IMAX Corporation and Twentieth Century Fox today announced that James Cameron’s Avatar will open in 178 IMAX theaters domestically on December 18, 2009, simultaneously with the motion picture’s premiere in conventional theaters. The IMAX 3D release will also open in 83 IMAX theaters internationally starting on December 16th, for a total of 261 theaters, making this the Company’s widest release to date.
Avatar is directed and written by Academy Award Winner James Cameron and stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. Avatar has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of “The IMAX Experience.”
“Our goal with ‘Avatar’ is to revolutionize live-action 3D moviemaking, and it looks and sounds incredible in IMAX 3D,” said director James Cameron. “The larger field of view and powerful surround sound of an IMAX theater will immerse the audience in a way that cannot be experienced anywhere else.”
“This movie represents the essence of The IMAX Experience, which is to transport people to places they normally couldn’t go,” said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. “Moviegoers can experience this movie in IMAX 3D in more theaters than ever before, and we’re already seeing strong pre-sales and sold out shows beyond opening weekend.”
“James Cameron is a genius filmmaker. His vision and 3D expertise has made ‘Avatar’ a natural fit for IMAX,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Every aspect of this film was meticulously designed for 3D, so when audiences experience this revolutionary film in an IMAX 3D theatre, they will feel as if they are actually IN the movie.”
Avatar is the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind in an alien body, he finds himself torn between two worlds, in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people. More than ten years in the making, Avatar marks Cameron’s return to feature directing since helming 1997’s Titanic, the highest grossing film of all time and winner of eleven Oscars including Best Picture. WETA Digital, renowned for its work in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and King Kong, will incorporate new intuitive CGI technologies to transform the environments and characters into photorealistic 3D imagery that will transport the audience into the alien world rich with imaginative vistas, creatures and characters.
“Avatar: An IMAX 3D Experience” is scheduled to play day-and-date at the following IMAX(R) Theatres beginning December 18th.
UNITED STATES
Arizona
Mesa – Dickinson Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre
Phoenix – AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX
Phoenix – AMC Desert Ridge 18 with IMAX
Tempe – Harkins IMAX at Arizona Mills
Arkansas
Little Rock – Dickinson Chenal 9 IMAX Theatre
California
Alhambra – Edwards Renaissance Stadium 14 + IMAX
Aliso Viejo – Edwards Aliso Viejo Stadium 20 & IMAX
Anaheim – CinemaFusion 14 + IMAX
Arcadia – AMC Santa Anita 16 & IMAX
Burbank – AMC Burbank 30 & IMAX
Camarillo – Edwards Camarillo Palace Stadium 12 & IMAX
Cathedral City – Desert IMAX Theatre
Covina – AMC Covina 30 with IMAX
Cupertino – AMC Cupertino 16 & IMAX
Dublin – Regal Hacienda Crossings Stadium 21 & IMAX
El Dorado Hills – Regal Cinemas El Dorado Hills Stadium 14 & IMAX
Emeryville – AMC Bay Street 16 & IMAX
Escondido – Regal Escondido Stadium 16 & IMAX
Fairfield – Edwards Fairfield Stadium 16 & IMAX
Fresno – Fresno Stadium 21 + IMAX
Irvine – Edwards Irvine Spectrum IMAX
Long Beach – Edwards Long Beach 26 & IMAX
