IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE and THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3-D EXPERIENCE registered the highest grossing weekend ever at IMAX theaters, with combined grosses of $3.1 million, each on 66 screens over the three-day period from Nov. 25-27. In its second weekend in IMAX theaters, HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE grossed approximately $1.85 million on 66 screens even while sharing IMAX screens with the re-release of THE POLAR EXPRESS, which generated approximately $1.22 million in its opening weekend, despite its regular DVD bow.
The performance of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE marks the highest grossing opening week ever for an IMAX Hollywood simultaneous release, with grosses of approximately $5 million. The film has now grossed an estimated cumulative total of approximately $7 million over 10 days in 66 domestic IMAX theaters, for a noteworthy per-screen average of $105,194. With a limited show schedule at most locations, THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3-D EXPERIENCE registered an impressive per-screen average of $18,505.
"The sustained box office performance of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE and the better-than- expected opening weekend results OF THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3-D EXPERIENCE proves that the two films play very well together, maximizing IMAX theater show schedules at all times of the day, said IMAX co-chairmen and co-ceos Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. We are confident that both films will generate healthy financial returns for Warner Bros. Pictures and the growing IMAX theater network."
The total box office grosses from the 12 international IMAX theaters now playing HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE are estimated to be $340,000, including numerous sold out shows, or very high occupancy in India, Spain, Poland, Amsterdam and Scotland. THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3-D EXPERIENCE opened on 11 screens internationally and generated $120,000, also selling out numerous shows and generating high occupancy.
Research conducted at numerous IMAX theaters during the opening weekend of HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE shows high satisfaction and word of mouth ratings. Of those surveyed, 92% purchased tickets at least a few days in advance of seeing the movie nearly double the average for IMAX's previous digitally re-mastered titles indicating that moviegoers are planning ahead to guarantee their seats to see Hollywood blockbusters in IMAX's large-format. In addition, research conducted during the debut weekend of THE POLAR EXPRESS: AN IMAX 3-D EXPERIENCE revealed that more than half of the moviegoers surveyed saw the film last year in IMAX 3-D and would see it again in subsequent years, indicating that the film is a holiday perennial that will attract audiences year after year.
Founded in 1967, IMAX Corp. (www.imax.com) is the newest distribution platform for Hollywood content and one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies. IMAX delivers some of the best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3-D and IMAX DMR technology. As of Sept. 30, 2005, there were 261 IMAX theaters operating in more than 38 countries.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
