Even China loves Captain America, at least in IMAX 3D.
Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” has become the victor over “Transformers: Age of Extinction” with a record $3.3 million (¥21.7 million) Friday opening in mainland China on May 6, 2016, and a record-matching three-day debut gross of $10 million on 283 IMAX screens, according to IMAX Corp.
Overall, the Walt Disney Studios release generated $179.1 million in the U.S. alone – the fifth biggest opening of all-time and the third-largest Marvel movie opening, according to BoxOfficeMjo.com, and has grossed another $494 million internationally after two weeks in theaters elsewhere, for a total of $673.1 million
In IMAX theaters globally, the film accumulated more than $31.3 million from 955 IMAX theatres worldwide, of which $16 million comes from 380 North American IMAX sites and $15.3 million from 575 international locations (including China).
“Chinese audiences have demonstrated their excitement for the stories, characters and action within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, particularly when seen in the best possible format — in IMAX,” said IMAX Corp. Senior Executive Vice President and CEO of IMAX Entertainment Greg Foster.
Directors Joe and Anthony Russo captured the film’s key battle sequence using the new ALEXA IMAX 65mm cameras, marking the first film to use the new 2D digital cameras developed in partnership between IMAX and ARRI. As a result, only in IMAX theatres do sequences filmed with these cameras expand vertically to fill more of the IMAX screen, delivering IMAX audiences greater scope and breathtaking image quality.
— By Scott Hettrick