Mumbai: Imax Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures have crossed the $400 million mark at the Imax box office with films released through the partnership between the two companies.
Since June 2003, Warner Bros. Pictures has released 16 titles in Imax’s format, five of which were in Imax 3D, including two live action pictures that were partially converted into 3D with Imax’s proprietary 2D to 3D conversion technology.
All titles were digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The Imax Experience using Imax’s proprietary Imax DMR (Digital Re-Mastering) technology. Also included in the tally are the studio’s two original Imax 3D co-productions.
"Our successful partnership with Imax has helped to shape an entirely new distribution window and a completely new form of premium cinematic entertainment," said Warner Bros. Pictures president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman.
"The Imax theatre network has enabled us to generate incremental box office returns, and we are very enthusiastic about our upcoming film slate, which will include both original Imax 3D programming and our tent-pole releases," he added.
"The Imax release adds a layer of excitement to major titles, and with more audiences looking for something special at the movies, we anticipate continued strong box office returns from these theatres internationally," said Warner Bros. Pictures president of international distribution Veronika Kwan-Rubinek.
"Warner Bros. Pictures’ dedication to the Imax film business, their talent for making great films and their enthusiastic endorsement of Imax DMR and original programming has enabled our partnership to reach this impressive milestone," said Imax co-chairmen and co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler.
"With our digital projection system on the verge of rapidly expanding the Imax network worldwide, we are confident that we’ll reach many more milestones with Warner Bros. Pictures," they said.
The original Imax 3D films co-produced and released with Warner Bros. Pictures include NASCAR 3D: The Imax Experience (2003), which has grossed nearly $24 million at the Imax box office, and Deep Sea 3D (2006), which has grossed an impressive $64 million at the Imax box office on a limited number of screens, and it is still playing well throughout the Imax network.
"Warner Bros. Pictures has been instrumental in bringing The Imax Experience into mainstream," added Imax Filmed Entertainment chairman and president Greg Foster.
The 2008, 2009 and 2010 lineup for Warner Bros. Pictures and Imax currently include Speed Racer, The Dark Night, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Under the Sea 3D and Hubble 3D.
