“Interstellar” set a November IMAX record with $20.5 million from 574 IMAX theates worldwide. More than $13.2 million of the $52 million opening weekend of “Interstellar” in the U.S. came from the 368 IMAX theaters showing the movie — a record for IMAX of nearly a quarter of box-office receipts from all theaters showing the film. And 19 of the 20 top-performing locations in North America were IMAX theaters.
The movie opened two days early in 42 IMAX theaters equipped with 65mm film projectors last Tuesday, Nov. 4, at the request of IMAX champion writer/director Christopher Nolan, which contributed an extra $1.2 million in leading to a record opening for any non-3D movie at IMAX theaters.
More than an hour of the 2-hour and 45-minute movie features footage shot with 15 perf 65mm IMAX cameras that expands the image vertically during those sequences in theaters offering the full IMAX giant screen.
The international numbers do not even include China, where the film is set to open later this week on 170 IMAX screens.
And none of the results include premium 3D ticket prices since Nolan prefers not to release his movies in 3D.
— By Scott Hettrick