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Avatar Continues to Break More IMAX Records Every Week

by Alex Billington
December 29, 2009

Hollywood has shut down for the week, so there isn't much news to report. However, James Cameron's Avatar seems to still be kicking ass at the box office, landing in the #1 this spot last weekend and topping $600 million worldwide in just over 10 days. IMAX sent out a press release last night stating that Avatar is breaking more and more IMAX records, which is impressive because The Dark Knight set the bar quite last year. "To have reached $39 million from 249 screens in just 10 days demonstrates that moviegoers clearly understand the value of experiencing Avatar in IMAX," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX.

If you haven't seen Avatar in IMAX 3D yet, it definitely is the way to see it, even though it wasn't "shot" on IMAX cameras. Although it was only "digitally re-mastered" for IMAX, it still looks incredible because of the level of detail in the visuals and 3D. The number of IMAX screens showing Avatar accounts for only 3% of it's screens overall, however approximately 12% of it's domestic revenue this past weekend ($75.7 million) was from IMAX. So it's making 12% of the revenue from only 3% of the screens. That definitely sounds like "consumers are clearly seeking out IMAX as the way to experience James Cameron's latest blockbuster."

If only they could've released Titanic in IMAX, too, they would've made so much money off of that! IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond stated in the press release that "Avatar is well on its way to becoming our highest grossing Hollywood IMAX title." Bravo James Cameron, you're latest movie is a tremendous success!

Explore tags: Movie News, Opinions

luuno

i dont blame them AVATAR rocks best movie ive ever seen, first time i went to a movie and wanted to see it right again after it ended
http://lmfao.com danielvutran

Fix the "you're" in your last sentence. hahahahas
http://www.myspace.com/risksinrip Ambient

Cameron rules again.
Andreas

I live in Sweden where we aren't blessed with IMAX theaters... however, I am visiting New York in March, will it still be possible to see Avatar in IMAX around that time..?
Impietas

Wouldn't come as a surprise if he breaks his previous box office records completely. Titanic was a big release, but nothing compared to this.
Box Office

Avatar is a waste of time and money. Like with the entertainment industry troll campaigns on the blog comments, Twitter is filled to the brim with fake accounts pushing the entertainment industry to its long diminishing number of real users. It's only a matter of time before Twitter is investigated and found out they've been on the Hollywood dole all along to push the otherwise dead entertainment industry. The Avatar box-office numbers are so inflated now, any claims of it running a profit would be as bogus as the science-fiction it pretends to be. There aren't enough theaters and IMAX theaters in America to earn the money it's claiming, but its makers can't do the math. The tech to make the movie is at least 15 years old, but they're telling everyone they invented it. Because no one goes to movies or buys DVDs, they're going to have to explain their bogus profits to the feds at some point, and Twitter will have to explain all of its ridiculous fake personalities.
L

#4. Doubtful. I believe movies "rent" IMAX time. Transformers 2 had an extended stay, so i hear. Can someone confirm?
http://www.thenameless.org Mike McRorey

#6, obviously you are one of those that cry for attention. Seeking out anywhere you can to post your nonsense, just to see someone get upset at what you posted and post back in a flame-war. Get over yourself. If you don't like the movie, then don't see it. As for the 99% of the rest of the world that has seen it and loved it, well, I guess we will just be happy.
nick

"Avatar" grossed $19 million on Monday. Total now stands at $232 million. "The Squeakquel" was #2 with $12 million and "Sherlock Holmes" rounded out the Top 3 with $11 million.
Xerxex

I saw AVATAR out of Imax 3-D, and I was still impressed, even though at times, when Sulley was in the AVATAR and with the Na'vi I felt it turned into a animated film, but paired with the humans it was better. I'll see it in 3-D I'm sure, but I won't be swayed by 3-D in every other film out there. For AVATAR it works, the movie was designed for it, Robin Hood is not. Problem was my friend and I saw AVATAR on Saturday, then Sherlock Holmes on Sunday, and all I heard was AVATAR was way better then Sherlock Holmes, however you cannot compare AVATAR to Sherlock Holmes, can you? AVATAR is not the best movie I've ever seen, but it is a good movie, a bit like Star Wars: A New Hope, the only thing that bothered me was when Sulley does the ending narration he said "The Aliens left, only a few choice people were allowed to stay." I felt that line was was pushing it a little too far, and it is like Dances With Wolves, and The Last Samurai, but those films are good as well, Cameron did it, and I loved the film, and its a definite buy, overall I give it a 8-10.
Box Office

