LOS ANGELES, Oct 10, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) (TSX:IMX) today announced that Real Steel, an action drama from DreamWorks Pictures, distributed by Touchstone Pictures, earned approximately $4.4 million at the box office in IMAX(R) theatres worldwide during its three-day opening weekend. Domestically, the film grossed approximately $27.3 million, with IMAX screens generating approximately $3.2 million on 270 screens. Internationally, the film grossed approximately $22.1 million, with 62 IMAX screens generating $1.2 million. There are 42 IMAX screens still to open in various territories, including China.

"Real Steel performed quite well in IMAX, particularly for an October release," said Greg Foster, IMAX Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment. "With nearly half of our international markets yet to open, combined with the healthy word of mouth and our experience with Shawn Levy's films, we expect Real Steel will have a successful run over the next several weeks across our network."

Real Steel: The IMAX Experience has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) through proprietary IMAX DMR(R) technology. With crystal-clear images, laser-aligned digital sound and theatre geometry that maximizes field of view, IMAX provides the world's most immersive movie experience.

About Real Steel

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, Real Steel stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

DreamWorks Pictures presents "Real Steel," directed by Shawn Levy, produced by Don Murphy, Susan Montford and Shawn Levy, with a screenplay by John Gatins, story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven, and based in part on the short story "Steel" by Richard Matheson. "Real Steel" opened in theaters on October 7, 2011.

The film has been rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language.

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(R), IMAX 3D(R), and IMAX DMR(R) (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(R).

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2011, there were 560 IMAX theatres (417 commercial multiplex, 25 commercial destination and 118 institutional) operating in 46 countries.

IMAX(R), IMAX(R) 3D, IMAX DMR(R), Experience It In IMAX(R), An IMAX 3D Experience(R) and The IMAX Experience(R) 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).

The IMAX Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6469

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on 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 the Company, competitive actions by other companies, the performance of IMAX DMR films, conditions in the in-home and out-of home entertainment industries, the signing of theatre system agreements, changes in law or regulations, conditions, 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 and any future international expansion, foreign currency fluctuations and the Company's prior restatements and the related litigation and investigation by the SEC and the ongoing inquiry by the OSC. 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.

This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com

SOURCE: IMAX Corporation

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