3D Re-release of "Pan's Labyrinth" Gives Stunning Presentation of Classic

Guillermo del Toro's Academy Award-winning masterpiece "Pan's Labyrinth" is back in theaters for its 20th anniversary. If you haven't seen this haunting fairy tale for adults, now is the time to make a trip to the theater to take advantage of seeing the movie the best possible way since it was originally released. First of all, the movie has been given a new 4K scan from the original 35mm negative, and the picture has never looked sharper. For the purposes of this blog, it has also been given a new 3D transfer supervised by del Toro himself. And (as he has emphasized strongly) absolutely no AI was used in the creation of the 3D images (though hopefully he will forgive me if I use AI to spellcheck my writing).

Since this is one of my favorite movies of all time, of course I was going to see this in theaters (even if the Fathom Events release prevents me from using my AMC Stubs A-List or Regal Unlimited), and I am happy to say that it was worth every penny. Even if the film had not been presented in 3D, seeing the movie again in theaters would have been worth the price of admission. That del Toro took the time to present it in a new 3D conversion during a time when 3D films are not exactly lighting the box office on fire, I can only assume that del Toro saw a true artistic reason to create this version. In fact, during an introduction to the movie (FYI: there are no previews for this movie, so show up to the theater on time) of the 3D version, he claims, audiences can now see it "the way it was always meant to be seen."

Now, I may be paraphrasing (the exact phrase escapes me at the moment), but please keep in mind he is NOT saying see it in 3D or don't see it at all! While I do believe movies that are shot from the ground up with 3D in mind should be experienced in that format ("Hugo," "Gravity," etc.), a great movie is a great movie regardless. Also, this one has been shown in 2D for 20 years, so it's not exactly like we've been watching it incorrectly for two decades. However, this new 3D version is so clean, so immersive, that it truly felt like it was meant to be seen this way for all these years. Keep in mind, I've watched this movie several times in several different formats. I saw it in the theaters with my dad (who got a kick out of the fact we were seeing a movie in his native tongue), on the now dead HD-DVD format (remember that?), and Blu-ray.

Watching it in 3D was never on my bingo card, but I can confidently say, without hesitation, that this is the best I've ever seen it. Previously, del Toro only directed one 3D movie ("Pacific Rim"), which was one heck of an IMAX 3D experience. Despite having multiple opportunities to make another one, he hasn't. That isn't because he doesn't like 3D, but, more likely, because he hasn't found a reason to make another 3D movie. The fact that he chose to put in so much time and money into converting this film to 3D shows how much potential he saw in the project. Having seen it myself, I can say it is absolutely worth seeing.

Only Pacific Rim is released in a 3D special edition. Pan’s will only be theatrical 3D. From what I gather, its is not a format that took off in the home theatre environment…

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) October 11, 2026

Sadly, there is some sad news to report: this excellent 3D version will (as of this writing) NOT be coming to Blu-ray 3D! While he did inquire about such a release, the company who is handling that feels the expense is not worth it since the format never took off in America (or much of the rest of the world, if we're being honest). It's a shame that a man of del Toro's reputation can't join James Cameron in demanding a Blu-ray 3D release for a classic film, but such is the state of the industry. It does make me sad to think that once this release is over, a wonderful 3D version is going to be locked away in a vault somewhere, likely never to be seen again along with Pixar's "Soul" and "U2 3D."

I believe we will be in theaters longer than that but- Yes- this is the ideal way of seeing it while is out- in over 1000 theaters in the US

— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) October 14, 2026

The good news is this release of "Pan's Labyrinth" is not exactly a small release. It is showing in over 1,000 screens and it will apparently be in theaters for at least a couple of weeks. Even if the 3D version isn't available in your area, "Pan's Labyrinth" is worth experiencing on the big screen (whether in 2D or 3D). If it's in 3D, this is even better. Unlike "Frankenstein" (of which I'm one of the few people who saw the film in IMAX), at least readers will have a fighting chance to experience this one. I highly recommend you take the opportunity to do so.