Los Angeles – AMC Century City 15 & IMAX
Los Angeles – IMAX Theatre at The Bridge: cinema de lux
Los Angeles – AMC Universal CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX
National City – AMC Plaza Bonita 14 & IMAX
Ontario – Edwards Ontario Palace 22 & IMAX
Riverside – AMC Tyler Galleria 16 with IMAX
Rowland Heights – AMC Puente Hills 20 with IMAX
Sacramento – Esquire IMAX
San Diego – AMC Palm Promenade 24 & IMAX
San Diego – Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 & IMAX
San Francisco – AMC Loews Metreon 16 with IMAX
San Jose – AMC Eastridge Mall 15 & IMAX
Santa Clara – AMC Mercado 20 & IMAX
Simi Valley – Regal Civic Center Plaza 16 & IMAX
South Gate – Edwards South Gate Stadium 20 & IMAX
Stockton – Regal City Centre Stadium 16 & IMAX
Temecula – Temecula Stadium15
Torrance – AMC Del Amo 18 & IMAX
Woodland Hills – AMC Promenade 16 & IMAX
Colorado
Colorado Springs – Carefree Circle 16 + IMAX
Denver – UA Colorado Center Stadium 8 & IMAX
Highlands Ranch – AMC Highlands Ranch 24 & IMAX
Westminster – AMC Orchard 12 & IMAX
Westminster – AMC Westminster Promenade 24 & IMAX
Connecticut
Manchester – IMAX Theatre at Cinema de Lux Buckland Hills 18
Florida
Altamonte Springs – AMC Altamonte Mall 18 & IMAX
Aventura – AMC Aventura 24 & IMAX
Fort Myers – Regal Gulf Coast Town Center Stadium 16 & IMAX
Ft. Lauderdale – AutoNation IMAX – MODS
Jacksonville – AMC Regency 24 & IMAX
Oldsmar – Woodlands Square 20 with IMAX
Orange Park – AMC Orange Park 24 & IMAX
Orlando – AMC Loews Universal Cineplex 20 & IMAX
Orlando – Regal Waterford Lakes Stadium 20 & IMAX
Orlando – Pointe Orlando Stadium 20 + IMAX
South Miami – AMC Sunset Place 24 & IMAX
Tallahassee – AMC Tallahassee Mall 20 with IMAX
Tampa – AMC Veterans 24 & IMAX
West Palm Beach – Muvico Parisian IMAX
Georgia
Augusta – Regal Augusta Exchange Stadium 20 & IMAX
Buford – Mall Of Georgia Stadium 20 + IMAX
Kennesaw – AMC Barrett Commons 24 & IMAX
Morrow – AMC Southlake Pavilion 24 & IMAX
Hawaii
Honolulu – Regal Dole Cannery 18 & IMAX
Idaho
Boise – Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX
Illinois
Batava – Randall 14 + IMAX
Chicago – Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Hodgkins – Loews Quarry Cinemas 14 with IMAX
Lincolnshire – Lincolnshire Stadium 20 + IMAX
South Barrington – AMC Barrington 30 & IMAX
Woodridge – Cinemark 16 + IMAX
Indiana
Evansville – Showplace East 18 + IMAX
Indianapolis – Showplace 16 + IMAX
Noblesville – Hamilton 16 IMAX
Portage – Portage 15 + IMAX
Iowa
Council Bluffs – Kerasotes Star Cinemas 16 & IMAX
Kansas
Olathe – AMC Studio 30 & IMAX
Kentucky
Newport – Newport Levee 20 with IMAX
Louisiana
Harahan – Elmwood Palace 20 with IMAX
Maine
Saco – Cinemagic & IMAX in Saco
Maryland
Baltimore – AMC Loews White Marsh 16 & IMAX
Columbia – AMC Columbia 14 & IMAX
Massachusetts
Danvers – AMC Liberty Tree Mall 20 & IMAX
Methuen – Loews Methuen 20 with IMAX
Natick – Jordan’s Furniture IMAX – Natick
Reading – IMAX 3D Theatre in Reading – Jordan’s Furn
Michigan
Auburn Hills -Lakes 25 with IMAX
Grand Blanc – NCG Trillium Cinema + IMAX
Grand Rapids – Celebration! Cinema IMAX Theatre
Livonia – Livonia 20
Sterling Heights – AMC Forum 30 & IMAX
Ypsilanti – National Amusement Showcase Ann Arbor & IMAX
Minnesota
Apple Valley – Great Clips Imation IMAX
Edina – Southdale 16 with IMAX
Roseville – AMC Rosedale 14 & IMAX
Missouri
Independence – AMC Independence Commons 20 & IMAX
Kansas City – AMC BarryWoods 24 & IMAX
Nevada
Henderson – Regal Sunset Station Stadium 13 & IMAX
Las Vegas – Brenden Palms 13 + IMAX
