HDR by Barco comes home as Barco sets plans for first HDR by Barco theater in Belgium in partnership with Kinepolis

The technology company's fast-growing premium cinema format has existing locations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, India, Italy, and the Netherlands.

KORTRIJK, Belgium, Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Barco, a global leader in laser cinema projection, today announced plans to bring HDR by Barco, its groundbreaking premium cinema format, to Belgium for the first time. The new auditorium is set to open in Kinepolis Kortrijk, steps from Barco's headquarters. The news comes as Barco continues the rapid expansion of HDR by Barco across the U.S. and European markets, including most recently with three new sites in Germany.

Construction is underway, with the new auditorium set to officially open on November 18. The long-awaited commercial debut of HDR by Barco in Belgium gives audiences in the company's hometown a chance to experience one of cinema's most talked about innovations.

First introduced to moviegoers in the fall of 2024, the premium format has enjoyed rapid deployment across major film markets following its commercial debut in early 2025.

"Bringing HDR by Barco to Belgium — and to Kortrijk in particular — makes this especially meaningful for us," said Carl Rijsbrack, Barco Cinema Senior VP of Strategy and Product. "We developed this technology out of our ambition to take the cinema experience to the next level. HDR by Barco is now making its way into cinemas around the world. Being able to bring this experience to Belgian audiences together with Kinepolis marks another milestone for us."

The upgraded screen at Kinepolis will feature premium HDR by Barco presentation, immersive audio, and premium seating; delivering an elevated experience for moviegoers.

Said Nicolas Hamon, Head of Projection and Sound at Kinepolis Group,

 "At Kinepolis, innovation serves one purpose: delivering the best possible cinema experience to our customers. HDR by Barco allows us to showcase more detail, colour and contrast on screen, allowing us to do even greater justice to filmmakers' creative vision and deliver an exceptional viewing experience."

Today's announcement builds on the longstanding relationship between Barco and Kinepolis which dates back to the former's foray into digital cinema. Kinepolis was also a trailblazer in the adoption of laser projection for cinema, leveraging Barco's technology to power their premium brand, Laser ULTRA in 2014. Now the companies are once again setting a new bar for exceptional cinema quality in Belgium.

"HDR by Barco was invented here, so bringing it home to Kortrijk with Kinepolis closes a circle for us," said Gerwin Damberg, EVP of Barco Cinema. "Every HDR by Barco title is a dedicated version of the film, graded and signed off by the original creative team. You won't see that version on a standard screen. Lightsteering puts light exactly where the story needs it, with no extra power: better pixels, not more pixels. Exhibitors across Europe are reinvesting in premium cinema, and this is what makes the premium seat worth it. It's just you and the movie, nothing in between."

Based on the company's patented Lightsteering technology, Barco's approach to cinematic HDR produces images with highlights that are over 6x brighter than traditional projection, while retaining rich details in the darks for greater depth, clarity, and range. HDR by Barco delivers expansive creative possibilities for filmmakers, producing a wide color gamut with high-contrast images that captivate audiences.

For more information on HDR by Barco, including locations, upcoming releases, and showtimes, visit: www.HDRbyBarco.com 

About Barco

Barco, headquartered in Kortrijk (Belgium), is a global technology company leading in visualization, networking, and collaboration solutions. Its innovative technologies drive advancements in the healthcare, enterprise, and entertainment markets. At the heart of Barco's success are over 3,000 dedicated 'visioneers', each passionately contributing to driving change through technology.

Listed on Euronext (BAR), Reuters (BARBt.BR), and Bloomberg (BAR BB), Barco realized sales of 964 million euro in 2025. For further insights, please visit www.barco.com or connect on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

Barco. Visioneering a bright tomorrow. © 2026

About Kinepolis

Kinepolis Group NV is a leading international cinema operator, active across Europe and North America and headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. The Group's portfolio of premium cinema brands includes Kinepolis in Europe, Landmark Cinemas in Canada, and MJR Theatres, Emagine and Showcase Cinemas in the United States.

Founded in 1997 and publicly listed since 1998, Kinepolis builds on a cinema heritage dating back to the late 1960s and has grown into a reference in the cinema exhibition industry. The Group combines continuous operational optimization with a strong focus on customer experience. In addition to its core exhibition activities, Kinepolis is active in film distribution, B2B events, screen advertising and real estate management, supporting a diversified and integrated business model.

Kinepolis operates a network of 134 cinemas, representing 1,474 screens and approximately 230,000 seats, across Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Canada and the United States. Supported by more than 5,000 employees, the Group delivers unforgettable entertainment experiences to millions of visitors each year. More information is available at www.kinepolis.com/corporate.

SOURCE Barco, Inc.