Gulf Film Group’s Grand Cinemas will re-launch itself as Novo Cinemas with an aim to provide an interactive experience with upgraded seating and ticketing standards. 

Cinema-goers will be able to customise their night with a variety of ticketing options, including plush chairs with balcony views. 3D and IMAX screens will also be implemented in efforts to provide a wider selection of programming. 

The rebranding comes as part of an ongoing regional expansion strategy by parent company, q.media. In addition to the recent opening of the World Trade Center Mall-Abu Dhabi Cineplex, the expansion will see new theatres in The Pearl-Qatar and Dubai’s Dragon Mart, as well as a flagship cinema in Muharraq Mall, Bahrain. 

Novo Cinemas hopes to build on Grand Cinemas’ 14-year legacy, and bring the number of Novo Cinemas screens in the region to over 200 by 2015. 

Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, CEO of Novo Cinemas, said,We are very proud of our Grand Cinemas heritage but are confident that with our new brand name and positioning we can ensure that we build much further on our reputation as a leader for innovation and growth in the regional market. We are totally committed to taking the cinema-going experience to new heights while ensuring our customers can identify with the ‘Novo experience’, which portrays our relentless desire to shape the future of cinema in the region.”