The 'blockbuster benefit' takes the specialist film format ever further into the mainstream...

The IMAX revolution seems to be benefitting both in its own regard and in tandem with the craze for 3D movie releases. The large-screen exhibitor is claiming box office revenue for 2010 at $546 million, over 200% higher than in 2009.

Overseas revenue has been partly responsible for the upsurge in IMAX's fortunes, accounting for 39% of the take compared to 26% in 2009. Additionally, rumours of a take-over bid from Sony, later discredited by the company, sent shares up by 7% on Friday.

The leading earners in the IMAX stable were Avatar, Toy Story 3 and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, with a late run from TRON: Legacy representing over 25% of the Disney sequel's box-office revenue. Forthcoming releases in the high-resolution celluloid format include Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Cars 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides in 2011. Nearer to now are the impending IMAX releases of The Green Hornet and Universal's Sanctum.

In the announcement, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond stated: "Our 2010 box office results reflect our model of showcasing the biggest blockbuster titles, whether they are 2D or 3D, our network expansion and the significant increase in box office generated from our existing theaters...Looking ahead to 2011, we have more visibility into our future film slate than we have ever had."

While IMAX is riding the 3D wave and benefitting from consumers who are looking for a truly 'cinematic' experience to compare to that provided by increasingly affordable wide-screen TVs, the future of the format is arguably more in its infrastructure than in the high-resolutions delivered by the increased size of the film negative, which is likely yet to become superceded both by developments in digital projection and changes in film distribution methods over the next five or six years.

Variety

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