Twentieth Century Fox's NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, an adventure comedy directed by Shawn Levy (THE PINK PANTHER and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN) and starring Ben Stiller and Robin Williams, will come to life in IMAX's DMR (Digital Re-mastering) format when it opens in 72 IMAX theaters in North America on Dec. 22.
"NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE is visually stunning, sounds incredible and gives people another special way to experience the film throughout the holidays," said Bruce Snyder, president, Domestic Distribution, Twentieth Century Fox. "We look forward to sharing this hilarious adventure with moviegoers in both conventional and IMAX theaters on Dec. 22."
Shortlisted for a Visual Effects Oscar, thanks to the contributions of Rhythm & Hues, Rainmaker, The Orphanage and Weta Digital, among others, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM will appear even more immersive in IMAX.
"Responses to NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM have been very positive and people are going to love the immersive experience of the film, which is a natural fit for our theatres," added Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Ent. "When the giant T-Rex skeleton comes to life in IMAX, you can actually feel every move it makes as it runs towards you. From beginning to end, this film is an exciting IMAX adventure for the entire family, and we are delighted that it can be experienced in both commercially operated and museum-based IMAX theaters during the holiday and into 2007."
Good-hearted dreamer Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), despite being perpetually down on his luck, thinks he's destined for something big. But even he could never have imagined how "big," when he accepts what appears to be a menial job as a graveyard-shift night watchman at a museum of natural history. But during Larry's watch, something extraordinary happens: the museum's exhibits magically come to life. A fearsome T-Rex insists on a game of fetch (with one of his own skeleton bones); Mayans, Roman Gladiators and cowboys emerge from their diorama to wage epic battles; and a wax figure of Teddy Roosevelt (Robin Williams) gives Larry important advice while harboring a crush for an Indian princess. As things spiral wildly out of control, Larry must find a way to control the magic to stop a nefarious plot and save the museum.
Founded in 1967, IMAX Corp. (www.imax.com) is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies and the newest distribution window for Hollywood films. IMAX delivers some of the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3-D 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 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.
