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IMAX is the Golden Ticket for Charlie

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE opened to record business this past weekend, reports IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures. The film debuted in a record 65 North American IMAX theaters the widest domestic IMAX opening to date grossing an estimated record of $2.21M over the three-day period ended July 17, for a per screen average of more than $34,000. In addition, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE also set single day box office records with the biggest opening day, Saturday and Sunday for an IMAX digitally re-mastered release.

Meanwhile, BATMAN BEGINS: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE continues to draw crowds around the world, and in less than five weeks in IMAX theaters, the film has now grossed approximately $12.5M worldwide. With the two films combining to gross more than $2.5M, the three-day period was IMAXs highest grossing summer weekend.

Early research shows that everyone from eight to 80 loves CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY at IMAX theaters, said Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. IMAX offers moviegoers a special and unique way to experience our tentpole films, and given the overwhelmingly positive audience response to The IMAX Experience, we look forward to strong results for weeks to come. This film and BATMAN BEGINS are a great one-two summer punch in IMAXs format, and weve been very impressed with the incremental box office IMAX theaters are contributing.

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE had a phenomenal all-record breaking opening largely due to its wide audience appeal and the great integrated marketing campaign Warner Bros. Pictures executed to launch the film, added IMAX co-chairmen and co-ceos Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. IMAX continues to gain traction with each successive day-and-date Hollywood release, and we are increasingly pulling people off of their couches to experience todays biggest event films in IMAXs format. CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY has incredible word of mouth coming out of its first weekend, and BATMAN BEGINS continues to show strong legs in IMAX theaters, which has us confident our blockbuster summer film slate will continue generating impressive box office returns throughout the season.

Added Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Ent., When you see CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY on the IMAX screen, it becomes completely obvious why we set out to offer todays biggest Hollywood films in the most immersive film format in the worldyoure completely engulfed in the vivid colors, entertaining score and adventure of the film. Warner Bros. Pictures has delivered another picture that is ideally suited for the IMAX canvas, as evidenced by the exceptional consumer response and record breaking debut.

Founded in 1967, IMAX Corp. (www.imax.com) is the newest distribution platform for Hollywood content and one of the worlds leading entertainment technology companies. IMAX delivers top cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. As of March 31, 2005, there were 250 IMAX theaters operating in more than 35 countries.

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Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.

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