Prince once told us to “Play in the Sunshine” — and baby, this August, that sunshine is going to be 70 feet tall and booming in surround sound so sharp it could slice your heart wide open. For the first time ever, the legendary 1987 concert film Prince – Sign o’ the Times musical showcase 2025 hit IMAX® theatres worldwide, beginning August 29, 2025, with early access screenings on August 28.
IMAX®, Mercury Studios, and FilmRise — in collaboration with Paisley Park Enterprises — are pulling off the ultimate purple power move. They’ve taken a film that already crackles with electricity and run it through IMAX’s proprietary Digital Media Remastering (DMR) process, creating a crystal-clear, all-encompassing, goosebump-giving experience that will make you feel like you’re right there in the crowd before his purple majesty.
A Setlist That’s Pure Royalty
Let’s just go ahead and say it: the Sign o’ the Times tracklist is basically a masterclass in how to build a live show. From the title track’s pulse-pounding urgency (Sign o’ the Times) to the funky chaos of Housequake, the seductive sway of Slow Love, the pure joy of Little Red Corvette, and the heart-punch emotion of If I Was Your Girlfriend — this isn’t just a setlist, it’s an emotional journey.
By the time Prince and Sheila E. take you through Hot Thing, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, and the spiritual exhale of The Cross, you’re reminded of what true showmanship looks like. And that closing medley — Forever in My Life / It flowing into It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night — is exactly what the title promises.
The Players Behind the Purple Magic
While Prince’s performance is the beating heart of this release, the companies making this happen each bring their own powerhouse reputation to the table.
- IMAX® isn’t just “big screen” — it’s next-level screen. Headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles (with offices from London to Tokyo), IMAX runs 1,810 systems across 89 countries. They’re the go-to platform for major event films because their proprietary architecture and software literally reshape the way you experience a movie. When they say “beyond the edge of your seat,” they mean it.
- FilmRise, a Radial Entertainment Company, is New York-based but global in reach. With over 30,000 titles and 700+ FAST channels and AVOD platforms, they’re experts in bringing content to audiences wherever they live, stream, or scroll. They don’t just distribute — they invest in original content and help creators monetize in the streaming age.
- Mercury Studios lives where film and music collide. From producing Andrea Bocelli 30th: The Celebration to collaborating on Queen Rock Montreal for IMAX and Disney+, they’re masters at capturing the energy of live performance. Their library is a who’s who of music legends, and Sign o’ the Times fits right into that lineup.
- Paisley Park Enterprises is the home Prince built — literally. Operating out of his Chanhassen, Minnesota complex, it was his creative HQ, the birthplace of albums like Sign o’ the Times and Graffiti Bridge. Today, they protect and share his legacy, making sure every project aligns with the individuality, innovation, and artistic freedom he stood for.
- Pathé Live handles international distribution, and if you’ve seen the numbers they’ve pulled for concerts like BTS’s Love Yourself in Seoul or Indochine’s Central Tour, you know this isn’t their first blockbuster. Last year, they helped Queen Rock Montreal play in 47 territories with record-breaking results.
Why This Release Matters
Prince didn’t just perform — he created worlds. In Sign o’ the Times, he blurred the line between stage and screen, music and theatre, sex and spirituality. Watching it in standard format is already a rush — but in IMAX, it’s sensory overload in the best possible way. The lighting design in Now’s the Time? Brighter. The drum hits in Housequake? Deeper. The intimacy of If I Was Your Girlfriend? Like he’s whispering right in your ear.
For diehard fans, this is a chance to relive the magic. For newer generations, it’s an introduction to why Prince wasn’t just part of the conversation — he was the conversation.
One Week Only — Don’t Sleep
The U.S. release is handled by IMAX, with Pathé Live managing the rest of the world. Whether you’re in Minneapolis or Madrid, you’ll be able to experience Sign o’ the Times in all its newly remastered glory.
Tickets are already on sale at imax.com/prince. And let me be real with you — purple nights like this don’t come around twice.
Prince was the blueprint. And with this IMAX release, we get to see that blueprint in ultra-high definition, feel it rumble through our bones, and maybe, just maybe, catch a glimpse of the magic he left behind for us to carry forward.
📅 When: August 29 – September 4, 2025 (Early Access: August 28)
🎬 Director: Prince
🎶 Tracks: Sign o’ the Times, Play in the Sunshine, Little Red Corvette, Housequake, Slow Love, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, Hot Thing, Now’s the Time, U Got the Look, If I Was Your Girlfriend, Forever In My Life / It, It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night, The Cross