Charlie and the Chocolate Factory shatters IMAX box office records with golden opening weekend in IMAX(R) theatres

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory shatters IMAX box office records with golden opening weekend in IMAX(R) theatres

Film Posts Biggest Three Day Opening for an IMAX Hollywood Simultaneous Release

Strong Debut Helps Break Record for IMAX's Highest Grossing Summer Weekend

NEW YORK, NY, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The IMAX Experience opened to enthusiastic audience reception and record breaking box office performance this past weekend. The film debuted in a record 65 North American IMAX(R) theatres - the widest domestic IMAX opening to date - grossing an estimated $2.21 million over the three-day period from Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 17, for a per screen average of more than $34,000. In addition to establishing a new three-day opening record, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The IMAX Experience also set single day box office records with the biggest opening day, Saturday and Sunday for an IMAX digitally re-mastered release.

Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience continues to draw crowds around the world, and in less than five weeks in IMAX theatres, the film has now grossed approximately $12.5 million worldwide. With the two films combining to gross over $2.5 million, the three-day period was IMAX's highest grossing summer weekend.

"Early research shows that everyone from eight to eighty loves Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at IMAX theatres," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "IMAX offers moviegoers a special and unique way to experience our tentpole films, and given the overwhelmingly positive audience response to The IMAX Experience(R), we look forward to strong results for weeks to come. This film and Batman Begins are a great one-two summer punch in IMAX's format, and we've been very impressed with the incremental box office IMAX theatres are contributing."

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The IMAX Experience had a phenomenal all-record breaking opening largely due to its wide audience appeal and the great integrated marketing campaign Warner Bros. Pictures executed to launch the film," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "IMAX continues to gain traction with each successive day-and-date Hollywood release, and we are increasingly pulling people off of their couches to experience today's biggest event films in IMAX's format. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has incredible word of mouth coming out of its first weekend, and Batman Begins continues to show strong legs in IMAX theatres, which has us confident our blockbuster summer film slate will continue generating impressive box office returns throughout the season."

Concluded Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment, "When you see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on the IMAX screen, it becomes completely obvious why we set out to offer today's biggest Hollywood films in the most immersive film format in the world. Tim Burton's brilliant telling of the Roald Dahl classic is a feast for the senses in IMAX - you're completely engulfed in the vivid colors, entertaining score and adventure of the film. Warner Bros. Pictures has delivered another picture that is ideally suited for the IMAX canvas, as evidenced by the exceptional consumer response and record breaking debut."

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Zanuck Company / Plan B Production of a Tim Burton Film: Johnny Depp stars in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, based on the book by Roald Dahl, and also starring Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Pyle, James Fox, with Deep Roy and Christopher Lee. Directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by John August, the film is produced by Brad Grey and Richard D. Zanuck. Patrick McCormick, Felicity Dahl, Michael Siegel, Graham Burke and Bruce Berman executive produce. Director of photography is Philippe Rousselot, A.F.C./A.S.C. Production designed by Alex McDowell. Edited by Chris Lebenzon, A.C.E. Costume designer is Gabriella Pescucci. Music by Danny Elfman. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. This film is rated PG by the MPAA for "quirky situations, action and mild language." www.chocolatefactorymovie.com / AOL: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

About IMAX Corporation ----------------------

Founded in 1967, IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) is the newest distribution platform for Hollywood content and one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies. IMAX delivers the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX(R) 3D, and IMAX DMR(R) technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences. As of March 31, 2005, there were 250 IMAX theatres operating in more than 35 countries.

IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R) and The IMAX Experience(R) are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on management assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Important factors that could affect these statements include the timing of theatre system deliveries, the mix of theatre systems shipped, the timing of the recognition of revenues and expenses on film production and distribution agreements, the performance of films, the viability of new businesses and products, and fluctuations in foreign currency and in the large format and general commercial exhibition market. These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and in the subsequent reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source: IMAX Corporation; Warner Bros. Pictures

CONTACT: Media: IMAX Corporation, New York, Romi Schutzer, (212) 821-0144, rschutzer@imax.com; Warner Bros. Pictures, Los Angeles, Stacy Ivers, (818) 954-6228, stacy.ivers@warnerbros.com; Business Media: Sloane & Company, New York, Whit Clay, (212) 446-1864, wclay@sloanepr.com; Analysts: IMAX Corporation, New York, Cheryl Cramer, (212) 821-0121, ccramer@imax.com; Entertainment Media: Newman & Company, Los Angeles, Al Newman, (310) 278-1560, asn@newman-co.com

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