MUMBAI: Marvel Entertainment and Paramount Pictures’ action-adventure Iron Man 2, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey Jr., opened with strong box office results in IMAX theatres.

The IMAX release generated $9.8 million from 181 IMAX theatres in the US during the opening weekend from Friday, May 7 through Sunday May 9, setting a new record for a 2D IMAX opening weekend.

The IMAX release posted a domestic per screen average of approximately $54,000 and represented approximately 8% of the film’s total domestic cume of $130 million on less than 2% of the screens. Internationally, the IMAX release generated approximately $1.5 million during the weekend, bringing the international IMAX total to $4.7 million and the worldwide IMAX total to $14.5 million.

"Our theatres were at near-capacity during opening weekend, and we’re looking forward to a strong performance throughout the entire IMAX run. Jon Favreau, Marvel and Paramount have delivered a highly entertaining, fun-filled action movie for fanboys and families alike – one that is ideally suited to IMAX and the event-like element we add to a great title," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond.

"Word of mouth about the IMAX release is continuing to build, and the weekend results demonstrate that whether a film is in 2D or 3D, moviegoers are seeking out the premium IMAX experience. Iron Man is a fantastic franchise that we believe has a great future, and we’re delighted to kick off our summer slate with such an incredible film," added IMAX Filmed Entertainment chairman and president Greg Foster.