Disney Signs Deal With Secret Cinema to Have Their Movies Adapted as Immersive Experiences

Readers in the UK might be well aware of the explosive an very real "Secret Cinema" group in London, which takes feature films and develops them into tactile living worlds where fans can literally become part of their favorite movies. To that end, Secret Cinema and Walt Disney Studios have signed a "multi-title agreement" which will see several iconic Disney movies come to life via their elaborate productions. As if that weren't enough, Secret Cinema will bring their talents across the pond with these new productions, with expansions set to happen in Los Angeles and New York.

"Working with The Walt Disney Studios is much more than access to a treasure trove of titles, it's about bringing together a unique combination of skills and expertise to build ever more authentic and amazing experiences, raising the bar again for what we mean by 'immersive cinema,'" Secret Cinema CEO Max Alexander told THR in a statement.

At each of the Secret Cinema events, huge multi-acre arenas based on the mise-en-scène of the particular film are created allowing patrons an open world to engage with and explore. To make things even more immersive, participants are assigned characters and encouraged to dress in appropriate attire so that they fit in with the aesthetic and fill their role in the story to a T. Furthermore, live actors and props are used in conjunction with the theatrical screenings of the given movies to further bring them to life in front of the audience's eyes.

"A filmmaker takes a book and transforms it into a film, we take the film and we transform it into a theatrical experience," found and creative director Fabien Riggall previously said. "Instead of just watching the film you become part of the story."

As part of their deal with Disney, Secret Cinema's first event based on one of their films will debut later this year. What film that will be, and what other movies from Disney they have on their radar remains to be seen.

Previously Secret Cinema has "adapted" feature films like William Shakespeare's
Romeo + Juliet, Blade Runner, Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, 28 Days Later, Miller's Crossing, the Shawshank Redemption, Alien, and Back to the Future, including a full reconstruction of Hill Valley for fans to walk through. Though conducted under a different deal, Secret Cinema did previously dabble into Disney with a "production" of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. You can watch a video highlight of what they were able to do with Star Wars previously in the player above!

Currently Secret Cinema is engaging in an event based on Stranger Things, currently ongoing in London until March 1. They'll debut their own take on Dirty Dancing this summer.