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Thursday, May 31, 2012

IMAX: The Big Picture


Avatar, the overwhelmingly successful James Cameron film, didn't change anything for IMAX Corp (IMAX). It just cast a light on the potential that none of us understood the week before it opened. The recipe was there the whole time but nobody was biting until James Cameron put out a spread that was irresistible. Avatar showcased everything that is great about the IMAX experience; the larger than life screens, the vivid high definition effects, the incredible sound systems, the next generation 3D technology and the fat premium attached to the ticket sales for the IMAX format and 3D. It was not only incredible for the consumer but attractive for the movie houses as well. Since Avatar there has been a string of blockbusters that have shattered box office records with a big boost from IMAX Corp's premium formats. The most obvious successes have been Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2, Transformers: Rise of the Fallen, Hunger Games and The Avengers.

A few films grossing over a billion dollars isn't the whole story though. In fact, it is just a thumbnail of a much larger picture. In 2008, there were just 210 commercial IMAX multiplexes. Fast forward to the middle of 2012 and there are over 580 multiplexes, over 300 of which are the joint-ventures in which IMAX takes a share of the box office. Read more.....