Las Vegas – Regal Red Rock Stadium 16 & IMAX
North Las Vegas – Regal Aliante Stadium 16 & IMAX
New Hampshire
Hooksett – Cinemagic & IMAX in Hooksett
New Jersey
Atlantic City – IMAX & the Tropicana
Cherry Hill – AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24 & IMAX
Elizabeth – Jersey Gardens 20
Hamilton – AMC Hamilton 24 & IMAX
New Brunswick – Loews New Brunswick 18 with IMAX
Paramus – Garden State 16
Rockaway – Rockaway 16 with IMAX
New York
Albany – Regal Crossgates Mall 18 & IMAX
Brooklyn – Sheepshead Bay 14 with IMAX
Deer Park – Deer Park Stadium 16 and IMAX
New Rochelle – New Roc City Stadium 18 + IMAX
New York City – Empire 25 & IMAX
New York City – AMC Loews 34th Street 14 & IMAX
New York City – AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX
Rochester – Tinseltown 16 + IMAX
Stony Brook – AMC Stony Brook 17 & IMAX
West Nyack – IMAX Theatre at Palisades Center
White Plains – City Center 15 IMAX
Williamsville – Transit Center Stadium 18 + IMAX
North Carolina
Charlotte – Regal Stonecrest At Piper Glen Stadium 22 & IMAX
Concord – AMC Concord Mills 24 & IMAX
Raleigh – Wachovia IMAX Theatre
Ohio
Columbus – Easton Town Center 30 & IMAX
Columbus – Lennox Town Center 24 with IMAX
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City – Quail Springs 24
Tulsa – Cinemark 17 + IMAX
Oregon
Tigard – Regal Bridgeport Village Stadium 18 & IMAX
Pennsylvania
Bensalem – AMC Neshaminy 24 & IMAX
Homestead – AMC Waterfront 22 & IMAX
King of Prussia – UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX
Reading – RC Reading Movies 11 + IMAX
Tarentum – Pittsburgh Mills Mall 17 + IMAX
Rhode Island
Providence – Providence Place Cinemas 16 & IMAX
South Carolina
Charleston – Southeast Cinemas
Tennessee
Knoxville – Regal Pinnacle Stadium 18 at Turkey Creek
Nashville – Regal Opry Mills 20 & IMAX
Texas
Austin – IMAX Theater Austin – Bob Bullock
Colleyville – Colleyville Cinema Grille & IMAX
Dallas – Cinemark IMAX Theatre at Cinemark 17
Frisco – Stonebriar 24 with IMAX
Garland – AMC Firewheel 18 & IMAX
Houston – AMC Gulf Pointe 30 & IMAX
Houston – Edwards Houston Marq*e 23 & IMAX
Mesquite – AMC Mesquite 30 & IMAX
San Antonio – Santikos Palladium 18 IMAX Theatre
Sugar Land – AMC First Colony 24 & IMAX
Tomball – Silverado 19 IMAX
Utah
Sandy – Jordan Commons 16 + IMAX
Virginia
Alexandria – AMC Hoffman Center 22 & IMAX
Hampton – Hampton Towne Centre 24 with IMAX
Hampton – VASC IMAX Theatre
Midlothian – Regal Commonwealth 20 & IMAX
Virginia Beach – AMC Lynnhaven 18 & IMAX
Woodbridge – AMC Potomac Mills 18 & IMAX
Washington
Bellevue – Lincoln Square Cinemas IMAX Theatre
Kent – Kent Station 14 with IMAX
Lacey – Regal Martin Village Stadium 16 & IMAX
Seattle – Boeing IMAX – Pacific Science Center
Seattle – Regal Thornton Place Stadium 14 & IMAX
Spokane – River Park Square 20 with IMAX
Tukwila – AMC Southcenter 16 & IMAX
Wisconsin
Fitchburg – Kerasotes Star 18 & IMAX
Wauwatosa – Mayfair Mall 18 with IMAX
CANADA
Alberta
Calgary – Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Chinook IMAX Theatre
Edmonton – Cineplex Scotiabank West Edmonton Mall IMAX Theatre
British Columbia
Langley – Cineplex Colossus Langley IMAX Theatre
Richmond – Cineplex SilverCity Riverport IMAX Theatre
Nova Scotia
Halifax – Empire 17 & IMAX Theatre
Ontario
Gloucester – Cineplex SilverCity Gloucester IMAX Theatre
Mississauga – Cineplex Coliseum Mississauga IMAX Theatre
Toronto – Scotiabank Theatre Toronto & IMAX
Woodbridge – Cineplex Colossus Woodbridge IMAX Theatre
Quebec
