March 8, 2010--IMAX Corporation today announced that Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and Mia Wasikowska, posted record opening-weekend results, with 188 domestic IMAX theaters contributing $12.1 million of the film's overall opening gross of an estimated $116.2 million during the weekend from Friday March 5, through Sunday March 7, which represents an approximate 27 percent increase over IMAX's previous opening weekend record. The IMAX release contributed approximately 10.5 percent of the overall domestic box on an estimated 2.5 percent of the total screens, and IMAX theaters posted a domestic per screen average of $64,362.
March 4, 2010--National Geographic Cinema Ventures (NGCV) has selected Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation (E&S) and Sky-Skan to convert and distribute its film Forces of Nature to digital planetariums and other fulldome theaters. This will be Sky-Skan’s first fulldome project with National Geographic. E&S previously acquired fulldome distribution rights to NGCV’s Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.
March 3, 2010--The Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA) today announced that The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest, distributed by National Geographic Entertainment, received the People’s Choice Award at the association’s 2010 Film Expo held at the IMAX Theatre @ The Bridge in Los Angeles, CA, in late February. The winner was determined by Film Expo delegates, who voted for their favorite film among the six new films that were presented during the event.
March 2, 2010--IMAX Corporation today announced that Alice in Wonderland, directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and Mia Wasikowska as Alice, will open in 188 domestic IMAX theaters simultaneously with the film’s wide release on March 5, 2010. The film will also open in 53 IMAX theaters internationally this weekend, and ultimately will play in 82 international IMAX theaters for a total of 270 IMAX runs, which marks a new record. The special IMAX 3D release has been digitally re-mastered with IMAX DMR (Digital Re-Mastering) technology.
March 2, 2010--The first-ever, International 3D Society Lumiere Awards were bestowed on February 23 at Hollywood's Mann Chinese Theater, honoring talent--both in front of and behind the cameras--within the rapidly burgeoning 3D filmmaking industry. Avatar walked away with six Lumiere Awards and the first-ever People's Choice Award for Favorite 3D Movie-Live Action during the event, with that film's co-star, Giovanni Ribisi, accepting on behalf of the filmmakers. Based in Los Angeles, the newly formed International 3D Society serves the 3D community with education and recognition for stereoscopic 3D professionals.
March 1, 2010--IMAX Corporation and Twentieth Century Fox announced that James Cameron's Avatar, recipient of Golden Globe awards for Best Picture and Best Director as well as nine Academy Award nominations, crossed the $200 million mark at IMAX theaters worldwide during the weekend from Friday, February 19, 2010, through Sunday, February 21. During its 10th weekend, the film grossed $4.3 million from 179 IMAX theaters domestically, representing approximately 27 percent of the film's total domestic three-day weekend gross of $16.2 million. Internationally, the IMAX release grossed $3.9 million from 84 IMAX theaters, bringing the weekend's global IMAX total to approximately $8.2 million and the film's overall IMAX global total to more than $200 million.
March 1, 2010--The Swiss Museum of Transport's significantly expanded program and the reorientation of the IMAX Theatre has prompted a name change from IMAX Theatre to Filmtheatre at the Swiss Museum of Transport. The new name underscores the umbrella brand strategy pursued by Switzerland’s most popular museum, a brand that covers the full range of attractions offered at the Swiss Museum of Transport.
February 11, 2010--The Giant Screen Cinema Association (GSCA) announced the results of its 2010 board of directors election today. Eleven new directors—eight elected and three appointed—will begin serving their two-year terms at the upcoming GSCA Film Expo being held in Los Angeles, CA, on February 23-24. The new directors representing the five GSCA membership categories, are:
February 8, 2010--MacGillivray Freeman Films announced today that Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren is the narrator for Arabia, a timely new 3D giant screen adventure opening in select IMAX and IMAX 3D theaters starting February 12.
February 3, 2010--IMAX Corporation and Rising Star Media, one of Russia's leading international exhibitors, today announced an agreement to expand their relationship by installing two more digital IMAX theater systems by spring 2010. The deal follows a highly successful run of IMAX titles at the exhibitor's two existing IMAX locations. Under terms of the deal, Rising Star will add a new digital IMAX location in Moscow and upgrade its existing film-based IMAX location in St. Petersburg with an IMAX digital projection system.