The 5 Best Inflatable Movie Screens [Ranked]
Outdoor inflatable movie screens are self-inflating entertainment centers ideal for backyard movie screenings.
Generally anything you want to project with a projector and a laptop, be it cartoons for the kids or sporting events for the adults.
Most take about 25 minutes to inflate using an AC adapter, after staking it to the ground, and about the same time to deflate and pack into the included storage bag.
The 12 foot, 23 lb. Gemmy brand is our top pick.
Our Top Pick: The Gemmy Inflatable Movie Screen
Once it is plugged in it will self-inflate, is designed to be portably carried, and ships with a variety of yardsticks and tethers to help you set it up in your yard.
Users say that it's pretty easy to assemble, using the included fans to inflate.
If you use a decent pair of speakers you won't hear the fans while the movie is playing.
As well, any screen wrinkles generally disappear once you have your HD projector aimed at the screen.
Gemmy Video Overview
One user says that it took him about 20 minutes to set up, including the yard staking, and that it took about 25 minutes to have it deflate on its own.
This user paired his outdoor inflatable movie screen with a PA (portable address) speaker, an HD projector, and his laptop.
Let's take a look at three of the best-selling portable inflatable movie screens on the market today and see how they compare.
Contents
Comparing Them
- Immersive Viewing Experience: The 14’inflatable projector screen with 160° viewing angle makes it convenient to enjoy outdoor entertainment. The projector screen features 1.2 screen gain for a brighter image and color.
- 【Front / Rear Projection】The inflatable movie screen is upgraded to thickened polyester material which support front and rear projection, 160°wide viewing Angle, 16:9 screen ratio, high color reduction. A lot of outdoor movie screens are only setup for front or rear projection, this one gives you both options which is greatly flexibility, you can see clear pictures on any side.
- 🏈 Getting ready to host a movie night party in your backayrd? With this mega projection screen, we guarantee that you can have a blast! Watch the movie outdoors will allow for more space to keep guests at safe distances, this HuaKastro inflatable screen features a wide viwing angle of 160° and higher screen position provide good viewing experience for every guests.
- 【Innovative Design】 Because those detachable projector screen they will fold the screen very small when packing so there are many square creases, it is difficult to eliminate and affect viewing experience. This outdoor movie screen is non detachable for fewer creases, compact all-in-one and convenient setting up.
- ENJOY YOUR OUTDOOR VIEWING: The blow up projector screen has white display canvas on the front and back, it would work to use with reverse projection. A nice addition to outdoor parties, movie nights and special events. It’s been the perfect way to switch things up outside of the house & still allow for social distanced movie going in the backyard!
The Five Best Inflatable Movie Screens
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
This 12-ft. wide outdoor inflatable movie screen is perfect for making your own outdoor cinema whenever and wherever you want.
Users love the portable design of the inflatable outdoor screen and how easy you can set it up, but they note that the movie screen is not safe to use in windy weather. Self-inflating quickly after plugging it in, the outdoor screen comes with its own tethers, yard stakes, fan, and a bag and weighs 23 pounds. Overall it seems like a great way to make your Friday movie night special.
Buyers share that the price is right for the quality of this outdoor theatre screen; they praise the picture and the sound and mention only some wrinkles on the inflatable screen that are hard to notice when a movie is playing. One purchaser comments that she doesn’t have any complaints and it’s a great and cheap fun.
Another reviewer expresses his surprise at how easy it is to inflate and deflate it with the help of the built-in inflatable blows that worked quietly and unnoticeably. His children were very happy and for them this outside movie projector was a treat and it worked great for outdoor parties.
However, some customers complained that the screen wasn’t very durable and mentioned holes appearing and seams coming apart. Also, some noted that for them the blows weren’t strong enough to inflate the portable projection screen.
Video Overview
Pros
- Easy to set up
- Good picture and sound
- Bag for storage
Cons
- Can’t be used in windy weather
- Wrinkles on the screen
2. The Airblown Inflatable Outdoor Movie Screen Review
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
This 123 x 77-inch inflatable movie screen is a well-designed, modern and useful product for making your own cinema in your backyard. Users love that this home theater screen is light, easy to set-up, and offers a good picture and sound.
But they do note that the home theatre package arrived with missing items, so it’s a good idea to check that everything is in order when you receive it. It’s self-inflating, with fans integrated on the bottom of the screen and comes with stakes, tethers and a bag for easy set-up and storage.
It seems like a good choice if you are looking for an inflatable video screen with good quality.
What people share about this airblown inflatable movie screen for the outdoor is mainly positive– they are happy with the price and the quality. One purchaser comments that the price is fair for an outdoor movie projection system that will satisfy your occasion whim to watch a movie on the big screen, but notes that the plastic stakes are fragile and the stitches have started to come out.
Another buyer mentions that the outdoor video screen can be set up without much effort if there is no wind. He was surprised how quickly it inflated – only for about 2 minutes and mentioned that it was convenient to carry this inflatable theatre screen in its duffel bag.
Pros
- Good picture and sound
- Low cost
- Easy set-up
Cons
- Plastic stakes
- Not good in windy weather
- Requires large space
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
This 181.1″ wide inflatable movie screen in the form of Mickey Mouse can be a very nice addition for your movie parties. Users love that the Mickey inflatable screen is easy to set-up, offers a good quality of picture and sound and can be conveniently stored in its own Disney bag, but they note that the screen attachment could be tricky.
The Mickey outdoor screen is freestanding, so you don’t need any special construction for the screen, which has black borders on all sides and screen aspect ration of 16: 9. It weights about 27.0 lb. and the package includes an AC power adapter.
Overall, a great choice if you are looking for a Mickey shaped video screen for your kids.