Montreal – Cineplex Scotiabank Theatre Montreal IMAX Theatre
Quebec City – IMAX Le Theatre At Quebec
INTERNATIONAL
Argentina
Buenos Aires – IMAX Showcase Norte*
Australia
Melbourne – Highpoint Hoyts IMAX^
Melbourne – Melbourne Museum IMAX^
Perth – Carousel Hoyts IMAX^
Sydney – Entertainment Quarter Hoyts IMAX^
Sydney – LG IMAX Theatre Sydney^
Austria
Graz – Cineplexx 8055 Graz
Vienna – Cineplexx Apollo Das Kino
Brazil
Curitiba – Palladium Shopping Center IMAX
Sao Paolo – Bourbon Shopping Center Espaco Unibanco Pompeia IMAX
Bulgaria
Sofia – Mtel IMAX
China
Beijing – Beijing UME Huaxing Cineplex*
Beijing – Shijingshan Wanda Cinema*
Beijing – China National Film Museum*
Changchun – Changchun IMAX Theatre*
Changsha – Changsha IMAX Theatre*
Dongguan – Dongguan Wanda Theatre*
Kunming – Kunming Broadway IMAX Theatre*
Shanghai – Shanghai Peace IMAX*
Tianjin – China Film Cinema IMAX Theatre*
Wuhan – Studio City Wuhan*
Wuxi – SUC Wuxi IMAX*
Colombia
Bogota – Centro Commercial Plaza de las Americas
Costa Rica
San Jose – Centro Comercial Avenida Escazu Cine IMAX
Czech Republic
Prague – Oskar IMAX Palace Flora^
France
Paris – Gaumont Disney Village^
Germany
Berlin – CineStar Potsdamer Platz IMAX 3D^
Guatemala
Guatemala City – Pradera Concepcion
Hong Kong
Kowloon – UA MegaBox IMAX Theatre^
Hong Kong SAR – I Square – Lark Intl. Multimedia Ltd.^
Hungary
Budapest – Cinema City Arena IMAX Hungary^
India
Hyderabad – Prasad IMAX Theatre*
Mumbai – Big Cinemas IMAX Theatre*
Japan
Kanagawa – 109 Cinemas Kawasaki*
Minoh – 109 Cinemas Minoh*
Nagoya – 109 Cinemas Nagoya*
Saitama – 109 Cinemas Shobu*
Korea
Daegu – CGV Daegu^
Gwangju – CGV Gwangju^
Ilsan – CGV Ilsan^
Seoul – CGV Wangsipni^
Seoul – CGV Yongsan^
Kuwait
Safat – 360 Shopping Mall – Kuwait National Cinema Company^
Mexico
Guadalajara – Cinepolis Galerias^
Juarez – Cinepolis Las Misiones Cd. Juarez IMAX Theatre^
Mexico City – Cinepolis Perisur IMAX Theatre^
Mexico City – Cinepolis Universidad IMAX Theatre^
Monterrey – Galerias Valle Oriente^
Toluca – Cinepolis Galerias Metepec IMAX Theatre^
Netherlands
Amsterdam – Pathe Arena^
Rotterdam – Pathe Schouwburgplein^
New Zealand
Auckland – SKYCITY IMAX Queen Street^
Philippines
Manila – San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX^
Manila – SM City North Edsa Mall IMAX^
Poland
Katowice – Orange IMAX Katowice*
Krakow – Orance IMAX Krakow*
Lodz – Orange IMAX Manufaktura*
Poznan – Poznan IMAX*
Warsaw – Orange IMAX Sabyda*
Qatar
Doha – Villagio Shipping Mall IMAX^
Romania
Bucharest – Cinema City IMAX Bucharest^
Russia
Moscow – KinoStar City @ Mega Belaya Dacha^
Moscow – Nescafe IMAX^
Perm – Kristall IMAX^
St. Petersburg – Coca-Cola IMAX Kinostar City^
Ufa – ZAO Kompaniya Perspektiva Ufa IMAX Theatre^
South Africa
Durban – Gateway IMAX
Pretoria – Menlyn IMAX
Taiwan
Taipei – Samsung IMAX Theatre Miramar Cinema
Taipei – Viewshow
Thailand
Bangkok – KrungSri IMAX Siam Paragon^
Turkey
Istanbul – AFM IMAX Istinye Park
UK
Birmingham – Birmingham IMAX Millennium Point^
Bradford – National Media Museum IMAX Bradford^
Cardiff – Cardiff^
Gateshead – Metrocentre^
Glasgow – Glasgow Science Centre IMAX Cinema^
Greenwich – ODEON Greenwich IMAX^
London – BFI London IMAX Cinema^
Manchester – Manchester IMAX @ The Printworks^
Wimbledon – ODEON Wimbledon IMAX^
Ukraine
Kiev – Utel IMAX Theatre^
United Arab Emirates
Dubai – Grand Megaplex 21 & IMAX^
^ denotes earlier launch *denotes later launch
Additional theatres will be confirmed. Please check local listings or IMAX.com for final theatre listings, launch dates and showtimes.