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AMC Offers Collectible 3D Glasses for "Avengers: Doomsday" Fan Event

The collectible 3D glasses are coming back! AMC Theaters is doing a special promotion for fans who decide to see "Avengers: Doomsday" in 3D for their fan event on December 20th, 2026:

Personally, I'm happy to see this. Theaters used to give out collectible movie-themed 3D glasses more often when they were hyping up a major 3D release. I've got a box full of them that I should pull out and make a video for on my iCritic Media YouTube channel. This practice has largely gone away, but I'm assuming the massive hit of the previous two Avatar movies (as well as the overperformance of the 3D presentation for "Spider-Man: Brand New Day") likely convinced someone that doing this was a wise idea. There will be five designs to choose from and not only will most of these wind up on eBay, I can almost certainly guarantee you the Dr. Doom pair is going to be the hardest to find.

Now, if you miss this event, I wouldn't stress too much: there will almost certainly be enough pairs to spill over into other 3D screenings the next couple of days. Whether these survive past the opening weekend is another matter altogether.

Update

I fixed the date for when the fan event was actually happening (sorry folks, Disney ain't showing you the movie three months in advance no matter how confident they are in the quality of the film). I should also point out that another unusual aspect of this is that Fan Events are rarely shown in 3D (I don't even recall if they did this for Spider-Man), so that makes this even more unusual.

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Welcome Back: "Cars" 20th Anniversary Re-Release WILL be in 3D!

Hi everyone!

Sorry, I know it's been... two years since I last updated here. Sorry about that. I've been putting a lot of time into my (newly designed) website, YouTube channel, and podcast. Needless to say, this blog simply fell off the radar for me. I'm not going to promise weekly updates or anything like that, but enough things are happening in the 3D space that I feel the need to at least dip my toe back in the water. I think making shorter posts that are more direct with some of the news stories will likely make updates a bit easier. I'm not saying there won't be any more essays or longer opinion pieces, but for stories like today where you need information more than a thesis, a short post is probably better than no post at all.

Anyway... Pixar's "Cars" is getting theatrically re-released in theaters on September 4, 2026. My immediate question was whether or not this would include the 3D remaster that was made exclusively for Blu-ray 3D (back in the days when Disney was invested in the Blu-ray 3D format). The answer, it appears, is YES! That being said... you're going to have to look for it. In my area, there are a couple of larger AMC theaters that are showing 3D versions of the release, but in both cases, there are only a couple of screenings each day. If you live near a smaller theater (or in a less populated area), the 3D version may not be as easy to find. Either way, it will be nice to see "Cars" not only in theaters again, but to see the 3D version that was originally exclusive to home viewing.

I'm going to add that I personally like "Cars." I have always felt it was a charming film (even if it is not one of Pixar's greatest accomplishments). No full review here, but if you want to see some of what I've been up to, check out a mini-documentary I made about why "Cars" lost the Best Animated Feature Oscar to "Happy Feet."

It's good to be back, folks.

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Should You See "Wicked" in RealD 3D or IMAX 2D?

"Wicked" is opening this weekend and chances are it will be HUGE! I was fortunate enough to see a sneak preview(s) of the film and have written my review on my main website. There are no shortage of options for viewers to watch the film: IMAX 2D, 4DX, RPX, and RealD 3D. Chances are there is a Cinemark XD screen that will have a showing or two in 3D (and honestly, if you live near one of those, that would be the best way to view the film). But what if you have to make a choice? Which version is the best? Well, let's start by nixing the 4DX screening, as the movement in the cinema doesn't really make sense until near the end of the movie, and most of the time the seats just jerk around every time an actor does a dance move in a pitiful attempt to justify the 4DX experience.

