Regal to outfit screens with Sony digital systems

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. movie theater chain operator Regal Entertainment Group said it reached a deal to install Sony Corp's digital projection systems across its entire circuit over the next 3 to 5 years.

Regal, which currently has about 6,700 screens, said about 1,500 of those screens will also be outfitted for 3-D digital projection, using Sony's and privately held RealD's technology.

The Regal/Sony deal is part of an initiative being led by Digital Cinema Implementation Partners (DCIP), an organization formed in 2007 by Regal, AMC Entertainment and Cinemark aimed at implementing the deployment of digital cinema.

Sony in March also struck a deal with AMC Entertainment, the nation's second-largest exhibitor, to supply its theaters with its technology known as 4K digital projection.

Sony said the technology offers better contrast and more than four times the resolution of competitive 2K digital projectors or consumer high-definition TVs.

Both the 4K and 2K projectors are for two-dimensional playback, unless they're specifically outfitted for 3-D.

The Regal and AMC rollouts are slated to begin as soon as the DCIP finalizes financing.

(Reporting by Sue Zeidler; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)