What's Happening: January 2004 - June 2004

June 30, 2004: Catwoman Dropped, Spider-Man 2 in Talks
Warner Bros. has officially announced its decision to no longer release CATWOMAN in IMAX. The decision was based on visual effect delays which would not offer enough time to remaster CATWOMAN using the IMAX DMR technology. Despite this cancellation, IMAX is in talks with Sony to release SPIDER-MAN 2 in IMAX theaters using the same DMR process. Click here to read a related article.

June 9, 2004: FotoKem aquires IMAGICA USA
FotoKem Film & Video has recently aquired IMAGICA USA, an optical and digital supplier to the large format industry for the past 11 years. IMAGICA USA will continue to service the large format industry but will move from its Playa Vista location to FotoKem's location in Burbank, California. Jose Parra, Producer & Head of Production at IMAGICA USA, will join FotoKem starting July 1st and will jointly coordinate the transition of IMAGICA USA's services to FotoKem.

May 24, 2004: Von Daniken Seeking Investments for World of Mysteries
Erich Von Daniken, Swiss author, seeks to procure public and private investments for his proposed IMAX film project WORLD OF MYSTERIES. The film would explore some of the unexplained phenomena and places of the Earth including Chile's Atacama Desert, Peru's Nasca Plains and England's Stonehenge. A release is anticipated for late 2005. Click here for more information.

May 21, 2004: International Wildlife Film Festival Announces Winners
ROAR: LIONS OF THE KALAHARI and CORAL REEF ADVENTURE tied for Best Large Format Film at the International Wildlife Film Festival. The festival which aims to recognize the importance of wildlife film and video production was held from May 1st - 8th in Missoula. Click here for the list of this year's winners.

May 10, 2004: LFCA 2004 Best Film of Festival Award Winners
The Large Format Cinema Association rounded-up this year's successful 2004 LFCA Conference and Film Festival honoring George Casey's FORCES OF NATURE, with the Best Film of Festival Award, and Frank Summers' HUBBLE: GALAXIES ACROSS SPACE AND TIME with this year's Best Short Film of Festival Award. Click here to read the press release.

May 6, 2004: Polar Express to be Released in Standard and IMAX 3D Format
IMAX Corporation announced that it has reached an agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures through which the Studio will release its full-length CGI stop-motion feature, THE POLAR EXPRESS, to conventional theatres and in the IMAX(R) 3D format, exclusively to IMAX(R) theatres, on November 19 in the U.S. and many international territories. Click here to read the press release.

May 3, 2004: Bacon to Narrate Forces of Nature
FORCES OF NATURE, a new giant-screen film from National Geographic and Graphic Films, will feature narration by actor Kevin Bacon. Premiering across the country Memorial Day weekend 2004 and globally on June 1, FORCES OF NATURE brings the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes and tornadoes to the giant screen. Click here to read the press release.

April 28, 2004: Two Americans Complete Full Descent of Nile River
Two Americans have made history by completing one of the last great adventures of the modern age -- the first complete descent of the Nile river from its source at the Blue Nile in Ethiopia to the shores of Alexandria where it spills into the Mediterranean Sea. Pasquale Scaturro of Colorado and Gordon Brown of California reached the mouth of the Nile on April 28, 114 days after launching their epic 3,250-mile journey. The two explorers were recently featured on the NBC's Today show and other radio talk shows. Click here to read the press release.

April 23, 2004: Moxie Develops IMAX Docu Beyond
Production house Moxie Pictures along with IMAX Corporation is set to develop and produce a large format documentary on sail boat racing. The project tenatively titled BEYOND centers on the Volvo Ocean Race, a nine-month sail boat competition spanning the globe. In an article by Robert Goldrich, Moxie and IMAX are in talks to secure sponsorship for the film. Several ancillary projects are also anticipated including a "making of" documentary and some pre-race coverage geared to appear on a specialty cable channel.

March 17, 2004: Marshall to Deliver LFCA Keynote Address
Frank Marshall, one of Hollywood's most respected and successful motion picture producers, will deliver the Keynote Address during the Eighth annual Large Format Cinema Association conference scheduled April 28th – 30th in Los Angeles. The conference will take place at the Universal City Hilton and at Universal CityWalk IMAX Theater. Click here to read the press release.

