'Super 8,' 'Transformers: Dark Of The Moon,' 'Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol' And 'The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn' Get IMAX Releases

Paramount Pictures will be dominating your IMAX screens in the later half of 2011. They've just officially announced what many of us had already assumed: Super 8, directed by J.J. Abrams, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, directed by Michael Bay, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, directed by Brad Bird and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, directed by Steven Spielberg will all be released day and date in IMAX.Transformers and Tintin will be in IMAX 3D and Mission: Impossible will copy The Dark Knight as several scenes were shot with IMAX cameras making the action blow up and fill the screen during the movie. Read the full press release and more after the jump.

The biggest new from this press release is that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (am I the only one who instinctively types "Ghost Recon" when writing about this movie? I still can't get used to that title) is going to have full IMAX scenes. Next is that Michael Bay's IMAX experiment ends with Revenge of the Fallen and, because he shot parts of Dark of the Moon in 3D, he's going with that gimmick this time around. Third is that Tintin will be the first Steven Spielberg film in IMAX and finally, Super 8 marks J.J. Abrams' second IMAX film in a row.

Here's the full press release straight from Paramount and IMAX.

Los Angeles – January 12, 2011 – IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ:IMAX; TSX:IMX) today announced an agreement with Paramount Pictures to release four of the studio's tentpole releases in 2011 – Super 8, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. Each film will open day-and-date in IMAX® theatres worldwide. Sony Pictures Entertainment is co-production partner on The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn and Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) will handle distribution and marketing in most key territories overseas.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, both originally shot in 3D, will be digitally re-mastered into IMAX's format for presentation in IMAX® 3D.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol continues the legacy of The Dark Knight and its revolutionary integration of IMAX original footage as this fourth chapter in the Mission: Impossible franchise will feature scenes shot with IMAX cameras. These specific sequences, exclusively in IMAX, will expand on the screen and further immerse the audience in the explosive action and vast scope of the film.

"Consumer demand for The IMAX Experience® has never been higher," said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures. "Coupled with the rising popularity of the IMAX brand, the growing number of IMAX screens and the increased interest from our top filmmakers to have their movies offered in this format, IMAX is and continues to be a key part of our release strategy."

"Paramount Pictures consistently delivers top-quality, highly entertaining films that audiences love to see in IMAX, and with these new titles, we believe our 2011 lineup is on its way to becoming the most robust slate we've ever had," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "Our growing worldwide network will enable even more movie fans to experience their favorite films in the best possible way."

"When you combine the incredible storytelling talents of J.J. Abrams, Michael Bay, Brad Bird, and Steven Spielberg with technologies that transport the audience into the story, you create an awe-inspiring experience that takes movie-goers to places they only dream of – and that is what the core and spirit of our partnership with Paramount Pictures is all about," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We are very excited to share these amazing event films with IMAX exhibitors and movie-goers and look forward to working with these brilliant filmmakers as they showcase their talents in our format."

Super 8 will be released on June 10, 2011; Transformers: Dark of the Moon will be released on July 1, 2011; Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol will be released on December 16, 2011; and The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn will be released on December 28, 2011 (US release date)

While I love the IMAX experience, it's getting to a point where the only thing that I'm willing to pay extra for is when the film takes up the entire screen, like The Dark Knight or TRON: Legacy. So, by that rationale, I'll probably only see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in IMAX. The others, especially Super 8, should be fine in a nice, regular theater. Am I wrong? Will you go see all these films in IMAX?