"Mike McRorey" can't even name a single person in America who's seen or heard of this movie because he doesn't know any. You quote "entertainment sources" and troll marketing accounts. Have fun with your big box office profits. Where are you posting from "Mike McRorey"? That's a question anyone would like to know. Where are your "99% of the world"? Loser troll.
Rodney

AVATAR is expected to play until Alice in Wonderland opens on March 5th. If you want to see it in Jan or Feb you are probably safe. In March, it will probably be gone. Of course everything is subject to change.
http://trailerhunter.blogspot.com Hellboy

i bet 95% people loved AVATAR..the rest 5% are just lying .....
Jason

my son bought tickets to AVATAR the day the y came avelable. so we saw it the day it came out in IMAX 3D. i loved it. p.s. does any ine know if AVATAR got more money then Titanic?
http://www.thenameless.org Mike McRorey

#11 I am in Houston, TX and have seen the movie in IMAX 3 times, all at sold out shows where everyone clapped at the end and the groups of people I was with all had great things to say about it. btw, I don't think you even read what I said, because I didn't quote "entertainment sources" or troll marketing accounts. 99% of the world that has SEEN the movie.
harrison

i dont think they account for imax costing about 3 or 4 more dollars per ticket in their numbers, but yea it is the way to see it
branden

I was a hater and I will admit it is a success and was a good movie, but "best movie ever?" Decade? Year? I am honestly not trying to hate, but I thought that Star Trek and Half Blood Prince were more entertaining, especially the plots. He gets in his Avatar, gets attached to the natives, helps them fight, and they win. What. A. Surprise. Obviously on internet blogs and movie sites there are a lot of nerds that go crazy over movies like this that think other people are crazy for not thinking it's amazing, but it really wasn't. Most of my friends have seen it and they all said it was good, but not great and I agree. Everyone is talking about it because it's James Cameron and nerds are writing on their facebook and twitter statuses and nobody has anything else to do during the winter so everyone is going to see it just to see it.
EJP

#4 - As someone else posted, Alice in Wonderland is taking over the IMAX theaters on March 5th. You can check imax.com for their schedule of movie releases.
Alex T (because I don't need a fake name like Box Office"

#11- Hey "Box Office" if there is anything I have discovered reading forums over the past couple of years its that usually the only people that are really "trolls" are the ones that go onto a board and call other people "trolls". You are being the perfect example of this and you are giving me more evidence to support my theory. And really why do you care? No shit the entertainment industry lies about profits. You're acting like this is the first time they've ever done something like this. At least now they are lying to sell a quality product instead of other crap "sci-fi" films that came out this year.
Kelton

Doesn't surprise me. Avatar was freaking amazing. !!! I want to see it again.
DMR

#17--- Did you see the movie on a regular 35mm screen or in IMAX 3D? I have seen in both, and when watching it in IMAX 3D it was a much better expierence. It felt as though you were there on pandora expierencing the whole movie with the characters instead of just watching a screen from a 3rd person point of view. I have also seen both Star Trek (which sucked, I want the 127 min. of my life back) and Half Blood Price in IMAX. You can't even compare this movie with those, harry potter only had 2:30 in 3D. James Cameron did a fantastic job with this movie and I believe it was a lot more work to make this movie than the other two. Coming from a movie theatre manager this is BY FAR the best movie I have EVER SEEN!
harrison

@17 star trek(as great as it was) had a deeper plot? it was obvious from the getgo how it was going to end, and half blood prince? havnt seen the movie maybe ill netflix it eventually but i read the book, as did most of the population, so you know how its going to end also. avatar was atleast an original story with some amazing special effects which i thought were better than star treks
SkaOreo

Regardless of whether or not the industry may be lying, it doesn't change the fact that Avatar is successful and people are going out of their way to watch it.
joe_6285

18.3M FOR TUESDAY! http://twitter.com/ERCboxoffice That's just insane I think it will reach 385 million domestically as long no competitive movie comes out and knocks it down.It's by far going to be highest grossing movie of 2009 that's for sure.
branden

