300: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE contributed a record-setting $3.6 million of the $70,855,301 that the film grossed at the domestic box office opening weekend. 300: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE played in 62 domestic IMAX theaters, while 300 played in 3,103 locations across the country.
Directed by Zack Snyder, the Mark Canton/Gianni Nunnari production launched midnight Friday with sold out performances in 57 IMAX locations, which added to the film's opening weekend per- screen average of $58,000, a new record for a Hollywood IMAX title. 300 also shattered every opening weekend record for an IMAX Hollywood simultaneous release, playing to sell-out crowds around the country.
300's box office domination led to 48 IMAX theaters reporting opening weekend records, and it also posted a staggering $700,000 in IMAX theaters on Monday, as the enthusiasm for the film continues. The film is booked in more than 25 international IMAX theaters, the first of which, Taiwan, opened this past weekend with outstanding results.
Coupled with last week's announcements that IMAX has made deals with multiplex operators Regal (two more screens in California and Oregon just in time for May's IMAX debut of SPIDER-MAN 3 and July's IMAX bow for HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX) and Dickinson (five locations within the next two years), the 300 buzz was just what IMAX needed in light of all the digital 3-D competition.
"We are beyond excited about the way moviegoers are responding to this incredible film," said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The IMAX EXPERIENCE offers audiences an ultra-exciting way to take in the thrills of the battle of Thermopylae, and we look forward to more crowds filling theaters in the coming weeks."
"300's initial box office performance demonstrates that visually stunning and exciting films continue to draw commercial audiences to IMAX theatres," said IMAX co-chairmen and co-ceos Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We've had a long and successful relationship with Warner Bros. Pictures, we are pleased to have an extraordinary film like 300 in the March slot of our 2007 film slate, and we hope the film continues to be a significant draw for the IMAX theater network in the months ahead."
"Zack Snyder's amazing vision of Frank Miller's graphic novel has transported IMAX audiences directly into the excitement of 300," added Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Ent. "Our partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures and our teams' joint marketing and distribution efforts have resulted in more audiences wanting to experience the 300 fever in IMAX's immersive format, and based on what we're hearing from our theaters and the opening weekend results, word of mouth about this fantastic film is spreading quickly."
IMAX Corp. (www.imax.com) is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in digital and film-based 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 theatrers delivering some of the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3-D and IMAX DMR technology. As of Sept. 30, 2006, there were 280 IMAX theaters operating in 40 countries.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
