LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Marvel Entertainment announced that Marvel's Iron Man 3 has grossed an estimated $28.6 million for the weekend in 592 IMAX® theatres worldwide, setting an all-time global IMAX opening weekend record. The film, which premiered in North America Friday, May 3, and returns star Robert Downey Jr. to his now-iconic title role, established several other IMAX records and benchmarks, including:

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The film generated $15.6 million domestically, setting a new IMAX opening-weekend record for May and establishing the second-best IMAX opening weekend in North America
Multiple individual theatre opening weekend records with 27 IMAX theatres establishing new Friday records, and 22 setting new marks for Saturday
Record-breaking IMAX openings in key territories, including China ($63,000 per screen), Russia ($77,000 per screen) and Ukraine ($47,000 per screen)

Iron Man 3 has now grossed $39.3 million in IMAX at the global box office, and the film overall has grossed $174.2 million domestically and $677 million globally so far.

Dave Hollis, Executive Vice President, Theatrical Exhibition Sales and Distribution, The Walt Disney Studios, said, "IMAX continues to be an in-demand format for premium, immersive moviegoing experiences like those created by Marvel's action-packed films, and we're very proud of the record-setting performance of Marvel's Iron Man 3 on IMAX screens around the world."

"Iron Man 3 is a bona fide global hit and the perfect property to kick off the summer season," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Entertainment. "Films like this form a strong foundation for our portfolio and we once again congratulate Marvel, Disney and the film's cast and crew for creating a film that so clearly resonates with IMAX fans around the world."

About IRON MAN 3™

Marvel's Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel's Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel's iconic super hero Iron Man, who first appeared in the pages of "TALES OF SUSPENSE #39" in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with "THE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1" in May of 1968.

Marvel's Iron Man 3 is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D'Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. You can learn more about Marvel's Iron Man 3 by visiting Marvel's official site at http://marvel.com/ironman3.

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit marvel.com.

About The Walt Disney Studios

For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel; and Touchstone Pictures, which includes the distribution of live action films from DreamWorks Studios. Through the Home Entertainment division, innovative distribution methods provide access to creative content across multiple platforms. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!. For more information, please visit www.waltdisneystudios.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 Mar. 31, 2013, there were 738 IMAX theatres (606 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 113 institutions) in 53 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. 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. 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

Entertainment Media:
Principal Communications Group - Los Angeles
Melissa Zukerman/Paul Pflug
323-658-1555
melissa@pcommgroup.com
paul@pcommgroup.com

Investors:

IMAX Corporation – New York

Teri Loxam

212-821-0110

tloxam@imax.com

Business Media:

Sloane & Company – New York

Whit Clay

212-446-1864

wclay@sloanepr.com

SOURCE IMAX Corporation