Mumbai: Twentieth Century Fox’s new movie The Day The Earth Stood Still, which opened number one at the domestic box office, generated an estimated $31 million, with 123 Imax theatres contributing approximately $3.7 million to the domestic total.

From Friday, December 12, through Sunday December 14, the Imax release generated an impressive per screen average of approximately $30,000. Included in the weekend’s performance were 38 locations equipped with Imax’s new digital projection technology. The film also had a strong international opening, grossing $532,000 from 20 Imax screens, and it will ultimately play on 26 international Imax screens in the weeks to come.

"We’re very happy with the film’s overall performance for the weekend and, with 19 of the top 20 engagements having Imax screens, its clear that more moviegoers are taking advantage of The Imax Experience to make the film an extra special event," said Twentieth Century Fox president domestic distribution Bruce Snyder. "We look forward to its continued success in both conventional and Imax theatres throughout the holiday season."

"This strong opening demonstrates that people are still going to the movies and are willing to pay a premium ticket price for The Imax Experience, despite the economic downturn," said Imax co-chairmen and co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "Twentieth Century Fox has once again delivered a box office winner during the holiday season, and we’re very pleased with the initial results at Imax theatres. We’re particularly happy with the performance of our new joint venture digital locations, which are gaining a lot of traction, given the rapid pace of the rollout."

"The exciting action and stunning visual effects in The Day the Earth Stood Still are very conducive to The Imax Experience and, as a result, Twentieth Century Fox has enabled the Imax network to be part of another number-one debuting movie at the box office," said Imax Filmed Entertainment chairman and president Greg Foster. "The combination of the studio’s well-executed marketing and distribution plan, the film’s appeal to the tech-savvy 15-30 year-old demographic and the larger footprint of Imax theatres is proving to be an effective draw, which we believe bodes well for the Imax network as we head into 2009."