#21 just cause you're a manager doesn't mean you know anything about movies. Star Trek did not suck at all and for people that say the story (Spock creating a black hole from red matter to save the Romulans, which didn't work so the Romulans stuck Spock on a planet to watch his planet destroyed and then future Spcok helps Kirk and old Spock destroy the Romulans) was bad are jusdt stupid. Seriously, it takes you a much longer time to explain the Avatar plot than it does the Star Trek one. Avatar - Guy is sent to be in Avatar, becomes friends with the natives, helps them fight the humans who want to take over their land (real, REAL original btw), bad guy dies at end humans sent away. How is a story great if there are NO plot twists at all?
branden

The main great stuff I hear about Avatar is "OMG the visuals" or "OMG the 3D." Cameron had to make it 3D so ignorant people would think it was so great when it really wasn't. Oh wow bright colors in my face, how great?!
branden

Half Blood Prince was much more empotional and yes it had a much better story. Alan Rickman and the guy that plays Dumbldore would pwn the acting of any joke in Avatar. Michelle Rodriguez "you should see your faces" and "you're not the only ones with a gun." WOW, SO FREAKING ORIGINAL AND DEEP DIALOGUE.
Lucky

James Cameron for Avengers!!!!!!!
jeffrey

The Hallelujah Mountains!!!!! Man I wouldn't have enjoyed them nearly as well in 35mm. Long Live IMAX....Your time has finally come. No more bullshit documentaries and cheap gimmicks!!
Icefilm

To "branden": Keep spewing your hatred for filmmaking all you want because apparently $726,612,776 (AVATAR's box office revenue as of this time) doesn't agree with you...
http://www.thenameless.org Mike McRorey

ok, we are getting off on a tangent here, but some people are complaining about movies inflating their profits, "IF" that is the case, then just "MAYBE" they might also be inflating their costs? Either way it doesn't matter, the only way a movie should be judged number wise should be on number of tickets sold. I would love to see that. This way a movie made in 1979 that sold 1000 tickets for $1.00 each would still be more popular than a movie made in 2010 that sold 999 tickets for $14.00 each.
Xerxex

Branden chill the fuck out. So you didn't like AVATAR big fucking deal.
Icefilm

Doesn't matter if the movie was made in 1979 or in 2009, the fact of the matter is that a lot of people have watched this movie, and some have made return trips to it. If the first STAR WARS were made today, that still wouldn't change the fact that it's still the first STAR WARS, would it? But that is a great argument you bring there. I would like to see the industry follow on an idea similar to that.
http://www.thenameless.org Mike McRorey

#33, don't get me wrong, I loved the movie, not judging it by the numbers. I was just making a numbers point. If you read my previous 3 posts, I have been all about defending this awesome movie.
http://firstshowing.net Nathaniel

I say AVATAR has almost every edge to beat the crap out of H.P. since AVATAR has just begun. It has a long way to go. Congratulations J.C.
Slim

#6 either didnt see the movie in IMax, or he just wants to get some attention online. The movie didnt have the greatest plot, nor the best fight scenes, nor the most original ideas. But the combination of the glowing colors, the 3D efx, the IMAX experience, the lovable characters, the tempurpedic seats, the 2hour40minute movie length, the storyline, the hype, etc.. the combination blew me the fuck away!! NOBODY who's seen this movie in Imax can say it's bad. Its either good, or breathtaking. I understand when everyone is singing praises for anything in life there has to be at least one person who feels the total opposite. That person is usually referred to as a hater (#6). The best advice I can give anyone who has not yet seen it is to check it out in Imax, and judge for yourself. Worse case scenario, you spend a few dollars. Take your girl or guy to see it, and they'll definitely remember this date for years to come. I'm a real dude, and I'm not easily impressed. But I left this movie experience feeling like I was actually on another planet. It kinda made me feel like a kid again. Like that feeling after watching the original Star Wars, E.T., & the Dark Crystal. When the movie ended and you're walking out with your parents, you keep looking back at the screen to see if something more is going to happen with that tear in your eye... well that's the closest way to explain my experience. Lets just say, for the sake of argument, the #'s are inflated, by 100%, it would still show that this movie is selling better than anything else right now, and that has to account for something. BTW you can take the kids to this one. Its not rated R.
pj

i dont know why you guys are attacking #6. avatar isnt that great and most of its money is due to extra ticket cost. i read that if HP and transformers sold their tickets for the same price they would have made 430 mil and 540 mil respectively.
John

Screw avertar.