Marvel’s The Avengers is expected to cross the $1 billion threshold at the global box office on May 13, its 19th day in release, The Walt Disney Studios has announced. This is the first Marvel Studios film and the fifth Walt Disney Studios release to reach this important milestone.

The news comes just a week after Marvel’s The Avengers shattered records with a $207.4 million opening weekend, the biggest domestic debut of all time. The film has now earned an estimated $373.2 million at the domestic box office and $628.9 million internationally. As one of only 12 films in history to gross $1 billion, it joins Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Alice in Wonderland, Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story 3, and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Disney’s list of billion-dollar films.

“We’re obviously thrilled with the global success of The Avengers,” said Robert A. Iger, Disney’s Chairman and CEO. “It’s a fantastic movie and an extraordinary franchise that will continue with more great stories and compelling characters for years to come.”

Marvel’s The Avengers has set several domestic box office records including the industry’s all-time second weekend record with an estimated $103.2 million, fastest film to reach $200 million (3 days), fastest to $300 million (in a record 9 days), and highest Saturday ($69.5 million) and Sunday ($57 million) totals. In addition, its opening day of $80.8 million is the second-highest single-day gross of all time. Moviegoers gave Marvel’s The Avengers a rare A+ CinemaScore.

Internationally, Marvel’s The Avengers began opening April 25 and is the biggest opening weekend of all time in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Central America, Peru, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, and United Arab Emirates. Marvel’s The Avengers has now opened in all major markets except Japan (August 17).

On May 8, Disney announced that a sequel to Marvel’s The Avengers was in development, following last month’s announcement that a follow-up to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger will be released April 4, 2014. A sequel to last summer’s Thor is scheduled for release November 15, 2013, and the third installment of the hit Iron Man series, which has earned over $1.2 billion worldwide, will arrive in theaters May 3, 2013.

Marvel’s The Avengers is the first Marvel Studios film to be marketed and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios.

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Website and Mobile site: marvel.com/avengers_movie

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IMAX, Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Studios today announced that the epic Super Hero adventure Marvel’s The Avengers has surpassed IMAX’s domestic opening weekend box office record by generating $15.3 million of the film’s record-setting domestic gross of more than $200 million, resulting in an IMAX per-screen average of approximately $56,000 in 275 digital IMAX® theatres.

Internationally, the film generated approximately $6.1 million over the weekend in 176 IMAX theatres, of which 80 were debut runs. This brings IMAX’s international total to $16 million. Some international markets, including Poland and Japan, have yet to open.

The film also set a new IMAX three-day opening weekend global box office record with $21.4 million, bringing the worldwide gross to$31.3 million in IMAX theatres worldwide since its global release on April 25.

“With sellouts all weekend and IMAX fans around the world coming out in record numbers to see Marvel’s The Avengers, the only way we could have done better would have been to have more seats,” said Richard L. Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. “We saw particularly strong results in IMAX’s key growth markets including China, which opened on Saturday to sell-out business across our network.”

“Extremely strong word-of-mouth resulted in exceptional day-to-day as well as week-to-week holds across our global network,” saidGreg Foster, IMAX Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment. “With more international markets still to open, we expect this trend to continue over the next few weeks as the film continues to play in a number of domestic and international IMAX theatres. Congratulations to our longtime partners at Marvel, Disney and director Joss Whedon - IMAX is honored to be a part of this epic, record breaking cinematic event.”

Marvel’s The Avengers, based on the well-known Marvel comic book series, is directed by Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr.,Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgard andSamuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

Distributed by The Walt Disney Studios, Marvel’s The Avengers: An IMAX 3D Experience marks the third Marvel Studios film presented inIMAX, following the releases of Iron Man 2: The IMAX Experience in 2010 and Thor: An IMAX 3D Experience in 2011.

The IMAX release of Marvel’s The Avengers was digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of An IMAX 3D Experience^® with proprietary IMAX DMR^® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that makes audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgard and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. “Marvel’s The Avengers” is an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures. The film was produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher,Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The story is by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon and the screenplay is by Joss Whedon. The film was released May 4, 2012, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.

Follow @Avengers on Twitter for more details.

Website and Mobile site: marvel.com/avengers_movie

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The Walt Disney Studios announced today that Marvel’s The Avengers posted an estimated $200.3 million in its domestic debut May 4-6, shattering previous records and positioning the film as the highest-grossing domestic debut of all time. The film’s cumulative global box office gross is an estimated $641.8 million over 12 days in release.

