A lot of attention is being given to the fact that Toy Story 3, which opens in the UK on 23 July, will be in 3D, but it actually stands to break more ground on the audio front.
It will be the first film to be shown in cinemas in Dolby Surround 7.1, which promises to give filmmakers more control over the exact placement of sounds and expand the sweet spot for viewers to create the best surround sound experience yet.
Up to 240 cinemas have upgraded their equipment to handle the eight channels of 7.1 says Dolby, which is offering a free upgrade to those currently using the company’s Surround and EX systems. Until more cinemas are using the system however, the studios will need to create two versions for each film – one in 7.1, and one in 5.1.
Further 7.1 films are expected to follow, with Disney already confirming it for future releases such as Step Up 3.