One user comments that this portable projector screen is a fun addition to every backyard party. The buyer was very pleased with the quality of the picture and mentioned that the outdoor video screen is made of a parachute-like material and it’s much lighter than the material used for making a jumping castle.
Another customer shares that he bought the Mickey movie screen for his kids and notes that it was easy to assemble it, but it worked better at night than during the day. However, some people note that the outside projector screen is not very durable and you may experience problems in windy weather.
Video Overview
Pros
- Easy to set-up
- Convenient to store
- Good picture and sound
- Cute shape
Cons
- Works better at night
- Not good in windy weather
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
This 14.4 Ft wide airblown inflatable movie screen is a modern, well-designed and well-thought product that would improve your movie experience. Users love that it’s portable, easy to inflate and offers them a huge picture, but some note that it had blank ink spots from poor shipping.
The giant inflatable screen is 151 inches wide, 85 inches tall and 173 inches in diagonal, self-inflates with an AC Adapter included in the packages, weight 30 pounds and has its own storage bag, tethers and stakes. The screen frame is made from lightweight nylon material and the portable screen attaches with ease. Overall, this seems like a solid option if you are looking for a huge outdoor screen to impress the neighbors.
The general consensus is that the giant outdoor movie screen is sturdy, easy to set up/take down and has a great picture and sound. One customer shares that the picture is crystal clear and the image fills up every inch of the projection screen.
This user also shares that the giant Gemmy video screen has a base with good shape and will stand up on its own once inflated, but advises that it should be staked, especially in windy weather.
Moreover, he complains that the fans and vents are difficult to access and since they are built-in they can’t be replaced if there’s a failure. Another customer notes that the fans work well and are hardly noticeable and he uses this inflatable movie screen for films and video games without problems.
Video Overview
Pros
- Well-built
- Huge clear picture
- Easy set-up
Cons
- Problems in windy weather
- Plastic spikes
4. Sima Portable Inflatable Movie Screen Review
Effectiveness
Price
Ease of Use
If you want to create your own home theater system in your backyard quickly and easy this 72-inch inflatable movie screen combined with pontoons is a product you should consider.
Users love that the home theatre projector screen has a great picture, the built-in ports give them more opportunities to play different content and it comes with its own projector, but some note they had problems with the speakers. This portable movie screen has a 16.7 M vivid colors LCD projector with LED technology, built-in HDMI/Composite/SD/USB ports, built-in speakers, image size from 36″ to 130″ and can support various video, audio and photo formats.
This Sima XL-Pro inflatable projection screen also comes with its own travel case, so it’s convenient to carry around. It looks like a good choice for a homemade theater.
One buyer shares how pleased he was with the home inflatable movie theater. He could watch even cable on it and would recommend it to anyone interested in such inflatable screens. Another purchaser comments that he was surprised by how good the speakers worked because he thought they would not be loud enough.
So generally people liked this home projector screen system and mentioned only a few problems with the audio system and one case of missing a remote control.
Pros
- Good picture and sound
- Easy set-up
- Built-in ports
- Has its own projector
Cons
- Speaker problems
- Can’t be used in bad weather
- Inflates with a pump
Buying Guide
Portable and inflatable movie screens are fun, outdoor entertainment solutions that are ideal for entertaining large flocks of children or for adults that want to add some pizzazz to their barbecue party. Some pair them with outdoor trash receptacles or automatic bubble machines for all-season fun.
User feedback
One user amusingly writes about his child who has become the most popular in his school and neighborhood because his parents purchased one of these inflatable movie screens. He also says that because the movie screen is pretty lightweight, it's not ideal to be erected on windy days.
He also notes that both Gemmy models are difficult to pack back into the included storage bag- and he also notes that the screen arrived with some creasing on the screen that eventually smoothed out over time. When it comes to inflating and installing the Gemmy for the first time, one user says that it only takes 3 minutes to inflate but the vast majority of set up is spent buckling the screen into its inflated frame, assembling the tethers and the yard stakes, and securing the fan blowers.
One user who purchased the giant Gemmy inflatable movie screen owns his own outdoor movie business- and says that it was hundreds of dollars cheaper than purchasing a professional movie screen from a different supplier. He particularly commends the lightweight nylon material that constitutes the screen frame.
As well- he applauds the quality of the backing that prevents light from passing through- this tremendously improves the image quality on the screen. It might take some first-time fiddling to coordinate the 16:9 aspect ratio with the settings on your projector- but once it's coordinated, the square inches should render perfectly.
This industrious reviewer also describes purchasing a Blu-ray player and several dozen aluminum folding chairs- saying that he has accommodated hundreds of people outdoors to watch different movies on these air blown inflatable movie screens.
He supplies the valuable advice that when the movie screen is installed on grass, it can pretty easily withstand gusts and breezes up to 15 mph- but he also provides extra stability by anchoring the screen with 25 pound dumbbells.
He also notes that you may want to upgrade from plastic stakes to metal ones- this will ensure that when you stake it in the yard that it will stay secure.
Some Of Our Old Favorites
| Inflatable Movie Screens | Our Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | The Gemmy 12' Outdoor Inflatable Movie Screen | 4.4 | $$ |
| The Airblown Mickey Inflatable Movie Screen | 4.4 | $234.00 | |
| The Giant Gemmy 14.4 Inflatable Movie Screen | 4.2 | $$$ |
Final thoughts
In all, these outdoor inflatable movie screens are great way to entertain party guests and flocks of neighborhood children. You'll just need to get comfortable with configuration- staking it in your yard, assembling the required electronic accessories to get the projector beaming out to your huge outdoor movie house screen.
While not always so easy to fold back up, you'll eventually get the hang of how to pack and store it when you are done using it.
