PLF provider Imax and Cineplex, Canada’s largest exhibitor and the fourth largest exhibitor in North America, has announced the expansion of their longstanding partnership. The deal will see five new Imax systems added to Cineplex locations across Canada, bringing the chain’s total Imax footprint to 29 screens.
In addition, two of Cineplex’s existing screens will be upgraded to Imax with Laser. The two companies have also renewed the agreement terms for 24 existing Imax locations through 2028.
“Our successful 25-year partnership with Cineplex has been instrumental in growing the Imax network across Canada, and this deal represents Cineplex’s renewed seal of trust in the value of the Imax Experience to their thriving business,” said Imax CEO Rich Gelfond. “As we continue to drive strong market share worldwide, our recent network growth in the mature North American market demonstrates the breadth of demand for Imax among exhibitors and consumers.”
Added Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob: “Our partnership with Imab has always been strong, and it speaks to the enduring value of the Imax Experience. Cineplex remains dedicated to providing unparalleled entertainment experiences for our guests and this expanded partnership with Imax is a testament to our unwavering commitment to our audience and the industry we serve.”
The announcement of Cineplex and Imax’s renewed partnership comes at a time when the importance of premium formats to the cinema industry is difficult to overstate. Just last weekend Imax brought in $35M globally for the release of Universal’s Oppenheimer, representing 20 percent of the film’s box office debut, the biggest share ever for the premium format. At Cineplex, premium format—including Imax, UltraAVX, VIP Cinemas, and 70mm—accounted for 50 percent of Oppenheimer‘s opening weekend box office. The twin debuts of Oppenheimer and Barbie gave the Canadian ehibitor its highest summer box office weekend of all time and second highest weekend (total) of all time, with over 80,000 guests opting to watch both films on opening weekend.
Share this post