Inspiring IMAX® 3D Documentary Born to be Wild 3D Crosses $20 Million Worldwide

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the documentary adventure Born to be Wild 3D crossed the $20 million threshold at the global box office, exclusively in IMAX^® theatres. Since its release on April 8, 2011, the film has generated an impressive $15.5 million domestically and $5.5 million internationally from 297 theatres. Born to be Wild 3D is scheduled to open in additional theatres worldwide in the coming months.

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Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution for Warner Bros. Pictures stated, "Born to be Wild 3D is a movie that is not only entertaining but also has an important message for our times. Through the efforts of two remarkable women on opposite ends of the world, it shows how people really can make a difference. We congratulate our partners at IMAX and everyone behind the film on this success."

"Born to be Wild 3D has been embraced by critics and moviegoers alike and we are thrilled that this ideal example of the IMAX documentary film has achieved this milestone," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "Drew Fellman, who wrote and produced the film, led a talented filmmaking team in crafting a wonderfully touching and uplifting story that we know will continue to engage IMAX audiences around the world for many years to come."

Born to be Wild 3D was captured using IMAX 3D cameras and has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience^® with proprietary IMAX DMR^® (Digital Re-mastering) technology for presentation in IMAX 3D and 2D. The crystal-clear images, coupled with IMAX's customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio, create a unique immersive environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

The film was recognized as one of the top documentaries of 2011 by the National Board of Review and was honored with all the top awards at the 2011 GSCA (Giant Screen Cinema Association) Achievement Awards: Best Film Produced for the Giant Screen, Best Film for Lifelong Learning, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography.

About Born to be Wild 3D
Narrated by Academy-Award^® winner Morgan Freeman, Born to be Wild 3D is an inspiring story of love, dedication and the remarkable bond between humans and animals.  This film documents orphaned orangutans and elephants and the extraordinary people who rescue and raise them—saving endangered species one life at a time.  Born to be Wild 3D is a heartwarming adventure transporting moviegoers into the lush rainforests of Borneo with world-renowned primatologist Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas, and across the rugged Kenyan savannah with celebrated elephant authority Dame Daphne M. Sheldrick, as they and their teams rescue, rehabilitate and return these incredible animals back to the wild.

Born to be Wild 3D is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and IMAX Filmed Entertainment. The film is directed by David Lickley and written and produced by Drew Fellman. The behind-the-scenes team includes supervising line producer Diane Roberts, associate producer Jill Ferguson, director of photography David Douglas and editor Beth Spiegel. Music is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh. Born to be Wild 3D opened exclusively in IMAX theatres starting April 8, 2011.

The film has been rated G and has a run time of 40 minutes.

Born to be Wild 3D has received the following seals of approval:

Truly Moving Picture Award
The Dove Foundation

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment and technology companies, specializing in the creation and delivery of premium, awe-inspiring entertainment experiences. With a growing suite of cutting-edge motion picture and sound technologies, and a globally recognized entertainment brand, IMAX is singularly situated at the convergence of the entertainment industry, innovation and the digital media world. The industry's top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and as such, the IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe. The Company's new digital projection and sound systems - combined with a growing blockbuster film slate - are fueling the rapid expansion of the IMAX network in established markets such as North America, Western Europe, and Japan, as well as emerging markets such as China and Russia. IMAX theaters deliver the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX^®, IMAX 3D^®, and IMAX DMR^® (Digital Re-Mastering) technologies. IMAX DMR enables virtually any motion picture to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience^®. 

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of September 30, 2011, there were 583 IMAX theatres (441 commercial multiplex, 23 commercial destination and 119 institutional) operating in 48 countries.

IMAX^®, IMAX^® 3D, IMAX DMR^®, Experience It In IMAX^®, An IMAX 3D Experience^® and The IMAX Experience^® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Important factors that could affect these statements include, but are not limited to, general economic, market or business conditions, including the length and severity of the current economic downturn, the opportunities that may be presented to and pursued by IMAX, the performance of IMAX DMR films, conditions in the in-home and out-of home entertainment industries, the signing of theatre system agreements, changes and developments in the commercial exhibition industry, the failure to convert theatre system backlog into revenue, new business initiatives, investments and operations in foreign jurisdictions, foreign currency fluctuations and IMAX's prior restatements and the related litigation.  These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

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SOURCE IMAX Corporation