Yeah, some of the water and lighting effects are nice, but, again, it only truly feels like it is coming together near the end. The IMAX screening had the best sound, and if you want the best aural experience than the IMAX version is THE version to see! IMAX has had a leg up in terms of the sound department, to the point where it is sometimes a good enough reason to skip the 3D visuals. However, all that being said, the 3D effects in the movie are EXTREMELY well done, with the opening shots gaining new life with the 3D effects and the climax being a tad more exciting with the depth that is brought when the show stopping number is sung on screen! So, the final verdict here is that the 3D version is the best, and if you can find a premium screen that is showing it in 3D then that will be the version you will want to seek out. 

That being said, if sound is more important to you, that may be reason enough to see it in IMAX even without the 3D visuals.

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"Transformers One" to be Screened in IMAX 3D

This is a public service announcement I used to do (and am now going to continue resume) to say that it appears many IMAX's will have one to two 3D screenings of Paramount Pictures upcoming (and surprisingly good) "Transformers One." I have not seen the movie in 3D myself (the critics screening was a standard 2D presentation), but many scenes in the movie were shot in a way that I wondered how it looked in 3D. It appears IMAX thinks they are noteworthy enough to dedicate some showings to presenting it in 3D, so that is likely a huge vote of confidence for the quality of the 3D. Several AMC PRIME locations will also be showing the movie in 3D in case you don't live near an IMAX.

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"Coraline" 4K 3D Re-Release Shows that Great 3D is Still Profitable

Yeah, yeah, I know it's been awhile since I've updated this blog. I promise once again not to fall too far behind (though we'll see how long that promise lasts). I may actually mean it this time because with the Apple Vision Pro making 3D movie drops an event again, there just might be more to talk about. Right now I want to talk briefly about the 4K 3D re-release of Henry Selick's (NOT Tim Burton's) "Coraline," which started out as a one-night Fathom Event and got extended to a one-week release due to great pre-sale numbers. The release has since been extended to a second week where it has (thus far) earned a staggering $37.7 million in its re-release! A few things to keep in mind about this re-release:

1. "Coraline" made roughly the same amount of money during the opening of this re-release as it did when it was first released back in 2010.
2. This re-release made more money than the re-releases of "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," "Avatar," and several of the 3D re-releases of Disney classic films (you'll note that all of these movies had 3D re-releases as well).
3. Due to this re-release Laika's upcoming film - "Wildwood" - is getting a huge boost.
4. None of these screenings qualify for Regal Unlimited or AMC Stubs A-List (believe me, I've looked).
5. Most tickets sold have been for the 3D screenings, and most are continuously sold out.

The reasons for this re-release doing especially well are numerous. From the movie becoming a nostalgia cult classic, to the lack of competition from family films, to the fact that "Coraline" has become a classic movie that is now being passed on to the next generation, there is one reason that is (obviously) being overlooked: the 3D presentation itself. While I personally do not believe "Coraline" is the best 3D presentation of an animated film (that honor is a tossup between "How to Train Your Dragon" and Robert Zemeckis's "A Christmas Carol"), it is one of those essential 3D movies that loses something when you watch it in 2D.

The 3D is so essential that even standard BluRays of the film typically have the red and green anaglyph glasses so viewers can somewhat enjoy the immersive experience. So when it came time to do this re-release, the people at Laika and Fathom Events wisely leaned into the fact that this was a 4K 3D presentation. There were many people who have not seen "Coraline" in 3D for many years, and they have fond memories of doing so. Seeing that 3D TVs are still MIA (for the time being), this was one of the only ways for fans of the film to see the 3D presentation of "Coraline" in a way that wasn't completely compromised by old technology.

It also goes on to prove what I have been saying here for years: that a great 3D presentation is not only something that can help the movies but can still be profitable. As a result of this I fully expect a few more re-releases of 3D movies that were hits back in the day to be released in theaters once again. This will be great for 3D fans who want to relive these experiences in theaters once more. Will it result in a new wave of 3D movies? Eh...I expect it might inspire 3D coats of paint to popular 2D movies instead. Which is a shame because a huge lesson that should be learned from this is that great 3D not only makes great movies better, but can also be profitable in the long run. I expect Hollywood to learn the wrong lesson once again.

