Chicago’s Navy Pier Announces 60-By-80-Foot IMAX Screen Replacement

CHICAGO – On Monday, Sept. 14 and Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, Chicago’s Navy Pier IMAX Theatre will replace its 60-by-80-foot foot IMAX screen. The previous screen, which opened in 1999, has hosted more than 4 million moviegoers since its inception.

Boasting the largest IMAX screen in Chicago, Navy Pier IMAX Theatre screen is larger than an NBA basketball court, weighs more than 600 lbs. and towers 6 stories over the 440-seat auditorium.

The new screen will be delivered in a large roll and will be hand-carried into the theatre by 14 people through an entry in the wall created specifically for this project. This screen has been painted with a proprietary IMAX-designed silver coating to meet the IMAX standard for light reflection technology.

Once the new screen is inside the theatre, the old screen will be cut down and disposed of while the frame will be cleaned and prepped for the new screen to be raised. On Tuesday, the screen will be spread out over the auditorium seats and rigged to be hoisted to the top of the frame and then tied in.

’Michael Jordan to the Max’ will be shown free as the first movie on Navy Pier’s new IMAX screen. Photo credit: Giant Screen Films

On Tuesday, September 15, to celebrate both the brand-new screen and Michael Jordan’s induction into the National Basketball Association Hall of Fame this weekend, the Navy Pier IMAX Theatre will host TWO FREE screenings of the Giant Screen Films produced “Michael Jordan to the MAX.” Show times for these two free screenings are 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. and the free tickets must be picked up at the Navy Pier IMAX Theatre box office.

This extraordinary film captures the real-life story of Michael Jordan, the most spectacular athlete of the 20th century. Audiences take a journey into the life of Michael Jordan, experiencing like never before the drama and excitement of Jordan ‘s basketball career as well as an introspective view into Michael off the court.

As Chicago’s largest IMAX Theatre, Navy Pier IMAX is thrilled to be investing in this new screen which will provide even crisper, clearer 3D images than ever before, in time for a great slate of fall films including “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in IMAX 3D” on September 18, “Where the Wild Things Are” on October 16; “A Christmas Carol: The IMAX 3D Experience” on November 6 and “Avatar: The IMAX 3D Experience” on December 18.

By PATRICK McDONALD Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com