Cosm rides premium moviegoing wave with more immersive screenings and a wider library

Summary

• Cosm is an immersive entertainment technology company that began by programming planetariums and now operates massive domed screens for sports and film.
• Since 2024, Cosm has opened four theaters near Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and Detroit, with a fifth location scheduled to open in Cleveland in 2027.
• The company has partnered with Warner Bros. to screen films including "The Matrix," "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and "It."
• Cosm signed a deal with Universal to bring "Shrek" to its domes in December.
• Cosm is a privately held company that does not disclose financials, though tickets range from $18 for matinees to around $70 for prime seats.
• Sony invested $100 million in Cosm in June, taking a minority stake and placing Ravi Ahuja on the company's board.
• Other investors include Mirasol Capital, Avenue Sports Fund, Rock, and Bolt Ventures.
• Cosm screens feature 87-foot-diameter concave screens, with the upcoming Cleveland location set to have a 100-foot-diameter dome.
• Venues in Los Angeles & Dallas hold approximately 350 seats, while locations in Atlanta & Detroit hold up to 500 seats.
• Live sports are broadcast using specialty arena cameras to create an illusion of being on the field.
• Theatrical features display the film in a central rectangle with transformed backgrounds to extend the scene.
• Visuals for theatrical presentations are created by Little Cinema & MakeMake, a process that can take up to a year.
• Most theatrical offerings are decades-old films with established fan bases, though "Shrek" will be the first animated title.
• Premium large format tickets average more than $18, compared to around $13 for standard movie tickets.
• Theatrical presentations are only available inside the dome, unlike sports events which have lower-priced viewing areas outside.