LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX Corporation (Nasdaq:IMAX) (TSX: IMX) today announced that Where the Wild Things Are, directed by Spike Jonze (Adaptation, Being John Malkovich) and produced by Playtone (Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman), opened with strong box office results, generating approximately $3.1 million from 145 IMAX(R) theatres domestically during the opening weekend from Friday, October 16, 2009 through Sunday, October 18. The IMAX release generated over 9% of the film's overall box office of $32.7 million, with an IMAX per screen average of $21,500. The weekend marks the biggest fall opening ever for an IMAX release.
Where the Wild Things Are, which chronicles the timeless adventures of a young boy's imaginary journey to a land of "Wild Things," has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) with proprietary IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) technology.
Where the Wild Things Are is based on the classic book by Maurice Sendak. Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal for "Most Distinguished Picture Book of the Year," the popular adventure tale continues to captivate audiences of every generation after four decades.
"We're delighted with the initial response to the film overall, and we're happy that fans of such a beloved adventure are taking advantage of the chance to experience it in IMAX," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "The picture looks and sounds amazing in IMAX, and we believe this enhanced release will continue to perform well during the days and weeks ahead."
"The growing IMAX theatre network has given us more programming flexibility, enabling us to offer IMAX DMR titles twelve months a year, and because of this we have been able to offer this great film and post our biggest fall opening ever," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "This strong performance demonstrates that consumers continue to seek out IMAX as a premium out of home experience in both 2D and 3D."
"We couldn't be happier with this very healthy opening," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "Spike Jonze, Playtone and Warner Bros. have crafted a magical film that fits perfectly with our goal to provide moviegoers with an out-of-this-world experience they cannot get anywhere else, and clearly the film is resonating with people."
From director Spike Jonze and written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers (Away We Go) comes a cinematic twist on one of the most acclaimed adventure stories of all time. Where the Wild Things Are features Catherine Keener, Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, Max Records, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper and Catherine O'Hara. Where the Wild Things Are is a co-production with Legendary Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures.
Where the Wild Things Are: The IMAX Experience is playing in the following IMAX theatres: UNITED STATES Alabama Birmingham - IMAX Dome Theatre at McWane Centre Arizona Mesa - Dickinson Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre Phoenix - AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX Arkansas Little Rock - Dickinson Chenal 9 IMAX Theatre California Aliso Viejo - Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 & IMAX Arcadia - AMC Santa Anita 16 & IMAX Burbank - AMC Burbank 16 & IMAX Camarillo - Edwards Camarillo Palace Stadium 12 & IMAX Covina - AMC Covina 30 & IMAX Cupertino - AMC Cupertino 16 & IMAX Dublin - Regal Hacienda Crossings Stadium 21 & IMAX El Dorado Hills - Regal Cinemas El Dorado Hills Stadium 14 & IMAX Emeryville - AMC Bay Street 16 & IMAX Escondido - Regal Escondido Stadium 16 & IMAX Fairfield - Edwards Fairfield Stadium 16 & IMAX Fresno - Edwards Fresno Stadium 21 & IMAX Irvine - Edwards Irvine Spectrum IMAX Long Beach - Edwards Long Beach 26 & IMAX Los Angeles - AMC Century City 15 & IMAX Los Angeles - IMAX Theatre at The Bridge: cinema de lux Los Angeles - AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX National City - AMC Plaza Bonita 14 & IMAX Rowland Heights - AMC Puente Hills 20 & IMAX San Diego - AMC Palm Promenade 24 & IMAX San Diego - Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 & IMAX San Francisco - AMC Loews Metreon 16 with IMAX San Jose - AMC Eastridge Mall 15 & IMAX Santa Clara - AMC Mercado 20 & IMAX Simi Valley - Regal Civic Center Plaza 16 & IMAX South Gate - Edwards South Gate Stadium 20 & IMAX Stockton - Regal City Centre Stadium 16 & IMAX Torrance - AMC Del Amo 18 & IMAX Woodland Hills - AMC Promenade 16 & IMAX Colorado Colorado Springs - Cinemark Carefree Circle 16 & IMAX Denver - UA Colorado Center Stadium 9 & IMAX Highlands Ranch - AMC Highlands Ranch 24 & IMAX Westminster - AMC Orchard 12 & IMAX Westminster - AMC Westminster Promenade 24 & IMAX Connecticut Manchester - IMAX Theatre at Cinema de Lux Buckland Hills 18 Florida Altamonte Springs - AMC Altamonte Mall 18 & IMAX Aventura - AMC Aventura 24 & IMAX Fort Myers - Regal Gulf Coast Town Center Stadium 16 & IMAX Jacksonville - AMC Regency 24 & IMAX Orange Park - AMC Orange Park 24 & IMAX Orlando - Regal Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 & IMAX Orlando - Regal Waterford Lakes Stadium 20 & IMAX