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Vue International, Europe’s largest privately owned cinema operator, is stepping up its game in the premium large format (PLF) sector with the official launch of its new in-house experience: Epic. This strategic move positions Vue in direct competition with Imax, the long-standing leader in PLF cinema.
Epic promises cutting-edge audiovisual immersion through a combination of HDR by Barco laser projection and Dolby Atmos sound. Barco’s “lightsteering” laser technology — first unveiled at CinemaCon 2024 — is said to deliver unprecedented image quality, setting a new benchmark in large format projection. Vue CEO Tim Richards emphasized that the company wanted “the very latest and best possible sight and sound technology available today,” opting to build the format independently rather than partner with a third-party provider like Imax.
The initial rollout will include a minimum of 11 Epic screens across the U.K., Italy, and the Netherlands in 2025, beginning with the first at Vue’s newly launched Nottingham location at the end of July. Vue plans to expand to at least 50 Epic screens across Europe — including in Germany, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia — by the end of 2027.
Richards acknowledged that Vue had been “a little bit behind” in entering the PLF space, citing a year spent trialling different technologies before deciding on its bespoke approach. But beyond the tech, he pointed to recent friction between exhibitors and Imax as a factor in Vue’s decision to go independent. Specifically, he referenced the January 2025 dispute where Imax reportedly threatened a “nuclear option” to enforce an exclusive theatrical window for Netflix’s Narnia, which many cinema chains found contentious.
Richards stressed the importance of providing filmmakers with alternatives to Imax, stating: “We want to get filmmakers into our Epic screens as soon as we can, to show them that there is an alternative.”
With a strong 2025 summer box office — driven by titles like Lilo & Stitch, Jurassic World Rebirth, and strong tracking for Superman — Vue sees this year as a springboard. Richards believes the real breakthrough will come with the late-2025 releases of Wicked and Avatar sequels.
“The watershed moment will be Wicked and then Avatar,” Richards said. “Everything we do right now is getting ready for the future.”
