You might want to reconsider your weekend plans considering the latest entertainment attraction to debut in North Texas.
Starting on Saturday, people will have the opportunity to step inside of a fully immersive, hyper-realistic version of the "Star Wars" universe at the Cinemark West Plano theater.
“Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire” is a partnership between Plano-based Cinemark and The Void, an industry leader in hyper reality technology.
“I really hope that people are able to actually experience something that they have never done before. Maybe it’s something they only ever dreamed about, that they go through and they come out saying, ‘That was the best thing I’ve ever done,’” said Jade Grimmius, Director of Partner Performance with The Void. “I know that is a high bar but I think we can meet it.”
For the experience, customers will strap on a custom VR headset and an accompanying backpack, pick up a blaster and enter a 4D story – meaning you will literally feel, interact with and even smell the virtual environment all around you – based upon the beloved universe created by George Lucas more than 40 years ago.
“You are transported into the 'Star Wars' universe, and you are able to join your friends and run around untethered in the space as a Storm Trooper where you are working together to fulfill a mission,” said James Meredith, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications with Cinemark. “I know our guests are going to love it. This is really the only place, not only here in North Texas but also in the entire state, where you can come and experience premium virtual reality.”
Tickets are available for purchase now, although many spots are already accounted for during the first several days after the Saturday debut. Tickets sell for $29.95 apiece.
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Participants must be at least 10 years old and at least 48 inches tall.
Future iterations of The Void will include a haunted experience called Nicodemus, a Wreck It Ralph experience called Ralph Wrecks VR, which will offer the first opportunity to step inside the world of Disney animation, as well as an as-yet untitled tie-in with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The promotional description of the experience reads like this on the Cinemark website:
A galaxy far, far away needs your help. In teams of four, be transported with family and friends in a brand new hyper-reality experience from Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB and The VOID. Under the orders of the budding rebellion, your team will travel to the molten planet of Mustafar. Your mission is to recover Imperial intelligence vital to the rebellion’s survival. Alongside the pragmatic droid K-2S0, your team must navigate through an enemy facility walking into danger at every turn. Disguised as stormtroopers, grab your blaster, solve puzzles, and fight giant lava monsters in an effort to fulfill your team's orders. Pushing the boundaries of location-based virtual reality, The VOID and ILMxLAB bring the Star Wars universe to life through a multi-sensory, untethered story.
