The rise (and limits) of 4D cinema: Can marketing make it a blockbuster experience?

AMC Theatres is doubling down on immersive movie experiences. In a new deal with CJ 4DPLEX, AMC plans to add dozens of new 4DX and ScreenX auditoriums across the U.S., reinforcing its commitment to premium theatrical formats. The expansion comes as theaters continue to battle streaming competition, banking on immersive experiences that audiences can’t replicate at home.

AMC currently operates 58 4DX locations and 39 ScreenX locations, with this new partnership pushing those numbers even higher. The move is part of a larger industry trend where exhibitors invest in premium formats (IMAX, Dolby Cinema, and now 4DX) as a way to drive higher ticket prices and boost foot traffic.

But the question remains: Do audiences actually want 4DX theaters? And how should studios and marketers use them to maximize box office potential?

Do audiences want 4DX?

4DX, which adds motion seats, wind, rain, and scents to the moviegoing experience, has a dedicated fan base, but also skeptics.

Here’s some of the recent data regarding 4DX movie experiences:

• A 2017 study from Kantar Millward Brown found that 81% of U.K. moviegoers and 79% of Japanese audiences preferred 4DX over traditional theaters.

• In China, the number was even higher at 94%, reflecting the strong demand for interactive cinema.

• Despite this, some audiences find the moving seats distracting, and the premium ticket prices—often $6-$8 higher than standard showings—can be a barrier.

From a marketing perspective, 4DX isn’t just about selling tickets; it’s about positioning a film as an experience. (There will be a full email dedicated to this down the road…don’t worry.) Studios need to lean into that. Blockbusters that emphasize spectacle, such as Fast & Furious and Avatar, have thrived in 4DX, but mid-budget and non-action films rarely get the same push.

Marketing’s role in highlighting the 4DX experience

Even if the audience doesn’t plan to watch the movie in a 4DX theater in their market, the experience is noteworthy and may cause someone to watch an ad or consider buying a ticket to a regular showing in their market.

Marketing for 4DX screenings should focus on:

👀 Premieres turning into experiential events – Hosting special 4DX screenings with cast appearances, giveaways, or behind-the-scenes content.

🎬 Leverage experiential trailers – Highlight the unique 4DX effects in trailers, using text overlays like “Feel the wind, the water, the action—only in 4DX!”

📱 Social media teasers – Create short-form videos showing audience reactions to the 4DX experience, emphasizing how different it is from standard screenings.

🎟 Exclusive, influencer preview events – Host influencer and press screenings in 4DX theaters to generate buzz, encouraging attendees to share their experiences on social channels especially from their own POV.

👀 Brand Partnerships – Partner with action, adventure, and horror brands that align with 4DX’s immersive elements, such as energy drinks or gaming companies, for cross-promotional campaigns.

If theaters and studios can work together to turn 4DX into a must-try event - even just in a few major markets - rather than just an option on the ticketing page, its box office impact could grow significantly. Buzz-worthy 4DX experiences can drive PR and awareness for viewers interested in seeing the movie in standard 2D theaters.

Comparison: How domestic 4DX movie revenue stacks up for major blockbusters

Looking at recent releases, 4DX revenue varies based on the film’s genre, marketing push, and audience appetite for the format. Animated films and spectacle-driven franchises tend to perform well, while more traditional action films see a smaller but still notable boost.

The following graph highlights the domestic 4DX revenue for recent major blockbusters, showcasing which films have successfully leveraged the premium format to drive additional box office returns:

Here are some of the key insights from the data:

📈 Animated & CGI-heavy films dominate – The Super Mario Bros. Movie leads with $6.9M in 4DX revenue, showing that high-energy, family-friendly films can thrive in this format. Similarly, Avatar: The Way of Water pulled in $5.6M, reinforcing that visually immersive blockbusters are a strong fit for 4DX.

🎬 Action franchises see moderate success – While Fast X and John Wick: Chapter 4 are known for intense action, their 4DX revenue ($2.3M and $1.9M, respectively) is significantly lower than CGI-heavy films. This suggests that while motion-enhanced action appeals to fans, it doesn’t always drive premium ticket sales at the same level.

💰 4DX remains a small but valuable revenue driver – Even for top performers, 4DX makes up a relatively small percentage of total domestic box office earnings. However, its premium pricing helps theaters maximize revenue per ticket, making it an attractive option for exhibitors investing in immersive formats.

Quick hits: Movie marketing news across the industry

INDIE MOVIE MARKETING 🕺 How ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ rewrote the indie movie marketing playbook (Morning Brew)
Beyond the screenings, promotion for Napoleon Dynamite extended to the internet, in one of the earlier examples of online film campaigning. At the time, the social web was still largely in its infancy: “Friendster was around, MySpace was around, but we didn’t use that,” Lin said. “Texting wasn’t that big. This is before smartphones…the internet basically was just desktop computers.” But Lin said that, even then, he knew that the internet would be a crucial marketing tool for all movies going forward.

MARKETING POSITIONING 🩸 Amanda Seyfried Says ‘Jennifer’s Body’ Was a ‘Perfect Movie’ Ruined by Marketing that ‘Sucked’: ‘The Marketing Team Cheapened It’ (Variety)
“The marketing team cheapened it like it was just a gory romp. I think they ruined it, and I think Karyn and Diablo were a really good team. I love Needy. It was the first time I got to play really nerdy, wearing the glasses. Megan got to turn into a demon, it was awesome. We all just had a lot of fun, so I wanna celebrate it by doing a sequel,” Seyfried stays.