Danny Boyle Calls Out 3D Movies: A Passing Gimmick or Here to Stay?
Danny Boyle opens up about his aversion to 3D movies, sharing his frustrations with the format and questioning its future. He reflects on cinema’s evolving technology and his latest project, 28 Years Later.
For more than a century, the ritual of heading to the movies has barely changed. You buy your ticket, settle into a seat among strangers, and watch a film projected onto a massive screen. Despite this tried-and-true formula, theaters have constantly experimented with new ways to enhance—or complicate—the experience. Director Danny Boyle, known for his work on 28 Years Later, has seen it all, from overpriced snacks to high-tech seats with confusing controls and even mist sprayed in your face to mimic rain. Some innovations, like IMAX, genuinely elevate the experience. Others, like odd scents pumped into the theater, miss the mark. And not everyone wants to be jostled around in their seat, pretending to be inside a dinosaur’s jaws during a blockbuster.
3D ’s Rocky Road in Movie Theaters
3D technology has been around since the early 1920s, debuting with The Power of Love, which used red and green lenses and dual projectors. It didn’t really catch on until the 1950s, and even then, it’s had a bumpy ride. Boyle’s latest film, 28 Years Later, used some cutting-edge tech—some scenes were even shot on an iPhone 15 Pro. When the zombie sequel hit theaters, audiences could experience it in 4DX, complete with moving seats. Still, Boyle isn’t sold on 3D. In his own words:
“I don’t use 3D. I’m a spectacle wearer, so I hate going to 3D movies because you have to wear two pairs of spectacles, which makes you feel like even more of a prat.”
He added,
“You know how everybody feels a bit of a prat wearing the 3D spectacles – you, as a spectacle wearer, feel a double prat. So, I don’t know if 3D will survive, to be honest, personally. I think it may be a phase.”
The Rise and Fall of 3D at the Multiplex
Since the late 2000s, when superhero blockbusters and animated family films dominated the box office, 3D screenings have dropped off sharply. These days, it’s rare to find a 3D showing at your local theater, and the days of overflowing bins filled with discarded glasses are mostly over. At home, 3D TV was a short-lived trend—manufacturers lost billions after consumers realized they didn’t want to watch their favorite shows through tinted glasses. The novelty of objects flying off the screen hasn’t disappeared entirely, though. Recent releases like James Cameron ’s Avatar: Fire and Ash still use the format, and upcoming blockbusters like Avengers: Doomsday are expected to follow suit. Just don’t expect to see Danny Boyle lining up for a pair of 3D glasses anytime soon.