Barco : EPIC HDR Cinema Expands Across Germany

Barco and Vue are extending the EPIC premium large-format cinema experience into Germany through CinemaxX, marking another step in their Europe-wide collaboration on high-dynamic-range projection. The announced first wave covers five German cinemas: Stuttgart, Berlin and Magdeburg, followed by Freiburg and Bielefeld. The expansion places Barco's HDR laser technology at the center of a premium proposition built around exceptionally large screens, immersive sound and more expressive images. It also illustrates how cinema operators are using differentiated presentation formats to give audiences a compelling reason to experience films in a theater rather than at home.

Five CinemaxX Locations Anchor the German Rollout

The announcement identifies Stuttgart, Berlin and Magdeburg as the first operating locations, with Freiburg and Bielefeld to follow in the stated rollout plan. Barco's official HDR location directory identifies CinemaxX Stuttgart SI-Centrum at Plieninger Straße 111, CinemaxX Berlin Potsdamer Platz at Potsdamer Straße 5, and CinemaxX Magdeburg at Kantstraße 6. An independently documented milestone came on August 27, 2026, when the extensively modernized Stuttgart SI-Centrum cinema reopened. Its relaunch combined the EPIC presentation concept with upgraded seating and a new food-and-beverage offering, demonstrating that the investment extends beyond the projector itself. Exact launch dates for all five EPIC installations have not been independently established.

How HDR by Barco and Lightsteering Change the Picture

At the heart of EPIC is Barco's patented Lightsteering technology, which directs light strategically within a projected image instead of treating every area of the screen in the same way. According to the company, its HDR approach can produce highlights more than six times brighter than conventional cinema projection while preserving detail in dark areas. That combination is particularly relevant to demanding scenes containing brilliant light sources and deep shadows: greater highlight intensity does not have to mean sacrificing texture in the darkness. The technology also supports a broad color gamut and stronger perceived depth. These are manufacturer-reported performance characteristics, not a promise that every movie, auditorium or scene will exhibit an identical measured improvement.

Immersive Sound and the Biggest Screen in the Auditorium

EPIC is designed as a complete audiovisual environment rather than a projection-only upgrade. Vue describes the format as combining HDR by Barco with Dolby Atmos sound, which can place sound effects around and above the audience. The premium auditorium is also positioned around the cinema's largest screen, amplifying the impact of wide compositions and spectacle-driven storytelling. The resulting experience depends on several elements working together: image brightness, contrast, screen scale, sound design and seating comfort. CinemaxX's German website also markets selected large-format presentations under the Infinity Vision name and explicitly references HDR by Barco and Dolby Atmos; audiences should check the individual location and screening when booking.

From Nottingham to a Wider European EPIC Network

The German initiative follows EPIC's European debut in Nottingham, England, in July 2025. Under the agreement announced that month, Barco and Vue targeted at least 11 EPIC screens in the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands during 2025, plus at least 50 additional screens across the European estate by the end of 2027. By June 22, 2026, the partners reported 15 EPIC screens across 14 sites, more than 400,000 admissions and repeat visits at twice the rate of other premium large-format experiences in Vue's circuit. Those figures are company-reported and refer to the network at that time, not specifically to Germany. Locations cited in the expansion included Amsterdam, Milan, Silea and several British cinemas.

Germany Is Already an Important Market for Barco HDR

The CinemaxX rollout builds on earlier German activity rather than introducing HDR by Barco to the country for the first time. In October 2025, Barco announced HDR installations with Cineplex and Cinedom, including plans for two HDR-enabled auditoriums at Cineplex Münster and a CinedomX premium experience in Cologne. At the time, Gerwin Damberg, executive vice president of Barco Cinema, described the German expansion as personally meaningful because he had grown up in Germany and developed his love of film in its cinemas. That anecdote adds a human dimension to a market expansion otherwise defined by projector specifications and installation schedules.

What the Expansion Means for CinemaxX and Moviegoers

Frank Thomsen, managing director of CinemaxX Germany, Vue Netherlands and Vue Denmark, describes EPIC as a step toward a new standard of image quality, sound and immersion. For CinemaxX, the format strengthens the technological positioning of a German cinema brand launched in 1990 and part of Vue International since 2012. For moviegoers, the practical benefit is choice: a standard screening or a premium presentation built for greater visual intensity and enveloping audio. Whether the premium option is worth choosing will depend on the film, local auditorium and ticket price, so the precise format advertised for each screening remains important.

Photos : Copyright CinemaX

(Source  : press release)