The future of cinema lands at SM Mall of Asia as SCREENX brings a sweeping 270-degree experience that surrounds audiences with pure movie magic.
Since the earliest days of cinema, filmmakers and exhibitors have been true magicians, relentlessly pushing their art forward and crafting experiences that can only be felt in the darkened glow of a movie theater. When television became the new household staple in the 1950s, Hollywood answered with grandeur: screens grew wider, 3D dazzled drive-in crowds, and sweeping epics unfurled across panoramic frames. In the modern age, IMAX offered something streaming services couldn’t: the world of cinema in its biggest, most breathtaking form.
Today, that spirit of innovation lives on, this time through a wickedly wonderful experience taking the Philippines (and the world) by storm. SM Cinema, the country’s largest film exhibitor, is once again raising the bar with SCREENX at SM Mall of Asia: a cutting-edge, fully immersive cinematic format that doesn’t just bring worlds to life, but also makes you feel as though you’ve stepped directly into them.
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A Cinematic Innovation
SCREENX is the first of its kind in the Philippines, offering audiences a 270-degree panoramic theater format that extends the film beyond the main screen and onto the auditorium walls, creating an audacious, fully immersive experience. We’ve seen new formats before, of course, but what makes SCREENX truly special is how effortlessly it pulls you out of the real world—surrounding you so completely, you forget you’re in a theater at all.
This breakthrough wouldn’t be possible without SM Cinema, long known for its commitment to innovation and world-class moviegoing experiences. For SCREENX, they teamed up with CJ 4DPLEX, a global leader in premium film formats and cinema technology, and the same creative force behind the wildly popular 4DX and Ultra 4DX experiences beloved by Filipino fans.
With the launch of the first SCREENX theater at SM Mall of Asia, the Philippines joins an exclusive group of just 40 countries offering this format. We’re now home to one of 435 SCREENX auditoriums worldwide, each one delivering a multi-sensory cinematic experience that invites audiences to connect, immerse, and truly step inside the story.
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SCREENX Is Wicked Cool
For the launch and maiden screening of SCREENX in the Philippines, SM Cinema chose something truly special: the highly anticipated sequel Wicked: For Good, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Last year’s Wicked: Part One was one of 2024’s biggest box-office successes and earned multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. With the film becoming a global phenomenon, anticipation for the sequel was sky-high, making it the perfect choice to showcase SCREENX, especially with its vibrant, mystical visuals set in the colorful land of Oz.
Lifestyle Asia was invited to the launch and became one of the first to experience SCREENX locally. The excitement was palpable, and when the lights dimmed and the images expanded onto the side walls in stunning clarity, an audible gasp filled the auditorium, followed by cheers. It felt like a genuine milestone for Philippine moviegoers, something refreshingly new in a time when many thought they’d already seen every cinematic innovation.
The opening frames of Wicked: For Good made it instantly clear what SCREENX could do. The iconic tulip fields of Oz enveloped the entire room, leaving the audience in absolute awe. Being among the first to witness this felt historic, almost like sitting in a theater in 1953 when The Robe debuted in a new widescreen CinemaScope format to astonished crowds. SCREENX has undoubtedly arrived, and we can’t wait to see which films will take advantage of this format next. For now, Wicked is still showing—so grab your tickets and immerse yourself in the magical world of Oz.
For more information, visit www.smcinema.com or follow @SMCinema on social media.
Photos courtesy of SM Cinema