In just three days, Marvel’s the Avengers is the fastest movie to reach $200 million domestically. The domestic debut kicked off Friday, May 4 and marks the second highest single day take of all time at $80.5 million. Saturday’s box office gross of $69.7 million is the highest Saturday take of all time. Moviegoers gave Marvel’s The Avengers a rare and perfect A+ CinemaScore.

Marvel’s The Avengers began opening internationally April 25 and crossed the $600 million mark globally May 6 after just 12 days in release.

International box office highlights include:

• Opened May 3 in Russia with $17.9 million, the biggest Marvel opening weekend ever
• Opened May 5 in China with $17.4 million
• Biggest opening weekend of all time in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Central America, Bolivia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Philippines

Marvel’s The Avengers has now opened in all major markets except Israel, Poland, and Japan.

The film’s success comes a month after Marvel and Disney announced that a sequel to 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger will be released April 4, 2014. A sequel to last summer’s Thor is scheduled for release November 15, 2013, and the third installment of the hit Iron Man series, which has earned over $1.2 billion worldwide, will arrive in theaters May 3, 2013.

Marvel’s The Avengers is the first Marvel Studios film to be marketed and distributed by The Walt Disney Studios. The film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference.

Follow @Avengers on Twitter for more details.

Website and Mobile site: marvel.com/avengers_movie

Like on Facebook: facebook.com/MarvelsTheAvengers

IMAX and Lionsgate today announced that the limited release of The Hunger Games: The IMAX Experience grossed $10.6 million in IMAX® theatres worldwide during its three-day opening weekend beginning March 23. Domestically, the film grossed $152.5 million, of which $10.2 million was generated in 268 IMAX theatres for a per-screen average of $38,000. The results mark an IMAX domestic box office opening weekend record for a digital-only release and for a non-sequel 2D release.

“The reaction to the The Hunger Games has been remarkable and we’re thrilled that fans have sought out our format as an ideal way to experience this global phenomenon,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Congratulations to Lionsgate, producer Nina Jacobson and director Gary Ross for this remarkable adaptation – what an amazing way to kick off our relationship.”

“We believe the IMAX release of The Hunger Games helped broaden the audience beyond young females to include our core fanboy audience,” said Richard L. Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. “With sellouts all weekend and IMAX fans coming out in record numbers, these results clearly show that IMAX is a powerful way to eventize a movie.”

“We are absolutely thrilled that so many fans saw The Hunger Games in the IMAX format,” said Lionsgate’s EVP of Distribution and General Sales Manager David Spitz. “The total immersion that IMAX offers surely augmented the gripping story and provided fans with a special way to experience this movie.”

The Hunger Games: The IMAX Experience has been digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.

About The Hunger Games

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains.

Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives.  If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

The Hunger Games is directed by Gary Ross, with a screenplay by Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik.  Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy published by Scholastic that has over 26 million copies in print in the United States alone, has developed a massive global following. It has spent more than 160 consecutive weeks/more than three consecutive years to date on The New York Times bestseller list since its publication in September 2008, and has also appeared consistently on USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.  The Hunger Games: The IMAX Experience is rated PG13 by the MPAA.

To experience The Hunger Games online, please visit:
Official Website: http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/
Official YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Twitter Page: http://twitter.com/thehungergames
Capitol Couture: www.capitolcouture.pn

The 74th Annual Hunger Games arrived to the tune of $155 million at this weekend’s box office breaking all kinds of records. THE HUNGER GAMES had the third best opening of all time right behind HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 ($169,189,427 M) and THE DARK KNIGHT ($158,411,483). The film is currently sitting at an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes (Read Jim Batts’ review HERE).

Directed by Gary Ross (SEABISCUIT), THE HUNGER GAMES had the highest opening for a March 3-day weekend as well as the highest non-sequel opening. The B.O. numbers place it over SPIDER-MAN 3 ($151.1 million) and the TWILIGHT films – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON ($142.8 M) and THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 ($138.1 M). Lionsgate launched THE HUNGER GAMES in 4,137 theaters in North America and 268 IMAX screens.

Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the actioner stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. In August 2011 Lionsgate announced it will release CATCHING FIRE, the film adaptation of the second book in Suzanne Collins’ runaway bestselling HUNGER GAMES trilogy, on November 22, 2013.

Welcome to the intense reality of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who must try to survive – by sheer wits and will alone – a future world that is at once high-tech and apocalyptic, glitzy and primal, unsettlingly dangerous and a telltale mirror to our own.  Unfolding entirely through Katniss’ intimately personal POV, THE HUNGER GAMES reveals how this miner’s daughter from a dark future transforms from a mere pawn in a lethal televised contest to a soulful, sacrificing heroine who comes to realize that she has even more to protect and fight for than her own family.

