Cinema bets on immersion to bring back audiences

In a Los Angeles theatre, a trench coat-wearing Neo bends backwards to dodge bullets that spiral over the viewer's head, as the sound of gunfire erupts from everywhere.

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INGLEWOOD, United States - In a Los Angeles theatre, a trench coat-wearing Neo bends backwards to dodge bullets that spiral over the viewer's head, as the sound of gunfire erupts from everywhere.

This new immersive experience is designed to be a red-pill moment that will get film fans off their couches at a time when the movie industry is desperate to bring back audiences.

Cosm, an immersive entertainment and technology company which has venues in Los Angeles and Dallas, is launching its dome-style screen and 3D sets in June with a "shared reality" version of The Matrix, the cult 1999 film starring Canadian actor Keanu Reeves as a man who suddenly learns his world is a fiction.

"We believe the future will be more immersive and more experiential," said Cosm president Jeb Terry at a recent preview screening.

"It's trying to create an additive, a new experience, ideally non-cannibalistic, so that the industry can continue to thrive across all formats."