital projection systems for full-length motion pictures.

Technicolor's deployment for Century Theatres is part of a digital projection systems rollout in up to 5,000 screens during the next three to four years, the company said.

Technicolor intends to deploy at least 15,000 digitally equipped screens in the United States and Canada, through the initial rollout and additional phases during the next 10 years. The company said negotiations are also underway with other undisclosed theaters.

There are more than 36,000 movie screens in the United States, according to the National Association of Theater Owners.

DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros recently signed deals with Technicolor to advance the distribution of digital cinema content and systems throughout North America.

Each studio has agreed to distribute content digitally throughout the United States and Canada, and pay a virtual print fee to Thomson for screens equipped with Technicolor Digital Cinema systems, beginning this quarter.