EXECUTIVES of SM Cinemas expressed confidence on the success of the new IMAX theater in the usually frugal market of Cebu, despite admitting to about four years of delays for the technology to be brought to the city.

Allan Florendo, assistant vice president for marketing of SM Cinemas, said the company has planned to bring the IMAX technology to its mall in Cebu City for several years now.

“We wanted Cebu to be really ready for the IMAX experience,” he said during a first official screening of the 450-seater cinema at the SM City Cebu recently.

The cinema will formally open to the public on July 9 and will feature the IMAX 3D version of Avatar.

The company plans to roll out this theatre technology in three more sites by next year—Davao, Fort Bonifacio and SM South Mall.

The IMAX theater joins the seven digital and standard cinemas in the SM mall, while bringing another first, a digital, no-reel projector to the system, Florendo said.

The IMAX motion picture format was developed in Canada and features wider screens and improved resolution and sound compared with ordinary projectors. SM holds the exclusive license on the technology in the country.