--- title: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire™ Blazes Trails In IMAX® With Estimated $18 Million Worldwide In Opening Weekend publisher: "IMAX" description: "IMAX Has Its Best Three-Day November Opening In Debut Across 347 North American IMAX® Theatres, Earning $12.6 Million Domestically LOS ANGELES , Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --  IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX ; TSX: IMX) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) announced today that The Hunger Games: Catching Fire ," canonical: "https://www.imax.com/pr/hunger-games-catching-firetm-blazes-trails-imaxr-estimated-18" date: 2013-11-25 last_updated: 2013-11-25 --- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire™ Blazes Trails In IMAX® With Estimated $18 Million Worldwide In Opening Weekend =============================================================================================================== Mon, Nov 25, 2013 **IMAX Has Its Best Three-Day November Opening In Debut Across 347 North American IMAX® Theatres, Earning $12.6 Million Domestically** LOS ANGELES, Nov. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) announced today that _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_, the second film in the blockbuster _Hunger Games_ franchise, has grossed approximately $18 million in IMAX theatres worldwide and $12.6 million in 347 IMAX® theatres in North America since its release Friday, Nov. 22, resulting in a domestic per-screen average of approximately $36,300. That is the best three-day domestic opening for November in IMAX history, topping the previous record set by Sony's _Skyfall_ in November 2012. (Logo: [http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111107/MM01969LOGO](http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111107/MM01969LOGO)) For the weekend, eight of the top 10 domestic runs for _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_ were IMAX engagements. Internationally, the film delivered a robust $5.4 million in multiple IMAX territories, including standout performances in the Netherlands ($73,000 per-screen average), Australia ($63,000) and the United Kingdom ($51,000). Overall, the film has grossed an estimated $307.7 million through Sunday for Lionsgate worldwide and an estimated $161.125 million in its opening weekend domestically. The film led the entire IMAX network to its second best overall weekend ever with total worldwide grosses for IMAX reaching $25.7 million. "We're excited that fans are seeking out the IMAX format in record numbers as the ideal way to experience _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_," said Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment and Senior Executive Vice President, IMAX Corp. "I want to congratulate and thank our partners – producers Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, director Francis Lawrence, and Lionsgate – who realized the full potential of IMAX by using our capture technology in the arena sequences and proved once again that the _Hunger Games_ series is a world-class franchise. Given the film's 'A' Cinemascore and the use of IMAX differentiation, not to mention the Thanksgiving holiday in front of us, we're optimistic about the film's long-term prospects." Helping to further eventize this cultural phenomenon and transport moviegoers into the world of Panem, director Francis Lawrence used IMAX's extremely high-resolution cameras to film portions of _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_. Exclusively in IMAX® theatres, when Katniss enters the arena the image will expand to fill the IMAX screen for the entire arena sequence with unprecedented crispness and clarity, putting moviegoers right into the action alongside Katniss and her fellow Tributes. The IMAX release of _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_ has been 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 _THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE _**_The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_ begins as Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual _Hunger Games_ along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (played by Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever. _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_ is directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson's Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has over 65 million copies in print in the U.S. alone. You can learn more about _The Hunger Games: Catching Fire_ by visiting Lionsgate's official site at [http://www.thehungergamesexplorer.com/us/](http://www.thehungergamesexplorer.com/us/) **About Lionsgate **Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has 30 television shows on 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning _Mad Men_ and _Nurse Jackie_, the comedy _Anger Management_, the network series _Nashville_, the syndication success _The Wendy Williams Show_ and the critically-acclaimed new series _Orange Is The New Black_. Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first and second installments of _The Hunger Games_ franchise, _The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn_ – _Part 2, Now You See Me_, _Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain, Warm Bodies, Snitch, Texas Chainsaw 3D_, _The Expendables 2_, _The Possession, Sinister, Arbitrage_ and Pantelion Films' breakout hit _Instructions Not Included,_ the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever in the U.S. Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 15,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. [www.lionsgate.com](http://www.lionsgate.com/) **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 September 30, 2013, there were 785 IMAX theatres (653 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 113 institutions) in 55 countries. IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience® and IMAX Is Believing® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at [www.imax.com](http://www.imax.com/). You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook ([www.facebook.com/imax](http://www.facebook.com/imax)), Twitter ([www.twitter.com/imax](http://www.twitter.com/imax)) and YouTube ([www.youtube.com/imaxmovies](http://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. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q._ _For additional information please contact:_ **_Media:_** **IMAX Corporation** \- New York Ann Sommerlath 212-821-0155 [asommerlath@imax.com](mailto:asommerlath@imax.com) **_Entertainment Media:_** **Principal Communications Group** \- Los Angeles Melissa Zukerman/Paul Pflug 323-658-1555 [melissa@pcommgroup.com](mailto:melissa@pcommgroup.com) [paul@pcommgroup.com](mailto:paul@pcommgroup.com) **_For Lionsgate:_** **Principal Communications Group** \- Los Angeles Hans-Dieter Kopal 323-658-1555 [hans@pcommgroup.com](mailto:hans@pcommgroup.com) **_Investors:_** **IMAX Corporation –** New York Teri Loxam 212-821-0110 [tloxam@imax.com](mailto:tloxam@imax.com) **_Business Media:_** **Sloane & Company** – New York Whit Clay 212-446-1864 [wclay@sloanepr.com](mailto:wclay@sloanepr.com) SOURCE IMAX Corporation