@icritickevintrod

Laika’s “Coraline” is Still a 3D Masterpiece

♬ original sound - icritic

My brief YouTube Short review

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Two 3D Films Nominated at the 96th Annual Academy Awards

 

Though the list is getting shorter by the year, two 3D movies did manage to get Oscar Nominations at the 96th Annual Academy Awards. The first is "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3," directed by James Gunn. This movie was nominated for Best Visual Effects. Needless to say, seeing that the film was shot in 3D, it's safe to say the 3D visuals were integral to the film getting a nomination here. The other film was Pixar's "Elemental," which got a nomination for Best Animated Feature. One of the producers said he preferred audiences to watch this movie in 3D, and as someone who has regularly criticized Pixar's 3D output, I will say this is one of the best 3D movies they have produced.

The winners will be announced on March 10, 2024.

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Is 2024 The Year 3D Makes a Comeback?

 

Happy New Year everyone!

Alright, I'm a bit late saying that. It's also been...several months since I updated. Looks like life got away from me again. I apologize for that. That does not mean my love for 3D has diminished, only that there is not much to speak of in the world of 3D. However, that may be about to change. In a few months, Apple will be unveiling their newest toy to the world: The Apple Vision Pro. For those who are unaware of what it is, well...it's Apple's answer to the Metaverse. Will it be successful? Hard to say. While very few Apple products have failed these past couple of decades, they are still wading into an industry that is being created before our very eyes (one that the public may not exactly be on board to partake in).

Unlike Meta's foray into the business with the Oculus Rift, Apple has been selling the concept of the device as an entertainment device rather than a virtual reality simulator. Not only was Disney+ one of the first things announced for the device, but Apple announced that over 150 movies would be available in 3D for Apple Vision Pro users! Now, this isn't something that everyone is going to get; at $3,499, it is unlikely you will find this item in the homes of anyone but the most hardcore techies (the average person is likely to spend this money on a trip to Disneyland).

So, in many ways, this 3D delivery device is still going to be a niche product. Yet niche products can lead the way to resurgences. What happens if the audience for this device really warms to 3D movies? Would it be difficult for Apple to issue a firmware update and soon Apple TV devices can display 3D (I genuinely have no idea if this is a possibility, but let's pretend for a moment it is)? What if the 3D option becomes popular enough that at least one TV manufacturer decides to reincorporate 3D displays in their sets to appeal to that Apple crowd? "Avatar: The Way of Water" was recently a massive hit in 3D, showing that when done properly audiences will accept it.

While 3D was always a struggle for streaming, the technology has improved to the point where we are now streaming 4K (3D, for the record, takes less bandwidth to stream than 4K does). If Apple can activate 3D streaming for their Apple Vision Pro customers, what's to say they can't do so for their TV consumers? Heck, VUDU has stubbornly refused to stop selling 3D movies (thank God), so they may be ahead of the game as it is. Then there are the glasses-free 3D TVs. Look...they aren't perfect. Personally, if this is the direction they're going, I hope they wait several more years until the technology is seamless. We don't need what happened with the first glasses support 3D TVs to happen again.

Here's the bottom line: Big things come from small beginnings. While we already had a 3D boom, if Apple makes the format popular again who knows what will happen? We've already had a few hit 3D movies recently. That's one small step. Having a new home device to watch these movies is the next. If Apple automatically gives available 3D upgrades to people who own their movies digitally (like they did with 4K), that will be another small step. Take enough small steps and you're eventually walking. Where are we walking to? Who knows, but let us find out together!

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Where Does 3D Stand in a Post-Avatar World?

