Latest news with #Gelfond
NBC News
11-07-2025
- Business
- NBC News
IMAX heads for best year ever as it capitalizes on box office rebound
More than a year before 'F1: The Movie' would eventually hit theaters, Apple struck a deal with IMAX. The studio secured the use of IMAX's camera technology as well as a three-week release in its theaters, a partnership that helped the film generate nearly $300 million globally in its first 10 days in cinemas. More than 20% of that haul came from IMAX screenings. In the U.S. and Canada, the company's theaters have accounted for 25% of all domestic ticket sales for the film. That feat is made even more impressive by the fact that IMAX screens represent less than 1% of the total movie screens worldwide. Two other films released this year have exceeded 20% market share for the company — Warner Bros.′ 'Sinners' and Paramount's 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.' It's a sign of strength for IMAX's place in the rapidly evolving film industry. IMAX has long been a coveted destination for theatrical releases, but as consumer tastes continue to shift toward premium experiences, it's quickly gaining market share and poised for exponential growth in the coming years. CEO Rich Gelfond is forecasting a $1.2 billion year at the global box for the company, which would be 33% higher than 2024′s haul and a record for the 55-year-old business. Wall Street analysts expect 2026 will be even better. 'Post-pandemic a lot of activities, especially event activities, have really done well [for] premium brands,' Gelfond told CNBC. 'You look at concerts, ticket prices went up. Premium seats have gone up. You look at sporting events, same kind of thing. Broadway. I think people, although they enjoy staying at home, streaming and watching streaming products, when they go out of the home, they want something sufficient distinguished from that.' Investors have rallied behind IMAX stock. Shares of the company are up roughly 60% in the last 12 months. IMAX screens are notably larger than standard movie screens and the theaters feature immersive audio systems. The company doesn't just screen movies, many of the films that appear in IMAX were shot using cameras and technology developed by the company specifically tailored to the IMAX viewing experience. 'This year, we have eight movies in a row in North America that were filmed with IMAX cameras, and typically the box office goes higher when you shoot with the cameras,' Gelfond said. 'And there's a couple reasons for that. One, it's a better way of watching it and listening to it. But also, the filmmakers typically get behind it more, and they tell their audiences that it's the best way to see their work. And I think that's a powerful impetus for audiences to go to IMAX.' These 'filmed for IMAX' titles include features like Christopher Nolan's 'Oppenheimer,' Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' films and even the latest 'Mission: Impossible' flick from Tom Cruise. Tickets to see a film in IMAX typically cost a few dollars more than standard movie tickets, which can help to boost a box office haul. 'The more 'filmed for IMAX' titles, the more outperformance you seen on the film for IMAX titles,' said Alicia Reese, analyst at Wedbush. 'The better the margins are going to be. As you see margins improve in 2025, you're going to see not just better quality title signings in 2026, but what I expect to see is that the studios will take more ownership of the marketing campaigns with even greater upside.' Roth's Eric Handler said that IMAX has a 'high-class problem of too much content availability.' The 'F1' deal for three weeks of screen programming meant that Universal's 'Jurassic World Rebirth' got edged out: the film missed out on a domestic IMAX release and was only featured on IMAX screens in China. That film will also appear in IMAX screens in Japan next month. Domestically, the movie slate is strong is 2025 and 2026, with a number of major franchise film releases on the books. Warner Bros.′ 'Superman' hits theaters Friday, and coming soon is Disney and Marvel's 'Fantastic Four: First Steps.' Then Universal's 'Wicked: For Good' arrives ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and Disney's 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' hits theaters just before Christmas. 2026 kicks off with Amazon's 'Project Hail Mary' and will also feature a new Avengers film, the first theatrical Star Wars release since 2019, a sequel to 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie,' a live-action 'Moana' as well as 'Toy Story 5″ and 'Shrek 5.' And also in the mix is Nolan's next feature film 'The Odyssey.' New Hollywood releases are just one piece of IMAX's box office success. 'Not only are they benefiting from Hollywood's recovery, they're also taking advantage of the global footprint and showing local language movies in China, in Japan and South Korea and parts of Europe,' said Eric Handler, analyst at Roth. He noted that 'Ne Zha 2,' a Chinese release that has generated more than $2 billion in global ticket sales, was a particularly strong local language film for IMAX. The company generated nearly $170 million in receipts from screening the film. And there's still room for IMAX to grow. The company currently has around 1,700 screens worldwide, around 400 of which are in North America. Gelfond told CNBC that the company has contracts to build about 500 more IMAX screens. He said the company would share more specific details during its earnings report, which is due to be released later this month. 'We signed almost as many new theaters this year as we signed for the whole year last year,' Gelfond said. 'So there's a lot of growth.'
