LOS ANGELES, April 15, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) and Twentieth Century Fox today announced that James Cameron's Oscar® and Golden Globe®-winning Avatar has surpassed the $100 million milestone in gross box office at IMAX® theatres internationally, marking a historical first for the international IMAX theatre network. The IMAX version of the film reached the milestone on 85 IMAX screens during the 17th week of its first-run international release, bringing the international IMAX per screen average to approximately $1.6 million. The global IMAX box office total for the film has reached $228 million. Of the 262 IMAX theatres that showed the film, 45 international IMAX screens surpassed the $1 million mark, eight of which surpassed $2 million, and of those, five surpassed $3 million. The Company's previous international aggregate gross box office record was $14 million.
"This historical box office milestone is a testament to the universal appeal of Avatar, which combines the magical vision of a passionate filmmaker with a committed studio and The IMAX Experience," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "The IMAX release of Avatar introduced our brand to new audiences globally and many moviegoers in new international markets. The success from that initial introduction has continued beyond the first run of the film, which is encouraging as we increase our focus on growing the brand and network internationally."
"The international distribution teams at Twentieth Century Fox have done an exceptional job of ensuring the world knew about James Cameron's masterpiece in IMAX and we couldn't be happier with this significant milestone," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We are particularly pleased to see that the new digital IMAX locations throughout our international territories are performing so well."
Avatar is directed and written by Academy Award Winner James Cameron and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. Avatar has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience.
Avatar is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people. More than ten years in the making, Avatar marks Cameron's return to feature directing since helming 1997's Titanic, the highest grossing film of all time and winner of eleven Oscars including Best Picture. WETA Digital, renowned for its work in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and King Kong, has incorporated new intuitive CGI technologies to transform the environments and characters into photorealistic 3D imagery that will transport the audience into the alien world rich with imaginative vistas, creatures and characters.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in immersive motion picture technologies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event Hollywood films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX® 3D, and IMAX DMR® technology. IMAX DMR is the Company's groundbreaking digital re-mastering technology that allows it to digitally transform virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience®. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of December 31, 2009, there were 430 IMAX theatres (309 commercial, 121 institutional) operating in 48 countries.
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience® and The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/imaxmovies">www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
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This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that could affect these statements include ongoing discussions with the SEC and OSC relating to their ongoing inquiries and the Company's accounting, the performance of films, the signing of theatre system agreements, the viability of new technologies, businesses and products, the timing of theatre system deliveries, the mix of theatre systems shipped, the timing of the recognition of revenues and expenses on film production and distribution agreements, risks arising from potential material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and fluctuations in foreign currency and in the large format, general commercial exhibition and out-of-home entertainment markets. These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.