March 10, 2004: Catwoman in DMR Comes to IMAX Theaters
IMAX Corporation has recently struck a deal with Warner Bros. to bring CATWOMAN to IMAX theatres this summer using their DMR conversion technology. A day-and-date release is anticipated for July 23rd. The $100 million pic is the fifth Hollywood film to go through IMAX's digital remastering process and follows the June release of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN. CATWOMAN stars Halle Berry in the title wrote and is directed by French director Pitof.

March 5, 2004: Playtone, IMAX 3D Space Film Lifts Off
IMAX Corporation in association with Tom Hanks' and Gary Goetzman's Playtone announced that the newest IMAX® 3D space film, MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION, will be sponsored by the renowned aerospace company, Lockheed Martin. The highly anticipated film, which will be shot in giant 15/70 format using IMAX 3D cameras, will allow moviegoers to experience walking on the moon alongside the extraordinary voyagers who have stepped upon its surface. Click here to read the press release.

February 23, 2004: Fleet Science Center Holds Giant Screen Exhibit
The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center currently features its exhibit, The Big Picture, focusing on the history, art and science of large format filmmaking. This exclusive exhibit uses images, text and artifacts to explore the large format film experience and its technological advancements. Click here for more information.

February 23, 2004: Hamilton to Develop Big Wave Surfing Docu
Surfer and Maui resident Laird Hamilton has launched a film and TV production company called BamMan Productions to focus on action sport production programming. BamMan plans to develop a large format film for IMAX on big wave surfing. Click here to read the news article.

February 19, 2004: IMAX Opens Theater in China
IMAX Corporation's co-Chair and co-CEO Richard L. Gelfond announced the official opening of the first commercially-operated IMAX® theatre in The People's Republic of China. The IMAX Theatre at Peace Cinema is the first in the region to show Hollywood event films that have been digitally re-mastered into IMAX's 15/70 format using the Company's proprietary IMAX® DMR™ technology. The theater launched with APOLLO 13: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE, marking the first time ever that the 1995 Academy Award-winning APOLLO 13 will be exhibited in The People's Republic of China. Click here to read the press release.

February 17, 2004: Cameron to Direct Vesuvius
James Cameron is set to direct 20th Century Fox's GHOSTS OF VESUVIUS based on the nonfiction book by Charles Pellegrino. The book documens the volcanic eruption that hit Pompeii in 79 AD. BMZ has learned it’s likely that he will use the same "3D Reality Camera System" he used for GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS. The feature-length dramatic film will probably be released to digital 35mm theaters as well as large format theaters. Click here to read the news article.

February 9, 2004: IMAX & Daytona to Open Theatre at NASCAR'S Premiere Venue
IMAX Corporation announced it has signed an agreement with Daytona USA, the official attraction of NASCAR, to open a new IMAX 3D theatre alongside one of the world's most popular racetracks, Daytona International Speedway. The theatre, set to open in April 2004, will expose millions of race fans to The IMAX Experience® beginning with Warner Bros. Pictures first IMAX 3D film NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience. Click here to read the press release.

February 5, 2004: LFCA Public Film Festival Titles
The Large Format Cinema Association presents its first annual large format film festival to be held February 23-March 7 at The Bridge: Cinema de Lux in their IMAX theatre. Dubbed The Biggest Film Festival in the World, the 2-week event will feature ten of the most celebrated films produced for large format cinema, along with directors, producers and talent who will be on hand to discuss their films and answer questions from the audience. Click here to read the press release.

February 3, 2004: Cobalt to Shoot NFL IMAX Docu
California's Cobalt Entertainment plans to film a large format documentary on football. The film tenatively titled IN THE TRENCHES: THE NFL IMAX EXPERIENCE is the first large format film to focus on football and is anticipated for release in 2005. Cobalt has struck an alliance with Ideal Entertainment to co-develop the film and to bring the NFL Films department on board. Click here (registration required) to read the NY Times news article.

February 3, 2004: La Géode Festival Winners
The 9th International La Géode Film Festival awarded two films this year in its four categories. VOLCANOES OF THE DEEP SEA and THE YOUNG BLACK STALLION distinguished themselves from the six titles in competition. Volcanoes won the Top Prize along with the Kodak Image Award, while Young Black Stallion took home the Audience Choice Award and Youth Prize. For a list of the awards and winners, click here.

