Disney's New IMAX Competitor Infinity Vision Raises Some Serious Questions

CinemaCon is wrapping up in Las Vegas, and all eyes were on Disney's big presentation this year. Not only because the studio showcased the first full trailer for "Avengers: Doomsday" at the event, but because we got a broader look at the House of Mouse's broader strategy for the immediate future. That includes the launch of a new form of premium format movie theater screen meant to compete with IMAX, the leader in that space.

During the presentation, Disney unveiled Infinity Vision, a new certification for premium large format theaters that will be done in collaboration with exhibitors like AMC, Regal, and so forth. It will begin in September with the theatrical re-release of "Avengers: Endgame" and, thus, add a fresh wrinkle to "Dune: Part Three" and "Avengers: Doomsday" face off on Dunesday in December. Andrew Cripps, Head of Theatrical Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios, had this to say about it:

"Disney's standards for production quality are second to none, with every single detail of a film finely tuned for an immersive experience. Infinity Vision certification extends that commitment to the theaters themselves, representing a shared effort between The Walt Disney Studios and the exhibition community to help audiences quickly find the very best screens in their area to experience our films in exactly the way they're designed to be seen — on a huge screen with the sharpest, clearest color and sound."

Not that IMAX should be the only premium format in the game. After all, there are only so many IMAX screens to go around. Competition can be a good thing in this arena. But the lack of specifics regarding Infinity Vision, and the timing of this announcement, raises a great many questions, particularly for those who will be spending money to watch movies on these screens.

Per a press release from Disney, "Infinity Vision will signify to audiences which auditoriums offer the biggest, brightest, and most immersive cinematic experiences. It also "sets a new benchmark for theatrical presentation, certifying auditoriums that meet rigorous technical standards."

The studio added that these screens will have "the largest screens for maximum scale," as well as "laser projection for superior brightness and clarity" and "premium audio formats for fully immersive sound." Finally, Disney noted that "the goal of Infinity Vision is to help audiences identify the best theatrical experience."

Following the initial announcement, Bloomberg reported some additional details, revealing that auditoriums hoping to qualify for the Infinity Vision label need "a screen width of at least 50-feet, laser projection, and the 7.1 surround-sound system from Dolby Laboratories Inc."

It's important to note that the IMAX releases for "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" are in question ahead of their arrival later this year. Those screens are locked up months in advance, and Warner Bros. has them booked for "Dune: Part Three" in December. As a result, there's been a lot of speculation that Disney might shift the release date for "Doomsday." Instead, it's now attempting to create more premium format theaters.

IMAX has proved that it's more important to the box office than ever before. Audiences increasingly favor these experiences, despite the added cost, for the right movie. "Dune: Part Three" is the right movie for many people. "Doomsday" would be as well, under different circumstances. A major reason for that is because IMAX has set a rigorous standard for screens bearing the name. It's built a brand heavily associated with meaningful quality.

The question now is: Can Disney convert existing theater screens to a certain level of quality in a relatively short amount of time? Or is this merely adding a nicer projector and some better speakers to a premium screen so it can charge more money?

IMAX isn't the only game in premium formats as it stands. Dolby Cinema compares favorably to IMAX in many ways, though they're not exactly the same. There's also Cinemark XD and the more immersive 4DX, among others. All of these have their fans, and all of them cost a premium. For those who can't secure IMAX tickets or don't live close enough to one, they can be great options.

But IMAX remains the gold standard. That's why "Dune: Part Three" 70MM IMAX tickets are being resold with a twisted price hike. Without more specifics, it's difficult to perceive Disney's announcement of Infinity Vision as anything more than a cash grab and corporate flexing. Rather than concede and shift "Avengers: Doomsday" off its date, allowing Warner Bros. to "win" by default, it's invented a supposed IMAX competitor.

But to truly compete with IMAX, it would take much more time and investment. In reality, this is about goosing the box office for what is very likely going to be an outlandishly expensive movie. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not what it once was. Marvel's box office in 2025 proved that the MCU has fallen from grace, and now, Disney and Marvel Studios needs "Avengers: Doomsday" to match the high highs of "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame." That can't be done without premium format screens.

Infinity Vision runs the risk of not even being the "Is Pepsi Okay?" of premium formats. Worst-case, it could be the RC Cola. Who knows? Maybe the format will actually represent meaningful quality, and I'll have to eat some crow. On paper, though, it seems primarily aimed at milking more money out of paying customers.

"Avengers: Doomsday" hits theaters on December 18, 2026.