SUPERMAN RETURNS, which has grossed more than $290 million worldwide to date, is showing strong legs in IMAX theaters through its fourth weekend. The IMAX 3-D release earned approximately $1.4 million on 77 North American IMAX screens and an estimated $625,000 from 27 international IMAX screens between July 21-23 To date, the film has earned $20.7 million in IMAX theaters worldwide, becoming the fastest grossing digitally re-mastered IMAX release in the company's history for an impressive worldwide per screen average of $201,000.
The strong fourth weekend in North American IMAX theaters follows a record-breaking opening, when the film set numerous records for a Hollywood simultaneous release, including the biggest seven-day total and the highest seven-day per-screen average. The continued box office success demonstrates the growing consumer enthusiasm for IMAX 3-D and Hollywood films.
"The IMAX release provides another layer of excitement surrounding the film, and we are confident that it will continue to contribute to the overall box office success of the film, said Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures.
"The popularity of Hollywood event movies in both IMAX 2-D and IMAX 3-D is clearly growing and we are encouraged by the strong legs of Bryan Singer's SUPERMAN RETURNS: AN IMAX 3D EXPERIENCE," said Greg Foster, chairman and president of IMAX Filmed Ent. "We expect these box office trends to continue, and we are confident that the film will break even more IMAX records."
"The IMAX 3-D release of SUPERMAN RETURNS continues to generate outstanding results in our international territories," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, president of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "We are pleased that audiences are responding to this film and taking advantage of the opportunity to experience it in this unique and immersive way. We look forward to continued success as the film opens in more international IMAX theatres during the weeks ahead."
IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures will continue to offer the most immersive cinematic 3-D experience this summer with the July 28 IMAX 3D release of THE ANT BULLY.
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 among the best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3-D and IMAX DMR technology. As of March 31, there were 266 IMAX theaters operating in 36 countries.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
