Chattanooga, Tenn. (March 27, 2024) – An epic changing of the guard is set for Chattanooga’s biggest screen as a modern sci-fi blockbuster makes way for a tag team of monstrous city-block busters.
The Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater will premiere Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on Friday, March 29. Meanwhile, Dune: Part II, the uber-popular sequel to 2021’s Dune, will end its extended run of daily screenings on Thursday, March 28.
The New Empire centers on an unexpected team-up between two of cinema’s most well-known monster movie icons. When King Kong discovers others of his species inside the hollow center of planet Earth, he must join forces with fellow B-movie heavyweight Godzilla to prevent their evil leader and a world-ending Titan from destroying the surface world.
Director — and Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native — Adam Wingard returns to lead this latest installment in Legendary Pictures’ MonsterVerse franchise, which stars Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Prestige), Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) and Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey, Beauty and the Beast).
Delivering pure moviegoing spectacle and dazzling special effects, Godzilla x Kong is sure to be the season’s premiere popcorn film, and only a screen on the scale of the IMAX Theater’s 89-foot behemoth could possibly do justice to the havoc wrought by these colossi.
Filmed with IMAX-certified digital cameras, Godzilla x Kong features over 45 minutes of IMAX-exclusive, expanded-aspect-ratio content. This means viewers will see 26% more picture than on a typical movie screen. This giant-screen-specific content will land with even greater impact thanks to the IMAX Theater’s 12-channel immersive audio and dual 4K IMAX with Laser projection system, delivering lifelike visuals and heart-pounding sound with unparalleled clarity.
Before the arrival of these monstrous marvels, audiences will have two final chances to take in March’s other heavy hitter before it leaves IMAX. Dune: Part Two was extended earlier this month, but it ends its prolonged run with a final screening on Thursday, March 28. The epic conclusion to Frank Herbert’s beloved novel chronicles the path of Paul Atreides as he unites the Fremen of the desert planet Arrakis to reclaim his birthright and avenge his father.
Godzilla x Kong and Dune are just the latest in an ever-expanding list of feature-length films being shown at IMAX. Since 2021, the theater has exhibited a steady stream of superhero blockbusters and Oscar-worthy dramatic offerings like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Oppenheimer.
The high demand brought by these big-screen blockbusters has fueled a suite of improvements at the theater to enhance the viewer experience, including replacing the 5,800-square-foot screen in 2022 and the installation of larger, more comfortable seats in 2023.
The latest update to the facility includes an overhaul of the concession experience, ensuring guests can grab their drinks, popcorn, and other snacks with plenty of time to take a seat before films begin. The newly renovated self-service concession area allows guests to select items a la carte before paying at the register. Some items, such as nachos and pretzels, will still prepared by concessions staff at the time of order.
“We wanted to go a direction that would speed up the concessions experience for our guests and minimize wait times,” says Director of IMAX Operations Corey Cobb.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire premieres Friday, March 29, at 6:15 p.m. and runs through April 11. The final screening of Dune: Part Two will be shown at 6:15 on Thursday, March 28.
For tickets and showtimes, visit tnaqua.org/imax/.