CNBC
11-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
IMAX is headed for its best year on record as it capitalizes on Hollywood's box office rebound
More than a year before "F1: The Movie" would eventually hit theaters, Apple struck a deal with IMAX. The studio secured the use of IMAX's camera technology as well as a three-week release in its theaters, a partnership that helped the film generate nearly $300 million globally in its first 10 days in cinemas. More than 20% of that haul came from IMAX screenings. In the U.S. and Canada, the company's theaters have accounted for 25% of all domestic ticket sales for the film. That feat is made even more impressive by the fact that IMAX screens represent less than 1% of the total movie screens worldwide. Two other films released this year have exceeded 20% market share for the company — Warner Bros.' "Sinners" and Paramount's "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning." It's a sign of strength for IMAX's place in the rapidly evolving film industry. IMAX has long been a coveted destination for theatrical releases, but as consumer tastes continue to shift toward premium experiences, it's quickly gaining market share and poised for exponential growth in the coming years. CEO Rich Gelfond is forecasting a $1.2 billion year at the global box for the company, which would be 33% higher than 2024's haul and a record for the 55-year-old business. Wall Street analysts expect 2026 will be even better. "Post-pandemic a lot of activities, especially event activities, have really done well [for] premium brands," Gelfond told CNBC. "You look at concerts, ticket prices went up. Premium seats have gone up. You look at sporting events, same kind of thing. Broadway. I think people, although they enjoy staying at home, streaming and watching streaming products, when they go out of the home, they want something sufficient distinguished from that." Investors have rallied behind IMAX stock. Shares of the company are up roughly 60% in the last 12 months. IMAX screens are notably larger than standard movie screens and the theaters feature immersive audio systems. The company doesn't just screen movies, many of the films that appear in IMAX were shot using cameras and technology developed by the company specifically tailored to the IMAX viewing experience. "This year, we have eight movies in a row in North America that were filmed with IMAX cameras, and typically the box office goes higher when you shoot with the cameras," Gelfond said. "And there's a couple reasons for that. One, it's a better way of watching it and listening to it. But also, the filmmakers typically get behind it more, and they tell their audiences that it's the best way to see their work. And I think that's a powerful impetus for audiences to go to IMAX." These "filmed for IMAX" titles include features like Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer," Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" films and even the latest "Mission: Impossible" flick from Tom Cruise. Tickets to see a film in IMAX typically cost a few dollars more than standard movie tickets, which can help to boost a box office haul. "The more 'filmed for IMAX' titles, the more outperformance you seen on the film for IMAX titles," said Alicia Reese, analyst at Wedbush. "The better the margins are going to be. As you see margins improve in 2025, you're going to see not just better quality title signings in 2026, but what I expect to see is that the studios will take more ownership of the marketing campaigns with even greater upside." Roth's Eric Handler said that IMAX has a "high-class problem of too much content availability." The "F1" deal for three weeks of screen programming meant that Universal's "Jurassic World Rebirth" got edged out: the film missed out on a domestic IMAX release and was only featured on IMAX screens in China. That film will also appear in IMAX screens in Japan next month. Domestically, the movie slate is strong is 2025 and 2026, with a number of major franchise film releases on the books. Coming soon is Warner Bros.' "Superman" followed by Disney and Marvel's "Fantastic Four: First Steps." Then Universal's "Wicked: For Good" arrives ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and Disney's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" hits theaters just before Christmas. 2026 kicks off with Amazon's "Project Hail Mary" and will also feature a new Avengers film, the first theatrical Star Wars release since 2019, a sequel to "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," a live-action "Moana" as well as "Toy Story 5" and "Shrek 5." And also in the mix is Nolan's next feature film "The Odyssey." New Hollywood releases are just one piece of IMAX's box office success. "Not only are they benefiting from Hollywood's recovery, they're also taking advantage of the global footprint and showing local language movies in China, in Japan and South Korea and parts of Europe," said Eric Handler, analyst at Roth. He noted that "Ne Zha 2," a Chinese release that has generated more than $2 billion in global ticket sales, was a particularly strong local language film for IMAX. The company generated nearly $170 million in receipts from screening the film. And there's still room for IMAX to grow. The company currently has around 1,700 screens worldwide, around 400 of which are in North America. Gelfond told CNBC that the company has contracts to build about 500 more IMAX screens. He said the company would share more specific details during its earnings report, which is due to be released later this month. "We signed almost as many new theaters this year as we signed for the whole year last year," Gelfond said. "So there's a lot of growth."
