Though "The Ghouls" will only be screened in a small number of U.S. theaters, the Chinese horror film will debut on the world's biggest film market via the new ScreenX theater technology developed by South Korean firm, CGV cinema chain.
On Thursday, China's Wanda Group and CGV, the largest cinema chain in Korea, announced that the move is part of their partnership's expansion. The two agreed to further promote the new technology in the U.S. as well as in other parts of the globe.
ScreenX offers a 270-degree view to moviegoers with its panoramic and three-screen system. CGV co-developed it with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Meanwhile, Wanda eyes to install more of this kind of theaters at major AMC locations in America. The Chinese cinema giant controls AMC and Australia's Hoyts theater chain.
The ScreenX version of the horror flick will be financed by Wanda and will be produced by the two companies.
"The Ghouls" stars Asian A-listers Angelababy and Shu Qi. It will be released in three countries, such as China, the U.S. and South Korea.
Currently, there are 76 ScreenX locations in 45 cinema houses across Korea. The technology is also being used in three key locations in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Bangkok in Thailand.
A CGV spokesperson noted that they will increase the number of ScreenX locations to over a thousand in five years' time.
Since the South Korean firm's launching in China a decade ago, CVG has been operating in 49 theaters in the country. It also plans to raise this number to more than 80 in the next two or three years.