Disney partners with Cosm to bring Star Wars to immersive domes

The Walt Disney Company has announced a new studio partnership with immersive entertainment technology firm Cosm. The collaboration will bring the original Star Wars film to Cosm's domes beginning in March of next year. This initiative is part of a broader multiyear and multifilm agreement between the two companies. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed in the announcement.

The screening schedule is designed to coincide with a significant milestone for the franchise. The film is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary in May, and the immersive experience will launch just prior to this commemorative date. Alexis Scalice, head of Cosm Studios, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership in a statement to CNBC. She noted that the company actively seeks out anniversary and commemorative moments to celebrate with fans while establishing mutually beneficial relationships with partners.

This collaboration marks Cosm's sixth theatrical partnership with a Hollywood studio. Previous projects have included The Matrix, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and It, all developed in partnership with Warner Bros. The company is also scheduled to launch immersive screenings of Universal's Shrek in December.

The physical setup of Cosm locations features massive concave screens and stadium-style seating. Booths and tables are arranged on each level, allowing for a social viewing experience. The width of the dome fills much of the viewer's peripheral vision, creating the sensation that the audience is part of the onscreen environment.

For the Star Wars presentation, the film will be displayed in a large rectangle in the center of the dome. The surrounding background will be transformed to feature iconic locations from the movie, including the planets Tatooine and Yavin IV, as well as the Death Star. The visual experience will also include elements designed to simulate lightspeed travel and the feeling of being trapped in an intergalactic trash compactor.

Cosm is working directly with Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic, along with creative studio MakeMake, to develop the visuals and sound mixing for this unique presentation. Scalice highlighted the impact of the technology on specific auditory moments, such as hearing Darth Vader's breath for the first time. She described the experience of these defining moments in an 87-foot diameter dome with 12k resolution as distinct and enhanced compared to traditional viewing.

The premium experience will be accompanied by a themed menu, a practice Cosm has employed for other titles. For example, during screenings of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, guests were served house-made shepherd's pie, pretzel wands with cheese dip, and a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.

Cosm is positioning itself as a destination for fandom in both sports and film. The company offers a variety of live events, which are telecast to the domes using proprietary cameras mounted in arenas. This complements its expanding library of movies. Scalice stated that building communities based on fandom is the primary foundation of their business model.

The Star Wars franchise remains a powerful force in popular culture, consistently ranking among the top pieces of intellectual property in film, television, and retail. Disney is preparing for a large-scale celebration of the franchise's semicentennial. This includes merchandise launches, theatrical re-releases, its biannual Star Wars Celebration convention, and collaborations with other brands.