Imax Grosses $7.8M During May Day Holiday in China

Image courtesy: IMAX

Imax has notched their second highest grossing May Day holiday in China, taking in $7.8M over the six-day period.

Imax accounted for 16 out of the top 20 locations nationwide during one of the country’s peak moviegoing periods. Much of the company’s success during the holiday can be attributed to local title Born to Fly, which grossed $6.5 million across the Imax China network — good for nearly 8.5% of the film’s total gross on less than 1% of screens. Records set by Born to Fly include:

  • Biggest second quarter opening weekend ever for a Chinese film
  • Biggest second quarter opening day ever for a Chinese film
  • Highest Imax market share ever for a second quarter Chinese film

Rounding out the diverse holiday slate for Imax were the newly released comedy Godspeed and action thriller Flashover, as well as the continued strong run of the Japanese anime release The First Slam Dunk, which has grossed $6.6 million in China to date. The First Slam Dunk hits theaters in the U.S. and Canada this summer courtesy of Gkids.

“The Chinese box office continues to make great strides in 2023, as the momentum of our record-breaking performance during Chinese New Year has carried across the year and into the Labor Day holiday,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax. “With a very strong mix of Hollywood, local, and international blockbusters arriving in Chinese cinemas this summer, IMAX is set to strengthen its standing as the market leader in Chinese moviegoing and a powerful catalyst for the rebound of the country’s box office.”

Many highly anticipated Hollywood blockbusters are set for release in China this summer, including this weekend’s Filmed For Imax release Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, Fast X, The Little Mermaid, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and The Flash.

Image courtesy: IMAX

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