Dark Knight, IMAX break records

In addition to delighting tens of thousands of people when it opened last Friday, The Dark Knight shattered a few IMAX records as well.
Mississauga's IMAX Corporation said the film, starring Christian Bale as Batman and Heath Ledger as the Joker, set several records for an opening box office weekend. These include worldwide IMAX opening weekend ($7 million), domestic IMAX three-day opening weekend ($6.3 million), per screen average ($67,036), number of engagements for any domestic IMAX release (94) and opening day ($2.6 million).
Internationally, the picture generated about $725,000 from 15 IMAX theatres and is scheduled to open in 24 more IMAX locations in the next few weeks.
"The results from both IMAX and conventional theatres are phenomenal," said Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman. "Chris Nolan's IMAX vision has resonated with all audiences and it has turned a highly anticipated theatrical release into a spectacular event."
The movie features six sequences that were filmed with IMAX cameras. According to press material, that's a first in a major feature film.
"This project has been perfectly executed on all levels," said IMAX filmed entertainment president Greg Foster. "Everyone involved has done an exceptional job, from the filmmakers who have created a brilliant film, to the actors who delivered extraordinary performances, to Warner Bros. Pictures who distributed and marketed the film in a visionary way, to the IMAX theatre operators, who accommodated the incredible consumer demand by adding extra shows. We're so happy with the results and very proud to be a part of such a big success."
jstewart@mississauga.net