South Miami - AMC Sunset Place 24 & IMAX St. Augustine - World Golf Village IMAX Tallahassee - Tallahassee Mall 20 with IMAX Tampa - AMC Veterans 24 & IMAX West Palm Beach - Muvico Parisian IMAX Georgia Augusta - Regal Augusta Exchange Stadium 20 & IMAX Buford - Regal Mall of Georgia Stadium 20 & IMAX Kennesaw - AMC Barrett Commons 24 & IMAX Morrow - AMC Southlake Pavilion 24 & IMAX Hawaii Honolulu - Regal Dole Cannery 18 & IMAX Illinois Chicago - Navy Pier IMAX Theatre Hodgkins - Loews Quarry Cinemas 14 with IMAX South Barrington - AMC Barrington 30 & IMAX Woodridge - Cinemark 16 & IMAX Indiana Indianapolis - Kerasotes ShowPlace 16 & IMAX Noblesville - Goodrich Hamilton 16 IMAX Portage - Goodrich Portage 16 IMAX Iowa Council Bluffs - Kerasotes Star Cinemas 16 & IMAX Kansas Olathe - AMC Studio 30 & IMAX Kentucky Newport - AMC Newport On The Levee 20 & IMAX Louisiana Harahan - AMC Elmwood Palace 20 & IMAX Maine Saco - Cinemagic & IMAX in Saco Maryland Baltimore - AMC Loews White Marsh 16 & IMAX Columbia - AMC Columbia 14 & IMAX Massachusetts Danvers - AMC Liberty Tree Mall 20 & IMAX Methuen - Loews Methuen 20 with IMAX Natick - Jordan's Furniture IMAX - Natick Reading - Jordan's Furniture IMAX - Reading Michigan Auburn Hills - Star Great Lakes 25 with IMAX Dearborn - Henry Ford IMAX Grand Blanc - Trillium Cinema 14 & IMAX, Grand Blanc Lansing - Celebration! Cinema & IMAX Theatre - Lansing Livonia - Livonia 20 with IMAX Sterling Heights - AMC Forum 30 & IMAX Minnesota Apple Valley - Great Clips IMAX Theatre Roseville - AMC Rosedale 14 & IMAX Missouri Independence - AMC Independence Commons 20 & IMAX Kansas City - AMC BarryWoods 24 & IMAX Nevada Henderson - Regal Sunset Station Stadium 13 & IMAX Las Vegas - Regal Red Rock Stadium 16 & IMAX North Las Vegas - Regal Aliante Stadium 16 & IMAX New Hampshire Hooksett - Cinemagic & IMAX in Hooksett New Jersey Atlantic City - Tropicana Casino & Resort IMAX Cherry Hill - AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24 & IMAX Hamilton - AMC Hamilton 24 & IMAX New Brunswick - Loews New Brunswick 18 with IMAX New York Albany - Regal Crossgates Mall 18 & IMAX Brooklyn - UA Sheepshead Bay Stadium 14 & IMAX Deer Park - Regal Deer Park Stadium 16 & IMAX New York City - AMC Empire 25 & IMAX New York City - AMC Loews 34th Street 14 & IMAX New York City - AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX Stony Brook - AMC Stony Brook 17 & IMAX West Nyack - IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center North Carolina Charlotte - Regal Stonecrest At Piper Glen Stadium 22 & IMAX Concord - AMC Concord Mills 24 & IMAX Ohio Cincinnati - Showcase Springdale 18 + IMAX Columbus - AMC Easton Town Center 30 & IMAX Columbus - Lennox Town Center 24 with IMAX Oregon Tigard - Regal Bridgeport Village Stadium 18 & IMAX Pennsylvania Bensalem - AMC Neshaminy 24 & IMAX Homestead - AMC Waterfront 22 & IMAX King of Prussia - UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX Philadelphia - Tuttleman IMAX - Franklin Institute Reading - RC Reading Movies 11 + IMAX Rhode Island Providence - Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX South Carolina Charleston - Citadel Mall IMAX Stadium 16 Tennessee Knoxville - Regal Pinnacle Stadium 18 at Turkey Creek Nashville - Regal Opry Mills 20 & IMAX Texas Austin - The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum IMAX Theatre Dallas - Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Cinemark 17 Frisco - Stonebriar 24 with IMAX Garland - AMC Firewheel 18 & IMAX Houston - AMC Gulf Pointe 30 & IMAX Mesquite - AMC Mesquite 30 & IMAX San Antonio - Santikos Palladium 18 IMAX Theatre Sugar Land - AMC First Colony 24 & IMAX Tomball - Santikos Silverado IMAX Houston Utah Sandy - Jordan Commons 16 + IMAX Virginia Alexandria - AMC Hoffman Center 22 & IMAX Chantilly - Udvar-Hazy Center IMAX - Airbus Hampton - Riverside IMAX Theater at the Virginia Air & Space Center Midlothian - Regal Commonwealth 20 & IMAX Virginia Beach - AMC Lynnhaven 18 & IMAX Woodbridge - AMC Potomac Mills 18 & IMAX Washington Bellevue - Lincoln Square Cinemas IMAX Theatre Kent - AMC Kent Station & IMAX Lacey - Regal Martin Village Stadium 16 & IMAX Seattle - Pacific Science Center Boeing IMAX Theatre Seattle - Regal Thornton Place Stadium 14 & IMAX Tukwila - AMC Southcenter 16 & IMAX Wisconsin Fitchburg - Kerasotes Star 18 & IMAX Milwaukee - Mayfair Mall 18 with IMAX CANADA Alberta Calgary - Cineplex Scotiabank Chinook IMAX Theatre Edmonton - Cineplex Scotiabank West Edmonton Mall IMAX Theatre British Columbia Richmond - Silvercity Riverport 18 + IMAX Ontario Gloucester-Ottawa - Silvercity Gloucester + IMAX Toronto - Cineplex Scotiabank Toronto IMAX Theatre Quebec Montreal - Cinema Banque Scotia Montreal + IMAX
Additional theatres will be confirmed. Please check local listings or IMAX.com for final theatre listings, launch dates and showtimes.
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 movie presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX(R) 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 June 30, 2009, there were 394 IMAX theatres (273 commercial, 121 institutional) operating in 44 countries.
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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.