In 2012, Dolby launched Atmos in theaters with the release of Pixar’s Brave. Two years later, the company announced that Pixar’s Inside Out will be the 200th film to carry the Atmos immersive soundtrack when it hits theaters in June 2015. In addition, Dolby Atmos has expanded its reach to more than 750 screens worldwide, either installed or committed.
New Dolby Atmos titles scheduled through 2014, representing most major studios, include Book of Life (20th Century Fox), Big Hero 6 (Disney), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (Lionsgate), Penguins of Madagascar (20th Century Fox, Dreamworks Animation), Exodus: Gods & Kings (2oth Century Fox), The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Warner Bros.), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (20th Century Fox) and Unbroken (Universal Pictures).
Meanwhile, aiming more long term and signifying that the push for immersive sound is heading to home theater (follow the real money), Dolby followed up on its summer 2014 debut of Atmos for the home by announcing in October that the company has been working with several industry leaders to bring to market new lines of Dolby Atmos-enabled speakers and AVRs. Dolby Atmos enabled home theater products will be featured and demonstrated at a variety of retailers across the globe. Magnolia Home Theater and Design Centers plan to feature Dolby Atmos demonstrations in hundreds of Magnolia locations within Best Buy.
On the content side, Hollywood studios including Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. will be among the first studios to support Dolby Atmos via online streaming, with VUDU, and Blu-ray Disc offerings. Paramount Pictures will release the first Blu-ray disc to feature Dolby Atmos soundtrack, Transformers: Age of Extinction. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced that the Diamond Luxe edition of Gravity will be released featuring a Dolby Atmos soundtrack on Feb. 10, 2015.
Finally, in November, Dolby Atmos for Home was named the Grand Winner in the entertainment category of this year’s Best of What’s New Awards from Popular Science Magazine.
OSCAR Sound: The Past 10 Years
BEST SOUND
2013: Gravity: Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead and Chris Munro
2012: Les Misérables: Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
2011: Hugo: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
2010: Inception: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
2009: The Hurt Locker: Paul N. J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
2008: Slumdog Millionaire: Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
2007: The Bourne Ultimatum: Scott Millan, David Parker and Kirk Francis
2006: Dreamgirls: Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie D. Burton
2005: King Kong: Christopher Boyes, Michael Semanick, Michael Hedges, Hammond Peek
2004: Ray: Scott Millan, Greg Orloff, Bob Beemer and Steve Cantamessa
BEST SOUND EDITING
2013 Gravity: Glenn Freemantle
2012: Skyfall: Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers Zero Dark Thirty: Paul N. J. Ottosson
2011: Hugo: Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton
2010: Inception: Richard King
2009: The Hurt Locker: Paul N. J. Ottosson
2008: The Dark Knight: Richard King
2007: The Bourne Ultimatum: Karen Baker Landers and Per Hallberg
2006: Letters from Iwo Jima: Bub Asman and Alan Robert Murray
2005: King Kong: Mike Hopkins and Ethan Van der Ryn
2004: The Incredibles: Michael Silvers and Randy Thom
Note: References below are for the year the film was released, not the year it won the Academy Award.