Ang Lee’s sci-fi movie Gemini Man starring Will Smith will be screened at select theaters in High Frame Rate (HFR) 3D and 2D, according to a report by The Playlist and a letter from Paramount.

Paramount is preparing theaters for HFR
Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit was shot and screened in 48fps, which is double the frame rate of a typical 24fps Hollywood movie. It has not been released on disc or online in its original format.

Ang Lee took it further by shooting Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk in 4K 3D 120fps, which has been described as “absolutely spectacular” after a screening session. However, almost no theaters were capable of presenting the movie in its full glory at that time and the home release was limited to 4K 60fps. The movie was a box office flop.

Ang Lee will be pushing the boundaries again with his upcoming sci-fi movie Gemini Man starring Will Smith, Clive Owen, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It tells the story of Henry Brogen (Will Smith), an aging assassin who is seeking to end his career but finds himself going up against a younger clone of himself.

Gemini Man has been shot in 4K 3D 120fps and in the letter Paramount Pictures is asking theater exhibitors to test whether they can present the movie in High Frame Rate 2D and 3D.

- “Ang’s unique vision for this film includes recording and projecting in the most pristine and immersive formats. We want to do everything possible to make projecting the high frame rate version of ‘Gemini Man’ a turnkey experience for you and provide audiences with the latest technological advancement in cinema,” the letter reads.

According to the letter, Paramount is planning to distribute the film in 120fps 2D as well as 60fps 3D. The studio is asking exhibitors to provide feedback on tests by March 22, 2019.



Gemini Man may relight HFR debate
The release of Gemini Man is likely to relight the debate around HFR movies. While some people believe that HFR is an important step forward, others insist that movies are meant to be watched in 24fps.

James Cameron has said that the Avatar sequels will be shot in HFR. The next generation of 4K TVs with HDMI 2.1 will also be capable of handling video inputs at up to 4K 120fps.

Ang Lee’s Gemini Man will be released on October 4, 2019, and while Paramount is pushing exhibitors to get onboard, do not assume that your average theater is capable of screening the movie in its full glory. We expect to hear a lot more about the technical side of Gemini Man as we get closer to the premiere.

- Source: The Playlist