 

"Avatar: The Way of Water" has finally been dethroned from the box office by not just M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock at the Cabin" but by surprise hit "80 for Brady," landing number 3 at the box office. As of this writing, the film is the third highest-grossing film of all time. What's more, if 3D fans want to revisit the film in 3D they still have plenty of screens to go to. It seems weird that this blog was quiet during all this "Avatar: The Way of Water" stuff (I also forgot to do my yearly 3D nominations list, so that will have to be done later), but I decided that this holiday season I needed to spend time for myself and my family, and so this blog got put on the sidelines (and on an additional note, I wrote this article a few weeks ago and am doing a second draft now so...life).

Now that the dust has settled, has "Avatar: The Way of Water" moved the 3D needle very much? What are some of the important stats that it hit and can 3D make a comeback as a result? Here are some of the highlights:

• Roughly 67% of "Avatar: The Way of Water" tickets sold during the first weekend were for 3D and premium screens.
• For the first three weeks no premium screens showed the movie in 2D (and few switched to 2D after those three weeks were up).
• Five weeks into the movies run regular RealD 3D screenings were readily available.
• Custom-made 3D trailers for future Marvel and Pixar movies were prepared in anticipation of the success of "Avatar: The Way of Water," planting seeds in the minds of moviegoers that there is more than one worthwhile 3D experience coming to theaters.
• Despite most of the 3D screens going to "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" got some 3D love at the box office, with roughly 17% of the first two weeks' ticket sales going to 3D showings (up by the average 9%-12%).

These are all notable wins for the 3D format. Does this mean 3D is back in a big way? Not exactly, but it's a start. Notably, Disney was able to capitalize on the renewed interest in the format in a couple of big ways. As mentioned before, previews for "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantimanium" stressed that the preferred way to view the movie was in 3D (even the 2D commercials had characters literally jumping over the black bars). For that matter, they are pushing the 3D screenings in some of their social media advertising:

This means Disney is hoping to try and condition people to select the more expensive 3D tickets going forward. What's more, a 4K re-release of Cameron's own "Titanic" provided a good haul for the studio, showing that people were still willing to see 3D movies IF the 3D experience was worth paying for! With all these movies doing better in 3D, we're starting to see more 3D screenings being given to upcoming films like "The Super Mario Brothers Movie" and "Elementals!" The commercials are starting to advertise the 3D format once again. While there is no news on new 3D TV's being released, we do know that "Avatar: The Way of Water" and "Titanic" WILL be getting 4K releases this year (and The Digital Bits editor Bill Hunt has reason to believe we'll have 3D options available)!

While it is still wishful thinking at the moment, there is still a part of me that believes some TV manufacturer will have to have a new 4K 3D TV in the pipeline to please all of the new 'Avatar' fans who want to watch one of the latest highest grossing films of all time as close to the theatrical release as possible. Right now, I'll consider it a win that "Avatar: The Way of Water" has re-opened the door to audiences being receptive to 3D movies once again. Hopefully Hollywood won't blow it again with terrible post-conversion jobs.

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James Cameron Doesn't Want 3D TV's to Come Back

 

James Cameron is having a busy year. Not only will "Avatar" be re-released in a week in IMAX 3D (in 48 FPS no less), but in December the long-awaited sequel - "Avatar: The Way of Water" - will finally be released in theaters (where I personally predict it will be a MAJOR hit)! As such, he's making the press rounds to promote his new projects. While he was doing the rounds, he was asked about 3D TVs and why they failed. He answered:

I know why all that failed because there was — what they did was they jumped into 3D trying to cash in the boom at theaters and treat it as a feature," he explained. "So, they did 3D, but they did it with glasses that needed to be recharged and all that. Whereas just over the horizon was glasses-free, large flat screen TVs which actually look pretty good. ... Not everybody is a film geek like I am where you sit down you put the glasses on by yourself and you just watch a whole movie, which is more what the theatrical experience is. So, it kind of got out of step.

What's more, Cameron revealed a surprising opinion on whether or not he wants 3D TVs to return to the living rooms.

I think it could, but I can't say because the home viewing experience is fundamentally different than the theatrical experience. I'm perfectly happy if the only place you can really get it is in a movie theater because it speaks to that specialness of the cinematic experience, which is obviously what the Avatar re-release is in the first place.

