Cineplexx Kinobetriebe and IMAX Enter Joint Venture Agreement for
Three Theatres in Austria
IMAX's Digital Projection System Continues to Drive Joint Venture
Business
TORONTO, Oct. 7 /CNW/ - IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ:IMAX; TSX:IMX) and
Cineplexx Kinobetriebe Gmbh, the largest exhibitor in Austria, today announced
a joint venture agreement to install three IMAX(R) theatres in Austria. The
deal marks IMAX's first joint venture in Europe, and continues the Company's
global expansion with its new digital projection system. To date, IMAX has
signed contracts for more than 180 IMAX digital projection systems, with 18
currently in operation and a total of 45-50 scheduled to be in operation by
year end.
The first theatre is expected to be installed in the city of Graz during
the first quarter of 2009, followed by a location in Vienna the second quarter
of 2009 and a third location in the city of Hohenems during the fourth quarter
of 2009. All three theatres will be equipped with IMAX's new digital
projection system.
"Installing IMAX theatres in our multiplexes is an enormous benefit for
our business and our customers as it enables us to offer a premium immersive
movie experience that consumers will be delighted to have in Austria," said
Christian Langhammer and Christof Papousek, managing directors of Cineplexx
Kinobetriebe. "IMAX's new digital projection system, which can be retrofitted
into our existing auditoriums, combined with IMAX's joint venture business
model, offers us an economical and highly efficient way to enter the IMAX
business."
"This joint venture agreement is an important first step for our digital
growth strategy in Europe," said IMAX's Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, Richard L.
Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We believe a partnership with Austria's
leading exhibitor will help to strengthen our brand in the region and expand
our audience base during a time when our film slate and interest from
Hollywood studios is at an unprecedented level."
"There is significant potential for us in this virtually untapped market,
where we can align ourselves with the country's top exhibitor to offer a whole
new way to experience movies," added Larry O'Reilly, Executive Vice President
of Theatre Development. "With Cineplexx Kinobetriebe's well-known marketing
expertise, combined with Hollywood's biggest event movies and the IMAX brand,
we believe this joint venture partnership is a natural fit for IMAX."
IMAX's digital projection system delivers The IMAX Experience(R) and
helps drive profitability for studios, exhibitors and IMAX theatres by
eliminating the need for film prints, increasing program flexibility and
ultimately increasing the number of movies shown on IMAX screens.