Webheads And Potter-philes Wanted At IMAX

Imax Eyes Spidey And Harry

Imax is seeking to raise its profile among moviegoers by showing more mainstream Hollywood films such as Spider-Man 2 and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in its large-format theaters, according to The NY Daily News. The litmus test will come on Nov. 5, when The Matrix Revolutions opens in Imax and conventional theaters simultaneously. “It’s a watershed moment,” said Leland Westerfield, media analyst at Jefferies & Co. “It’s the first time we’ll see whether audiences prefer the big-screen 70mm experience over 35mm.”

The company has developed new technology that lets the company reformat conventional 35 mm film for the big screen and has begun making deals with the studios, the newspaper reported. Previous studio films released in Imax theaters include Apollo 13, Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones and The Matrix Reloaded. “I would like to have more visibility,” said Imax co-CEO Brad Wechsler. “We want to show theater owners we have a continuous flow of product.”