See - Sada Elbalad
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Dune 3" Gets Title, Will Be Shot in Imax
Yara Sameh Denis Villeneuve's upcoming return to Arrakis is titled 'Dune: Part Three.' Reports had called the threequel 'Dune Messiah,' a nod to the 1969 book from Frank Herbert that the entry will adapt as its storyline, following Paul 'Muad'Dib' Atreides as he takes over as emperor. On Rentrak, the film is listed as 'Dune: Part Three.' The installment will also include sequences shot with Imax cameras. However, 'Dune: Part Three' will not be entirely shot with Imax cameras, following in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' which is the first and so far only film to be produced that way. In an interview on CNBC, Imax CEO Richard Gelfond seemed to suggest that the next 'Dune' would be filmed entirely with the company's proprietary cameras, but it appears he misspoke. At the end of the interview, Gelfond was asked about Villeneuve being hired by Amazon MGM Studios to direct their reboot of the James Bond franchise. The exec's response also touched on the director's plans for 'Dune: Part Three' at Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, which will film before the 007 revival. 'From a personal point of view, I was really happy. I like him. I think he's a genius filmmaker,' Gelfond said about the Bond hiring. 'He's so creative. He's making the next 'Dune' — with Imax cameras, he's filming the whole thing. So we haven't started talking yet, but I'm praying that that's the case with Bond.' Gelfond also touted Imax's success through the year's summer blockbuster season, citing that 'F1' earned 23% of its opening weekend grosses in Imax auditoriums. Meanwhile, 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' did 20% in Imax its first two weeks. 'Think of 20% of the box office, when we're less than 1% of the screens. The public is really demanding it,' Gelfond added. Production on 'Dune: Part Three' is set to begin imminently, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya reprising their roles. Jason Momoa has also confirmed he will return for 'Part Three,' after featuring in the first 'Dune' but not appearing in 'Part Two.' Last year, Villeneuve spoke about the film and said the next 'Dune' installment 'will not be the completion of a trilogy' in his eyes. 'First, it's important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych,' Villeneuve said of the first two 'Dune' movies. 'It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That's done and that's finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it's not like a trilogy. It's strange to say that, but if I go back there, it's to do something that feels different and has its own identity.' In a recent Variety interview, Bruce Markoe, senior vice president and head of post-production at Imax, explained what a movie being 'shot with Imax' means for audiences and filmmakers. 'Those movies that were shot with our film cameras receive that kind of nomenclature. Those are different than the 'Filmed for Imax' movies, which are all shot with digital cameras. However, a lot of the same kind of process takes place in the making of the movie when they're shooting with our film cameras,' Markoe said. 'Those movies still do a lot of testing and reviews, and filmmakers work very closely with us throughout the entire production, since it's our camera on set, whereas the 'Filmed for Imax' program is using certified digital cameras that are not necessarily unique to us.' 'Dune: Part Three' is expected to arrive in theaters in December 2026. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War News "Tensions Escalate: Iran Probes Allegations of Indian Tech Collaboration with Israeli Intelligence" News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dune 3 & James Bond Movie Get The Odyssey-Sized Updates
UPDATE 7/8: According to a recent article from , Gelfond is incorrect and won't be entirely shot with IMAX cameras; rather, only some sequences will be. and the new James Bond movie have received The Odyssey-sized updates from IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond. Denis Villeneuve is now in production on Dune 3, which will see Timothée Chalamet reprise his role as Paul Atreides. After that, Villeneuve plans to make the next James Bond movie for Amazon MGM Studios. Speaking on CNBC Television, Gelfond said that Dune 3 will be shot entirely with IMAX cameras. He also expressed hopes that Villeneuve's Bond movie would do the same, though this has not yet been confirmed as the film is still a ways out from beginning production. An article published by Gizmodo notes, 'A spokesperson for IMAX confirmed Villeneuve will, in fact, shoot Messiah with IMAX cameras but could not confirm whether it would be the full film, as per Gelfond's quotes. We also reached out to Warner Bros. but had yet to hear back as of publication. We'll update this story if and when we do.' This will make Dune 3 the second film to be shot entirely on IMAX cameras following Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which is currently in production. That movie has a July 17, 2026, release date from Universal Pictures and will star Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, and more. Not much is known about the new Bond movie at this time, as there has been no casting announcement or plot details that have been revealed. Dune 3, meanwhile, will be an adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah, which was published in 1969. Following the events of 2021's Dune and 2024's Dune: Part Two, the confirmed cast of Dune 3, in addition to Chalamet, so far includes Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Ireland, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa as Leto II Atreides, and Ida Brooke as Ghanima Atreides.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Denis Villeneuve's ‘Dune 3' Gets Official Title, Will Be Shot With Imax Cameras
What's in a name? Denis Villeneuve's upcoming return to Arrakis is officially titled 'Dune: Part Three.' Reports had called the film 'Dune Messiah,' a nod to the 1969 book from Frank Herbert that the film will adapt as its storyline, following Paul 'Muad'Dib' Atreides as he takes over as emperor. On Rentrak, the film is listed as 'Dune: Part Three.' More from Variety Henry Golding Says Being James Bond Is 'Every Actor's Kind of Nightmare' Because of Too Much 'Overhanging Cultural Pressure': 'Maybe I'm Just a P--' What's Next for Denis Villeneuve's Bond Movie? Amazon's Wishlist Includes Jacob Elordi, Tom Holland and Harris Dickinson Denis Villeneuve to Direct James Bond Film at Amazon The film will also include sequences shot with Imax cameras. However, 'Dune: Part Three' will not be entirely shot with Imax cameras, following in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' which is the first and so far only film to be produced that way. In an interview on CNBC, Imax CEO Richard Gelfond seemed to suggest that the next 'Dune' would be filmed entirely with the company's proprietary cameras, but it appears he misspoke. During the end of the interview, Gelfond was asked about Villeneuve being hired by Amazon MGM Studios to direct their reboot of the James Bond franchise. The exec's response also touched on the director's plans for 'Dune: Part Three' at Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, which will film before the 007 revival. 'From a personal point of view, I was really happy. I like him. I think he's a genius filmmaker,' Gelfond said about the Bond hiring. 'He's so creative. He's making the next 'Dune' — with Imax cameras, he's filming the whole thing. So we haven't started talking yet, but I'm praying that that's the case with Bond.' A spokesperson for Legendary did not respond to requests for comment. Gelfond also touted Imax's success through the year's summer blockbuster season, citing that 'F1' earned 23% of its opening weekend grosses in Imax auditoriums. Meanwhile, 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' did 20% in Imax its first two weeks. 'Think of 20% of the box office, when we're less than 1% of the screens. The public is really demanding it,' Gelfond said. Filming on 'Dune: Part Three' is set to begin imminently, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya reprising their roles. Jason Momoa has also confirmed he will return for 'Part Three,' after featuring in the first 'Dune' but not appearing in 'Part Two.' Last year, Villeneuve spoke about the film and said the next 'Dune' installment 'will not be the completion of a trilogy' in his eyes. 'First, it's important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych,' Villeneuve said of the first two 'Dune' movies. 'It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That's done and that's finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it's not like a trilogy. It's strange to say that, but if I go back there, it's to do something that feels different and has its own identity.' In a recent interview with Variety, Bruce Markoe, senior vice president and head of post-production at Imax, explained what a movie being 'shot with Imax' means for audiences and filmmakers. 'Those movies that were shot with our film cameras receive that kind of nomenclature. Those are different than the 'Filmed for Imax' movies, which are all shot with digital cameras. However, a lot of the same kind of process takes place in the making of the movie when they're shooting with our film cameras,' Markoe said. 'Those movies still do a lot of testing and reviews, and filmmakers work very closely with us throughout the entire production, since it's our camera on set, whereas the 'Filmed for Imax' program is using certified digital cameras that are not necessarily unique to us.' 'Dune: Part Three' is expected to arrive in theaters in December 2026. Brent Lang contributed to this report. Best of Variety Oscars 2026: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Wagner Moura and More Among Early Contenders to Watch New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
