We have seen Pixar release their VR app not too long ago. It is good to see movie industry giants focus on this new industry in an attempt to help legitimize it. In a surprising turn of events, Paramount Pictures has created a new platform for distributing new feature content Thanks to a partnership with Bigscreen, the first VR movie theater will be opened to the public very soon.
A VR Movie Theater is in the Works
It is always good to see VR technology gain more appeal in the eyes of the general public. Paramount Pictures is doing a great job in this regard thanks to a new partnership with Bigscreen. It allows both entities to work together with VR industry leaders, including HTC, Samsung, Oculus, and Microsoft. The goal is to create the world’s first VR movie theater, which can be accessed through consumer-grade VR headsets. Watching movies on the big screen has been possible in virtual reality for some time now, but all of the apps are a bit lackluster.
Anyone who has a brand-name VR headset will be able to sign up on BigscreenVR come December 3rd. The users will then be able to watch a version of Top Gun in 3D for free. This movie does exist on Blu-ray, but it is anything but cheap to purchase right now. Bringing this movie to VR headset owners free of charge is a very interesting development. It is not necessarily something people would expect to see at this point, but it is evident there is a lot of potential when it comes to exploring these options.
Developing a virtual movie theater for VR is not all that easy, mind you. Development of this project originally began around six months ago. Paramount Pictures and Bigscreen want to create a completely new platform for the film business. It is evident people enjoy watching movies on the big screen, but they aren’t necessarily willing to leave their home to do so. Whether or not this VR movie theater is the right approach, remains to be determined, though.
It is important to keep in mind this will not automatically close the gap on theatrical release windows. More specifically, VR users will not gain access to movies currently in theatres automatically. it is certainly an option that may be explored by Paramount Pictures in the future, but for now, it seems highly unlikely. At the same time, we may see some movies get a VR-first release rather than going to Blu-ray or even online streaming services. An interesting future lies ahead, that much is certain.
If you liked this article make sure to follow us on twitter @thevrbase and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest VR trends and news.
