VR platform Bigscreen signs deal with Paramount to show some of its films, including Star Trek

Paramount Pictures + Bigscreen

Paramount Pictures has signed a deal to distribute some of its films in virtual reality, including Star Trek.

Bigscreen, a social VR movie-watching platform, announced the deal on Monday. According to the announcement, “Beginning December 16, four new movies will premiere in Bigscreen every week. Movies run for one week with a new lineup of movies available the following week. Films are broadcast live on a pay-per-view basis with scheduled showtimes every 30 minutes. December's lineup includes blockbuster hits like Interstellar and Star Trek.”

In Bigscreen, users can create avatars and hang out in the lobby of a virtual movie theater. They can also interact and voice chat with other movie-goers, and the films themselves are streamed on screens inside the virtual theater.

Bob Buchi, President of Worldwide Home Entertainment for Paramount Pictures, said of the deal, “Bigscreen’s virtual reality platform offers a new way for fans to experience films in their homes. We’re excited to be a part of this experiment using cutting-edge technology to give fans a new entertainment option.”

Bigscreen is available for free and runs on a wide selection of hardware including Oculus, HTC Vive and others. The virtual screenings will be available in 10 countries, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia and Japan. Some films will even be shown in 3D.

Star Trek fans may want to hop in and try it out sooner than later: Star Trek (2009) is showing now, followed by Star Trek Into Darkness from the 20th through the 27th, and Beyond, from the 27th to January 3rd, 2020. For more information, including a list of all the upcoming Paramount films coming to Bigscreen, visit bigscreenvr.com.