4D Movie Tech Lacks Consumer Awareness: Survey

Hot on the heels of its recently released hit sequel, the 1996 movie “Twister” is returning to theaters this weekend in 4DX 4D cinema — meaning audiences will view the tornado movies through a multisensory experience that includes shaking seats, wind, mist and lighting effects.

It follows a notable summer for 4DX. In July, with the help of clever marketing and social media buzz, “Twisters” set a record for 4DX’s strongest domestic opening weekend of the year, at $2.3 million. One week later, “Deadpool & Wolverine” debuted and broke that record with a $2.8 million domestic opening weekend. 

“4DX drives the demographics cinema owners really want back in the cinema,” Don Savant, CEO of CJ4DPLEX Americas, suggested in an interview with VIP+, adding that it can give the 10-30 age group “something they can’t get at home and something that’s dynamic.” 

Based in Seoul, South Korea, CJ 4DPLEX is the owner of the 4DX brand and currently has 55 auditoriums (among the 792 worldwide). Other smaller players in the 4D category include MediaMation’s MX4D and D-Box.

They all face hurdles, including, perhaps most notably, consumer awareness. When asked for their level of interest in 4D movies, a new survey from Variety Intelligence Platform and Civic Science found that 26% of respondents had never heard of a 4D movie, and a whopping 74% had never seen one. 

Some of this lack of awareness could stem from the fact that the U.S. has limited installations, which generally target major cities such as Los Angeles (which has multiple sites, including one at L.A. Live) and New York (the largest, at Regal Union Square).

The VIP+/Civic Science survey — fielded Aug. 23-29 — also demonstrated that 4D might not be for everyone. Twenty-three percent said they were somewhat interested in 4D movies, while an additional 23% were not at all interested. Just 10% said they were very interested.

In the survey, 18% cited the premium ticket price as the primary reason why they would not be interested in seeing a movie in 4D, as the ticket price average runs about an $8 premium over a standard movie ticket.

Other reasons theatergoers might stay away: 15% of respondents said it seemed “gimmicky,” and an additional 15% said there were no 4D locations near them.

Savant sees the major challenge to growing the market as the capital expenditure needed to build and equip new 4D auditoriums, something on which he remains focused. By 2026, he hopes to have roughly 100 screens in the U.S.

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As for the content itself, the “Twisters”/“Twister” showings appear to be the type of pair-up that could interest audiences in 4D. Thirty-two percent of respondents to VIP+/Civic Science’s survey said they would like to see action adventure/fantasy movies in 4D.

That could be good news for studios that see 4D as an opportunity to bolster box office. Upcoming 4DX releases include Disney’s “Moana 2” and “Mufasa”; Columbia’s “Venom: The Last Dance” and “Kraven the Hunter”; Paramount’s “Transformers One,” “Smile 2,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Gladiator 2”; Universal’s “The Wild Robot” and “Wicked”; and Warner Bros.’ “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Joker: Folie à Deux,” “Red One” and “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.”