IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix shattered virtually every opening box office record at IMAX® theatres during its debut, contributing $7.3 million of the $140 million that the film grossed at the domestic box office, from July 11 through Sunday, July 15. The picture also broke the record for IMAX’s largest single day worldwide total at $1.9 million and posted a domestic opening per screen average of $80,500. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opened on 91 domestic IMAX screens and 35 international IMAX screens, making it the largest opening in IMAX’s 40-year history, with a record-smashing worldwide estimated total of $9.4 million. The film’s overall worldwide debut total was an estimated $333 million and it is scheduled to open in 17 additional international IMAX theatres in the coming weeks.
“The results from this film – in all formats – are outstanding. It’s by far the strongest ‘Harry Potter’ title in the franchise, breaking records for both the Studio and IMAX,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. “The increased number of IMAX venues and the first-time 3-D finale delivered a huge opening weekend win for the large screen format – we’re thrilled for their achievement.”
“This phenomenal opening illustrates how one of the world’s most anticipated movies presented in IMAX’s format can help drive theatre attendance, ticket sales and turn a film that is already a grand spectacle into a major event,” said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “With the success of the last two ‘Harry Potter’ installments in IMAX and the debut performance of this one, it is clear that moviegoers clearly love to experience the ‘Harry Potter’ movies in a magical way. We anticipate that The ‘Order of the Phoenix’ will continue to play very well at IMAX theatres throughout the summer.”
“The international response to this film has been phenomenal. We couldn’t be more excited about the way moviegoers are responding to ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ in IMAX and conventional theaters all over the world, after only its first weekend,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “And adding the excitement of the 3D finale to a ‘Harry Potter’ film in IMAX will keep international interest in this film and format going throughout the summer.”
“Unprecedented advance IMAX ticket sales, sell-out IMAX shows and record-smashing IMAX box office results underscore the excitement for this film and a premium experience that cannot be replicated at home,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “This strong performance can be attributed to an outstanding job by the incredible film-making team led by David Yates and David Heyman, the talented team at Warner Bros. Pictures and a continuously growing IMAX distribution network.”