He then continued to talk about how annoyed he is that kids will binge four- or five-hour long TV episodes in a row but not watch a three-hour movie...but honestly, we're not going to get into that one. We're also going to gloss over his opinions on why he thinks 3D TV failed. While I agree that the types of glasses and quality of screens played a big role in the demise, that is a loaded question that we have delved into multiple times on this site (and will continue to do so in the future).

What stood out to me (and what may stand out to you) is that Cameron is ok with 3D not coming back to the living room. He likes the idea that the best way to experience his movies is on a big screen. While I'm certain the knee-jerk reaction is to rail against him, keep in mind that this is not a new way of thinking for filmmakers. Back in the day, many filmmakers railed against the idea of their movies playing on television (an airing of the Best Picture-winner "Bridge on the River Kwai" was deemed 'Black Friday' by many in Hollywood back in the day). For that matter, while we may be enjoying the 40th-anniversary IMAX re-release of "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial," if Steven Spielberg had his way seeing the movie in theaters would be the only way to watch the film.

Yep, at one point Spielberg refused to allow 'E.T.' to be released on the newly successful VHS format, and he only wanted it to be seen in theaters. Eventually, he came off this source and 'E.T.' would go on to become one of the best-selling VHS tapes of all time, but it goes to show that filmmakers will ALWAYS want their films seen in theaters rather than at home! Will Cameron get his wish? I have no idea. There has been no movement on bringing 3D TVs back into the living rooms, so for the time being this may very well happen. I still believe that once "Avatar: The Way of Water" becomes the huge success I believe it will be, some TV manufacturers will gladly make a deal with him to make a great 3D TV so long as they have exclusive rights to the movie on their set (kind of like what happened with the original "Avatar").

Because money talks and money walks, and if there is money to be made in 3D someone will jump on it. It will help that there is more 3D content available now than twelve years ago. What's more, it would actually take less bandwidth to stream a 3D film than it does a 4K film, so if a TV manufacturer did make a TV there would be new content most of these streaming services could offer to take advantage of that audience (VUDU has a leg up on the competition in this case). Keep in mind that this is all me dreaming. Whether "Avatar: The Way of Water" is a big enough success to bring 3D TVs back is likely a pipe dream. But hey, you may say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one!

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Is the "JAWS" IMAX Re-Release Going to be in 3D?

A week ago, IMAX re-released Steven Spielberg's classic film "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" in cinemas. I took my niece and nephews to their first IMAX movie, and we all loved it. On the way out the kids noticed that IMAX will be re-releasing another Spielberg classic: "JAWS." The poster advertised the following:

Coming to IMAX and RealD 3D

While the poster does advertise two formats, it didn't specify if any of the 3D screenings would go to IMAX. I sent e-mails that went unanswered, but we are starting to get showtimes for this re-release and the answer to that appears to be...no, the IMAX screenings will not be in 3D. For that matter, despite advance tickets going on sale for most of my theaters, none of the screenings appear to be for the RealD 3D version. I have no doubt a 3D version was made, but it is odd that we are so close to the release and someone like me - that is, someone who lives in Los Angeles and can see whatever movie he wants to see for the most part - doesn't appear to have access to any 3D showings of the movie.

I'll keep an eye out to see if theaters even book the RealD 3D version, but I'm going to be upfront with you: I already have got my tickets for the IMAX 2D showing. No offense to fans of 3D, but there's a part of me that hopes we never see this version. This series already has a history of dipping its fin in the world of 3D and, well..it didn't turn out so good. Factor in the reality that the vast majority of 3D re-releases from old movies have not turned out to be good, I'm going to go on a limb and saw that seeing this one in IMAX 2D is going to be the way to go. For that matter, we've been watching this movie in 2D for more than three decades, so why change course now, right?! Anyway, there's my little update on "JAWS" upcoming re-release. Now I need to lie down and finish recovering from Covid-19.

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