The Spiderwick Chronicles finally made it through into the Chinese market two months after it premiered in the United States. However, it enters solely in the IMAX version, undoubtedly enhancing the already abundant visual feast. Currently the movie is only screening at Beijing's UME International Cineplex but it may soon be screened at other UME cinema divisions in some other cities around China.
China limits annual imports of foreign films. Only 20 foreign films, mostly from Hollywood, will be allowed into the Chinese market after Chinese film officials review a film's content and market potential.
Thus far, the UME has been the only cinema chain in China boasting IMAX format, but very few Chinese people can enjoy the ultimate experience since there are so few cinemas in China that can afford the lavish IMAX screening halls. As such, IMAX versions can also "fortunately" ignore the Chinese movie import limit.
IMAX (short for Image Maximum) is a film format created by Canada's IMAX Corporation that can display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film screening systems. A standard IMAX screen is 72.6 foot wide and 52.8 foot high, but some are even larger. Director Michael Bay said IMAX represents the future of cinema when he cut an IMAX version for his robot sci-fi action movie Transformers. The movie's IMAX copy was also imported into China by UME in October, 2007.
