For the first time, NBC will broadcast the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony live on over 150 IMAX screens throughout the United States. This marks a significant milestone in the broadcasting of international sports events.

The Paris Olympics opening ceremony, scheduled for July 26, 2024, is set to be a spectacle like no other. For the first time in history, the ceremony will not be held in a stadium. Instead, athletes will be paraded down the River Seine on a four-mile-long flotilla of nearly 100 boats, passing iconic sites in Paris.

This innovative approach to the opening ceremony is expected to captivate audiences worldwide. The decision to broadcast the event live on IMAX screens will allow viewers to experience the grandeur and excitement of the event in a larger-than-life format.

IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond expressed excitement about extending NBC’s coverage of the opening ceremony to IMAX theaters across the U.S. This move is expected to draw large crowds, enhancing the communal viewing experience and bringing fans closer to the action.

The decision to broadcast the opening ceremony in IMAX theaters follows the successful run of Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s “Dune: Part Two” in IMAX locations. Special, limited-time programming such as the Summer Olympics coverage could drive moviegoers to IMAX. Once they’re there, trailers and advertisements for other films or special events could lure them back again.

This unique collaboration between NBC and IMAX represents a new era in sports broadcasting, offering viewers an immersive experience that brings them closer to the heart of the action. As the world regathers to witness the spectacular beginning of 16 days of athletic greatness, this historic moment is set to be one for the books.