The good news . . . Superman Returns is set to be the first live action film converted to IMAX 3D for simultaneous release in regular and IMAX theatres in both 2D and 3D formats. The bad news . . . it’s only twenty minutes of screen time that’s going to be in 3D . . . ‘Superman Returns’ To Go 3D . . .

IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, will become the world’s first live-action Hollywood feature to be converted from 2D to IMAX 3D. IMAX will convert approximately 20 minutes of the film into an IMAX 3D Experience, the most immersive cinematic 3D in the world. "Releasing select sequences of Superman Returns in IMAX 3D marks a groundbreaking moment in movies," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "This film is going to give fans an opportunity to be immersed in a major live-action motion picture like never before." "The test scenes that have been converted into IMAX 3D look, sound and feel absolutely amazing," added Bryan Singer, Director of Superman Returns. "The magic of IMAX 3D will envelop audiences in this story, enabling them to feel the emotion, drama and suspense in a completely new and unique way." During select sequences of the film, a visual cue designed by Singer will indicate when audiences should put on and remove their IMAX 3D glasses. The film will be simultaneously released to IMAX and conventional theatres on June 30, 2006.

While I think it’s super kool that we’ll see Superman cavorting in cape and tights in stereoscopic very large screen superness, the conversion of only twenty minutes of screen time into the format is a bit on the lame side.

Well, hopefully Peter Jackson’s conversion of King Kong will be more.

Of course, this is all moot as we don’t have that many IMAX 3D screens available to us here and none of Taiwan’s theatres have opted for Digital 3D conversion yet. So, all the kool news from the other side of the planet is kool but frustrating. Ah well, there are other things we have that they don’t have on the other side of the big blue . . . like betelnut beauties and the like.