Cinema operators continue to expand their premium offerings, and in Texas, IMAX is about to become part of the dinner menu. Houston-based Star Cinema Grill is adding an IMAX with Laser auditorium to its Cypress location, scheduled to open on 18 November. The upgrade will make Cypress the only dine-in cinema in the Houston area offering IMAX, combining premium large-format presentation with full-service dining.

The renovation goes beyond projection technology. Star Cinema Grill is also installing heated recliners, massage seating and privacy pods, building on its earlier investment in a Samsung Onyx cinema LED auditorium at its Richmond location. The strategy reflects a growing emphasis on combining premium presentation with the comforts and hospitality of a complete night out.

Meanwhile, Hoyts is expanding its IMAX footprint in Australia and New Zealand. Two new IMAX with Laser auditoriums will open in December, at Hoyts Sylvia Park in Auckland and Hoyts Wetherill Park in Sydney, ahead of the release of “Dune: Part Three.” The Auckland installation will be Hoyts’ first IMAX location in New Zealand and forms part of a broader ten-theatre expansion agreement announced earlier this year.