STREETERVILLE — The big screen is back at Navy Pier.
Navy Pier's IMAX theater will reopen Thursday after an extensive renovation adding new plush rocker seats, food options and a state-of-the-art laser projector that's unmatched in Chicago, the pier and IMAX announced Wednesday.
The opening marks a return for the theater, which closed for the renovation after being acquired by AMC Theatres last year.
“The Navy Pier IMAX at AMC is an iconic destination and the theater’s amenities now truly reflect its status as the crown jewel of movie-going in Chicago,” John McDonald, executive vice president for U.S. Operations at AMC, said in a statement. “IMAX with laser takes movie-going to a whole new level and together with the new plush seating, we’re excited to offer our Chicago guests this one-of-a-kind IMAX experience they won’t find in their homes or any other movie theater in the Midwest.”
New food includes stone-fired pizza bread, a 1½-pound Bavarian pretzel, more than 100 Coca-Cola beverages and gluten-free snacks. MacGuffin's, AMC's theater bar, will open at Navy Pier soon.
But the theater's biggest new draw may be its dual 4K laser projection system that IMAX promises will show "maximum resolution and sharpness, unparalleled 2D and 3D brightness," and "industry-leading contrast."
The only other cities that have the laser projectors are New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Navy Pier's theater also has a completely new sound system.
AMC, a massive chain, also runs theaters at Block 37, AMC River East in Streeterville, and 600 N. Michigan Ave., among other locations.
New releases this weekend include an adaptation of Stephen King's "It." Click here for more showtimes.
