Film Sets IMAX Record for Best Opening Weekend Release Ever in India
MUMBAI – May 1, 2017 – IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) today announced that Arka Mediaworks’ Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, which was directed by S.S. Rajamouli, grossed approximately $2.3 million during its opening weekend in 66 select IMAX theatres across India,North America, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. In India, the film grossed $334,000 from 10 IMAX® theatres – making it the highest-grossing IMAX opening weekend ever in the market.
The film also had a strong performance in its limited run at the North American box office this weekend – with IMAX generating approximately $1.8 million from 45 IMAX theatres for a robust $40,000 per-screen-average. This marks IMAX’s biggest domestic opening of a foreign language film.
“We congratulate visionary director S.S. Rajamouli, Arka Mediaworks and the entire Baahubaliteam for creating a truly epic film that has not only broken IMAX records in India, but has clearly resonated with IMAX audiences worldwide- including a phenomenal performance in its limited North American run,” said Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment and Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. “Today’s results are a clear indication that our local-language release and gap filling strategies are working and we look forward to continuing to partner with leading filmmakers like S.S. Rajamouli to bring the best in Indian cinema to moviegoers around the globe.”
"Both the Baahubali movies are designed to be a larger than life experience and IMAX further enhances that experience,” said the film’s Producer, Shobu Yarlagadda. “We are glad that our audience is loving the IMAX version and that the IMAX version is doing extremely well at the box office in its limited release."
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion marks the third Indian local-language production to be released in IMAX, including the previous record-breaking 2013 local-language release DHOOM 3.
The IMAX release of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion was digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.
About Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
The long-awaited second part to Baahubali: The Beginning—one of the top-grossing Indian epic historical fantasy films of all time—Baahubali 2: The Conclusion picks up again with our hero Shivudu (Prabhas) as he comes to terms with his legacy and the responsibility placed on him by this knowledge. Shivudu’s quest aims to find the answer to the question that’s been plaguing fans of the franchise for years: Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali?
About Arka Mediaworks
Arka Mediaworks, a Production House based out of Hyderabad, is a leading name in motion picture production, television programming and syndication and digital content distribution. Since its inception in 2001, Arka Mediaworks has produced several television shows across various languages and channels. It has produced numerous commercially successful and critically acclaimed Indian films.
Arka Mediaworks produced Baahubali, a two-film Indian epic and India's first tentpole franchise conceptualized and created by acclaimed director S.S. Rajamouli. As part of this franchise, Arka Mediaworks is also working on creating a state of the art Virtual Reality experience, novel, graphic novels and an animated series.
The first film—Baahubali: The Beginning—is the highest-grossing film in India and the third-highest grossing Indian film globally, winning the National Award for Best Feature Film in 2015. The second part—Baahubali 2: The Conclusion—is slated for an April 2017 release.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you’ve never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX’s network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of March 31, 2017, there were 1,226 IMAX theaters (1,121 commercial multiplexes, 14 commercial destinations and 91 institutions) in 75 countries. On Oct. 8, 2015, shares of IMAX China, a subsidiary of IMAX Corp., began trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code “HK.1970.”
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