The rollout of digital cinema in Europe has taken a big step forward with news that digital cinema equipment and services company XDC has signed agreements with four studios fordeployment of8,000 digital screens.

The non-exclusive agreements with Warner Bros, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox and Disney offer exhibitors across Europe an alternative to the single existing large-scale, studio-backed scheme from Arts Alliance Media.

Until now, Europe has been stuck in a rut with exhibitors mostly unwilling to sign up to a cost-sharing deal for installation with distributors and concerns over a lack of product.

Only one significant chain, France 's CGR, has so far signed up to Arts Alliance Media's virtual print fee (VPF) based model.

But and end to thatdeadlock with XDC and Arts Alliance Media now offering a real choice to exhibitors with the muscle of studio product behind them.

Leading D-cinema analyst, David Hancock of Screen Digest, said the XDC announcement was 'very significant.'

'The market needs some competition for exhibitors to see it as real. XDC has been around for a long time and now it has the credibility of studio product.'

He suggested that the Arts Alliance Media alternative may in fact be enhanced by the XDC announcement because it will give them a choice.

'This is good news. They (Arts Alliance) needed a competitor to make their offer more credible.'

XDC has a strong presence across Europe. It is, for example, the official partner of the Cannes Film Festival.

Chief executive Serge Plasch said the signing of content deals with studios would help it drive forward its plans.

'The support of Warners, Paramount, Fox and Disney is a key factor for XDC and will allow us to keep out momentum in Europe.'

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