Conny Chavez August 29th, 2025 - 1:39 PM

Tuesday night, the IMAX Headquarters in Los Angeles hosted an advance screening of the newly remastered 1987 film, Prince – Sign O’ The Times, a concert film directed by Prince himself. Special appearances were made by industry people and notable multi-talented Grammy winner Questlove.

IMAX, Mercury Studios, and Filmrise partner for the exclusive release of Prince – Sign O’ The Times, in collaboration with Paisley Park Enterprises. The critically acclaimed film will be shown exclusively on IMAX for the first time ever. The remastered film will premiere globally on Friday, August 29, for a limited time one-week run.

The evening began with opening remarks by Gail Mitchell, Billboard’s Hip Hop Editor, and Charles Spicer Jr., representative of the Prince Estate and childhood friend of Prince. Mitchell recalled the moment she interviewed Prince, “I was so nervous,” she said, “he would not let me record or take notes.” Spicer excitedly spoke about the creative genius that drove Prince when creating the film, spending three nights in Holland and recreating some of the scenes in Paisley Park, his private production complex in Minnesota, as he was unsatisfied with the original takes. “This isn’t just a concert, it’s a masterpiece,” he added, “Prince left us a vault, it’s real. He recorded everything down to the rehearsals. This will be a test to see what we do in the future with his great concert footage.”

Both intimate theaters were filled with stars and press enjoying popcorn, drinks, appetizers from charcuterie boards, and other theater snacks, including purple heart lollipops. Notable attendees included Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, music artists Elle Baez, Sshh Liguz, Lu Kala, Zach Tabori, and Dizzy Fae, pro skater and Pizzanista! founder Salman Agah, Paul McCartney’s DJ Chris Holmes, Prince’s legendary lighting designer LeRoy Bennett, actors Kingston Rumi Southwick (Presumed Innocent), Kelvin Brown, and Anika Poitier(actress/director and daughter of Sidney Poitier); and Anna Fantastic, who inspired several of Prince’s iconic songs, including Pink Cashmere and Lemon Crush.

The critically acclaimed 1987 film, directed by Prince and featuring Prince, Sheila E., and his talented band of musicians, has undergone IMAX’s proprietary Digital Media Remastering (DMR) process to deliver unprecedented image and sound quality, offering audiences an immersive experience of Prince’s legendary performance like never before.

Sign O’ The Times is widely celebrated for capturing the artist at his creative peak—blending electrifying concert footage with cinematic storytelling, powerful visuals, and genre-defying sound. Now, enhanced with IMAX’s precision surround sound audio, customized theatre geometry, and crystal-clear images, Prince’s performance is set to mesmerize fans old and new in the most epic format available. Truly meant to not only captivate the audience but also include them in the concert, the film includes several shots from within the crowd to appear as if the audience is among the original concert crowd, enjoying the performance first-hand.

The film features some of Prince’s most iconic tracks, including “If I Was Your Girlfriend,” the anthemic title track “Sign O’ The Times,” and “U Got The Look,” Prince’s smash hit duet with Sheena Easton. The film showcases Prince’s unparalleled musicianship, stagecraft, and style, highlighting his timeless impact on music and popular culture.

A complete list of theatres and ticketing information is available at www.imax.com/prince. Watch the trailer for Prince – Sign O’ The Times below:

IMAX Headquarters Host Private Screening Of ‘Prince – Sign O’ The Times,’ Possible More Prince Archives To Be Released In Future