The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience Passes $60 Million

The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience Passes $60 Million

Strong Second Season Takes Warner Bros. Pictures Holiday Classic to New Milestone

NEW YORK, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience, the highest grossing and most successful IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-mastering) release to date, has grossed more than $60 million, becoming the first digitally re-mastered event film to reach the milestone. Showing on 83 screens worldwide, the film passed $15 million in its second season, when it was re-released the same day as the film's DVD launch on November 23, 2005. The continued box office success of The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience demonstrates how IMAX's unique and immersive format can draw people into theatres to experience a film that is also available on DVD.

"We are thrilled to see the IMAX DMR version of this classic story continuing to generate substantial box office returns, even in its second season," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures.

"Warner Bros Pictures' expertise in marketing, combined with The IMAX Experience(R), is getting people into theatres more than a year after the film's initial release," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We are confident that IMAX's contribution to the financial performance of event films will continue to become more and more significant as the IMAX(R) theatre network grows. We look forward to another year of network growth, and we are excited to work with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring more great films to a growing number of IMAX fans worldwide in 2006."

"This classic IMAX perennial is a hit in new markets worldwide, thanks in part to Warner Bros. Pictures' strong international distribution team," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "The expanding IMAX theatre network and growing IMAX DMR film slate has enabled us to broaden distribution for the studio, and offer more people another compelling reason to visit their local multiplex."

Castle Rock Entertainment presents, in association with Shangri-La Entertainment, a Playtone / ImageMovers / Golden Mean Production of a Robert Zemeckis Film: Tom Hanks in The Polar Express. Directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay by Zemeckis & William Broyles, Jr., the film is produced by Steve Starkey, Robert Zemeckis, Gary Goetzman and William Teitler and is based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg. Tom Hanks, Jack Rapke and Chris Van Allsburg are the executive producers.

The production team includes directors of photography Don Burgess, A.S.C. and Robert Presley; production designers Rick Carter and Doug Chiang; and editors Jeremiah O'Driscoll & R. Orlando Duenas. Senior visual effects supervisors are Ken Ralston and Jerome Chen. Co-producer is Steven Boyd. Music score is by Alan Silvestri, and original songs by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri.

The Polar Express is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Soundtrack album on Warner Sunset/Reprise Records. This film is rated G by the MPAA.

About IMAX Corporation

Founded in 1967, IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading entertainment technology companies and the newest distribution window for Hollywood films. IMAX delivers the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX(R) 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) makes it possible for virtually any 35mm film to be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences. As of December 31, 2005, there were 266 IMAX theatres operating in 38 countries.

IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R), IMAX MPX(R), and The IMAX Experience(R) are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on management 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 the timing of theatre system deliveries, the mix of theatre systems shipped, the timing of the recognition of revenues and expenses on film production and distribution agreements, the performance of films, the viability of new businesses and products, and fluctuations in foreign currency and in the large format and general commercial exhibition market. These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and in the subsequent reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including the Company's 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, scheduled to be filed in March 2006.

Source: IMAX Corporation

CONTACT: Media: IMAX Corporation, New York, Sarah Gormley,
(212) 821-0155, sgormley@imax.com; Warner Bros. Pictures, Los Angeles,
Stacy Ivers, (818) 954-6228, stacy.ivers@warnerbros.com; Business Media:
Sloane & Company, New York, Whit Clay, (212) 446-1864, wclay@sloanepr.com;
Analysts: IMAX Corporation, New York, Steve Abraham, (212) 821-0100;
Entertainment Media: Al Newman & Company, Los Angeles, Al Newman,
(310) 278-1560, asn@newman-co.com

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