EXCLUSIVE: Cosm — the entertainment concern that melds old-school planetarium with state-of-the-art immersive technology in a new theatrical experience — will open Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory as its second so-called “shared reality” presentation in a multi-picture deal with Warner Bros.
Screenings of the iconic Gene Wilder-starring 1971 film start Nov. 21. They follow Cosm’s successful June debut of The Matrix for its 25th anniversary with that run recently extended through August.
Shared reality, in contrast to VR and AR, doesn’t require headsets. Instead, it leverages Cosm’s proprietary technology, including its 87-foot diameter 12k+ LED dome and full-dome filmmaking capabilities to play films likeWilly Wonka in its classic format while the environment around it evolves with dynamic visuals and playful effects.
“The newest cinematic Shared Reality experience will transport long-time fans and families into the wonder of the renowned Chocolate Factory and deliver an elevated, multisensory experience that pairs boundary-pushing immersive storytelling with sweet treat tastings,” the company said.
Cosm, Warner Bros. and production and digital effects creative firms Little Cinema and MakeMake are collaborating on the series.
Cosm VP of Business Development and Entertainment Alexis Scalice calls the upcoming Willy Wonka presentation “an exciting evolution in cinematic family entertainment, blending nostalgia, innovation, and immersion to create a fan experience like no other.” She joined the company in January from Universal Live Entertainment Group, where she was VP of worldwide location-based entertainment.
Cosm is led by entrepreneur Jeb Terry, a former Fox executive and offensive lineman with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, and created by putting together companies including Evans & Sutherland, a leader in planetarium technology, Spitz, which creates content for domed theaters and classrooms, and tech companies LiveLikeVR and C360. Cosm opened venues in LA and Dallas in 2024 and has three more coming, Atlanta and Detroit this year, Cleveland next.
In the spring of 2024, the company raised $250 million in fresh case from a combination of existing investor Steve Winn via his Mirasol Capital and new investors, many professional sports team owners. They include The Avenue Sports Fund, led by former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry; Rock, founded by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert; Bolt Ventures, co-run by Blackstone partner and sports team investor David Blitzer; and investment firm Baillie Gifford.
Cosm launched with live sports on its domed screen which is still the bulk of its programming in deals with most major leagues. Scalice said it was clear early on that the format would be a good fit with cinema. The venues are large with seating for about 350 over three levels, varying from traditional auditorium style to leather booths and high tops. “We’ve got peak times, like Fridays and Saturday nights. We offer matinee prices, similar to what you’re seeing with theatrical releases,” Scalice said. “We’ve been selling out of the dome rather fast, especially with The Matrix, so we’re going to increase seating at some of our new locations.”
Jeff Goldstein, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Global Distribution said the studio was “excited to work with Cosm on the first-ever presentation of this kind in celebration of The Matrix, and thrilled with the results … Audiences truly embraced this unique sight and sound experience, so it was an easy ‘yes’ when the opportunity to dig into the extensive Warner catalog and give Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – one of the most enduring and beloved films of several generations of moviegoers – the Cosm treatment.”
“Willy Wonka has been a creative tentpole for us – a film that shaped our upbringing and expanded our sense of what’s possible when imagination leads,” said Little Cinema founder and CEO Jay Rinsky, calling it an honor to “have the chance to expand the storytelling around the frame, enhancing its most pivotal moments in partnership with Cosm’s groundbreaking format, MakeMake’s visual effects wizardry, and Warner Bros.’ iconic legacy.”
The Matrix at Cosm
Little Cinema Creative director Bruno Ribeiro called the Cosm dome “truly the perfect canvas” and The Matrix “a gift. I mean, it deals with perceptions of reality, the perception of virtual reality, it deals with the topics of AI, it’s so relevant. The question was, how do we translate a flat movie into a 3D immersive experience?”
MakeMake Creative Director Kirk Shintani said the challenge in Wonka is “to build on a shared creative language — and create something that honors and expands the world that first captivated audiences in 1971.”
“I think the biggest test for us was to take the concepts that Little Cinema and Bruno put together and figure out how to translate them in a production environment,” said Shintani. Wonka offered much “latitude to really explore and expand the world. Because it’s an older movie, it’s a classic movie. So we can play with that. The movie is still the movie, still the star.
“We were really excited to try and push the boundaries of of what the moviegoing experience could be. Because I think people are really looking for a new experience, something to get them out of the house, something that’s not streaming right to their home TV. They’re looking for something additive to the experience,” he said.