Live coverage of the 2024 "League of Legends" World Championship esports series will be shown in some 200 cinema screens in mainland China.
Kicking off on Thursday with the quarterfinals, the events will be shown exclusively in Imax theaters operate by Wanda, China's largest cinema chain.
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The quarterfinals will run Oct. 17-20. Semifinals will play out Oct. 26-27. The finals will be held on Nov. 2.
The live-screening event is the initiative of Imax China, Wanda Film and TJ Sports, a joint venture between Tencent Interactive Entertainment and Riot Games, intended to develop the esports ecosystem, especially "League of Legends" and "Valorant."
The move is also part of a drive by Imax China to develop a portfolio of alternate content activities in its massive fleet of cinemas, at a time when China's national theatrical box office is lagging 22% behind 2023 levels. In Greater China, the company counts some 800 theaters in commercial operation.
In June, the 2024 NBA Finals were shown live for the first time in selected IMAX theaters in Hong Kong and Taiwan, allowing cinemagoers to witness the thrill of the games together with an audience.
The company was also instrumental in bringing the music documentary "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" to China, earning the best New Year's Eve box office in Imax China's history.
"From esports to sports to music, our content portfolio in China is more diverse than ever -- as demand for Imax grows and we become a destination for awe-inspiring experiences of all kinds," said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMax China. "We are excited to achieve this groundbreaking cooperation with TJ Sports and Wanda and advance our live strategy in China, launching the world's first Imax esports live event with the famed 'League of Legends'."
As of 31 Dec. 2023, Wanda Film operated 905 cinema complexes with 7,546 screens in China, including 709 self-developed cinemas with 6,156 screens. These include 381 Imax screens in operation, making it the cinema chain with the largest number of Imax screens in China.