Last week’s announcement that Carmike Cinemas plans to open a 10-screen movie theater in Monkey Junction next summer has the developer of The Village of Myrtle Grove believing it will be a blockbuster for existing and potential new businesses in the area.

“Bringing a theater group of Carmike’s quality to Wilmington’s south side and (the) greater Carolina Beach/Kure Beach area is something we recognized as very important,” said Bryan Green, Cape Fear Commercial senior vice president and broker representing Ziff Properties on the deal. “This will be a major amenity to area residents and seasonal visitors and a major addition to the local economy.”

Ziff Properties developed The Village at Myrtle Grove shopping center, 5511 Carolina Beach Road, and both Green and Carmike said the planned theater’s proximity to Pleasure Island and downtown Wilmington will ensure its success.

Currently, Home Depot and Staples are the anchor tenants at The Village at Myrtle Grove, but with the addition of the theater at the southern end of the shopping center, Ziff believes more tenants will choose to locate there.

The proposed theater will feature 10-screens showing films in 2-D and 3-D to a total of 1,800 seats. The most prominent attraction will be the “BigD” DIGITAL EXPERIENCE auditorium, which Carmike calls its “premium theatre environment.”

In the BigD theatre, a wall-to-wall screen measuring more than 60’ by 30’ and a 7.1 surround sound system will immerse filmgoers in the experience. The theatre will be 2-D and 3-D capable and will be powered by a 30,000-lumen Christie Brilliant 3-D flash projector. According to reports, the projector creates a picture quality with a resolution higher than current high-definition screens.

Seating in the theatre will be stadium-style, with leather high-back rocking seats, much like the seating at Carmike 16, Carmike’s sole theater in the area.

Carmike 16, located at 111 Cinema Drive, has undergone several facelifts and upgrades over the past several years. From upgrading projectors and expanding screens to, more recently, redesigning the lobby, Carmike has made a significant investment in upgrading the 15-year-old theatre. In June 2010, the Carmike Cinema 4 at Carolina Beach closed, but still the company remained strong, with 240 theatres and 2,223 screens in 36 states.