January 27, 2004: Oscars Snub Large Format Docus
Original large format productions were once again left out of the nominations for the 76th Academy Awards. Potential nominees for this year's awards were GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS, CORAL REEF ADVENTURE, and BUGS! The last original large format film to be nominated was DOLPHINS. Click here for a list of this year's Oscar nominees.

January 26, 2004: Pulse Wins Main Prize at La Semaine Du Cinéma Britannique
BMZ has recently been informed that PULSE: A STOMP ODYSSEY won the main prize at "La 10ème Semaine Du Cinéma Britannique" in Abbeville, France last weekend. Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas received the Raymond Lefevre award (for best film) from festival organiser Raymond Defosse. Pulse won the award despite being the only IMAX film in competition (it was screened in 35mm format). Other eligible films included Love Actually, Calendar Girls, Dirty Pretty Things and In This World. Director Steve McNicholas notes: "We had a special request from the festival to be able to screen Pulse in 35mm: we also took the opportunity to screen in this format at a festival in our home town (in the absence of a large format screen), and we've had tremendous feedback. To be selected by a French jury as the best British film of 2003, however, is heartwarming for us since PULSE didn't receive one single review in the UK national press on its release last year!"

January 23, 2004: Coral Reef: Highest Grossing Docu of 2003
CORAL REEF ADVENTURE, MacGillivray Freeman’s documentary for IMAX® theaters, is the highest grossing documentary film released in 2003, taking in $24.6 million worldwide ($21.1 million domestic) since its platform release in February 2003. Click here to read the press release.

January 22, 2004: James Cameron Plans Return with HD 3D Sci-Fi Feature
James Cameron has announced his plans to shoot a sci-fi feature film in HD 3D for Twentieth Century Fox. At a special screening of Terminator 2 at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood, Cameron described the project as a "big-budget science-fiction film with a pile of special effects." The film is anticipated for a summer 2005 release and may be offered to IMAX theaters. Click here to read the news article.

January 19, 2004: DB Entertainment Developing Dragon Islands
DB Entertainment is currently developing a 3D animated large format film entitled DRAGON ISLANDS. The film takes place 150 years in the past and tells the story of an unknown Englishman who sets out on an oceanic voyage and discovers an island populated with mythic creatures. A release date is yet to be determined.

January 19, 2004: LFCA to Hold First-Ever PUBLIC Film Festival in Late February
LFCA recently confirmed in a newsletter to its members that the first-ever LFCA Public Film Festival is scheduled to take place last week of February and the first week of March at the IMAX Theater at the Bridge in Los Angeles. The first annual THE BIGGEST FILM FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD will showcase a rich selection of 70mm IMAX/Large Format films, most of which have never been screened in Los Angeles.

January 16, 2004: Nuna Media to receive funds for Inuit Film
Nunavut's new film, television and media development fund will grant CAN$41,000 to Ann Hanson's Nuna Media to finance her IMAX project entitled INUIT - THE PEOPLE. Based on Inuit legend, the 45-minute film will explore the traditional Inuit view of animals and the environment. Click here to read the news article.

January 9, 2004: LFCA 2004 Conference and Film Festival Dates
From April 28th-30th, the Large Format Cinema Association will host its 2004 Conference and Film Festival. LFCA 2004: "The Business of Large Format " will focus on specific tools geared to improve the industry's bottom line. The Universal CityWalk IMAX® Theater will serve as the film festival venue, and The Universal City Hilton is the host hotel. The latest large format feature length and short films will be screened, and attendeees will select the "Best of Festival" Film Award recipients in each category, to be announced at the Closing Gala. Visit the LFCA website for more information or to sign up.

January 9, 2004: IMAX Signs Theatre Deal with Spain's Yelmo Cineplex
IMAX Corporation and Yelmo Cineplex have signed a deal for three IMAX(R) theatre systems. Yelmo Cineplex will be the first commercial exhibitor in Spain to operate IMAX theatres out of its multiplexes. Each theatre will be located in shopping mall-based multiplexes in Spain, with the first two scheduled to be installed in 2004. Click here to read the press release.

January 9, 2004: MFF Titles to be Released as High-Def DVDs
MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF) has joined forces with Microsoft Corp. to release ten MFF giant screen film titles in a pioneering series of high-definition companion DVDs created using Microsoft’s Windows Media High Definition Video (WMV HD). Click here to read the press release.

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