For those of you in the St. Louis area today, the B&B Wildwood 10 is offering students a free small popcorn when they show their student id.

To experience The Hunger Games online, please visit:
Official Website:  http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/
Official YouTube Channel:  http://www.youtube.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Facebook Page:  http://www.facebook.com/thehungergamesmovie
Official Twitter Page:  http://twitter.com/thehungergames
Capitol Couture:  www.capitolcouture.pn

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Village Roadshow Pictures’ “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” has hit the $529 million benchmark in global box office, with an estimated $186.7 million on the domestic side and $342.3 million internationally, surpassing its predecessor’s worldwide gross of $524.4 million. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The film has drawn large opening crowds and repeat business since its late December debut, continuing its momentum as it rolled out internationally. In the U.S., “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” opened at #1 and spent six weeks in the U.S. top ten. Internationally, it was the #1 film for three straight weeks (January 8 – January 23).

“Our successful box office continues to prove the appeal of Sherlock Holmes, especially in the hands of guy Ritchie and his amazing cast, led by Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law,” Fellman said. “The film had outstanding results throughout the holidays and continued to gain traction well into 2012.”

“Rolling out this film internationally has been tremendously exciting, as the film has clearly resonated with audiences around the globe,” Kwan-Rubinek added. “The first ‘Sherlock Holmes’ was such a tremendous success overseas, and to surpass that number in these same markets is truly a remarkable achievement. We congratulate the filmmakers and cast, as well as our international teams, on these excellent results.”

“‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows‘ gave moviegoers another opportunity to experience Guy Ritchie’s fun and inventive take on the legendary detective,” said Sue Kroll, the Studio’s President, Worldwide Marketing. “The movie is a great adventure—complete with action, humor and great characters. Congratulations to the filmmakers and cast, who were truly our partners in bringing Sherlock Holmes back to an enthusiastic worldwide audience.”

Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and Jude Law returns as his friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

Sherlock Holmes has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large—Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris)—and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may give him an advantage over the renowned detective. Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London to France, Germany and finally Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead, and moving perilously close to completing his sinister plan. If he succeeds, it will not only bring him immense wealth and power but alter the course of history.

Filmmaker Guy Ritchie returned to direct “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,” the follow-up to the smash hit “Sherlock Holmes.” The sequel reunited producers Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. Bruce Berman and Steve Clark-Hall served as executive producers. The film also stars Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly, and Rachel McAdams. “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” was written by Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson were created by the late Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and appear in stories and novels by him.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, a Silver Pictures Production, in association with Wigram Productions, a Guy Ritchie Film, “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

Hammer’s chilling ghost story The Woman in Black shattered UK box office expectations during its three day opening weekend (Fri-Sun), grossing an estimated £3.1million with a per screen average of £7500 for distributor Momentum Pictures.

This weekend’s three day gross makes The Woman in Black the highest opening ever for a Hammer film in the UK and the biggest British Independent opening of 2012 for Momenutm Pictures. Momentum also released The King’s Speech, the highest grossing British Independent film of 2011. The Woman in Black was released in 412 cinemas across the UK and Ireland on February 10.

The film’s UK success follows last weekend’s sensational US release, which opened at an outstanding $21 million.

The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, is directed by James Watkins and adapted by Jane Goldman from the classic novel by Susan Hill. Radcliffe has been a huge draw for audiences everywhere and delighted fans on Saturday by introducing public screenings at The Empire Leicester Square and Vue Westfield.

The film is a Hammer, Alliance Films, The UK Film Council presentation, in association with Cross Creek Pictures and is a Talisman production in association with Exclusive Media. Producers are Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes and Brian Oliver. Executive Producers are Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, Marc Schipper, Neil Dunn, Xavier Marchand, Roy Lee and Tyler Thompson.

Daniel Radcliffe who plays Arthur Kipps in The Woman in Black said: “The whole experience of working on The Woman in Black has been truly magical, eerie and amazing.  It’s been an honour to work with Hammer and continue to contribute to British film after ‘Harry Potter’.  I found Hammer’s legacy fascinating and it was great to be able to draw upon such a rich heritage as the influence for my role as Arthur Kipps.”

Commenting on the success of The Woman in Black, Simon Oakes, President & CEO of Hammer and Vice Chairman of Exclusive Media added: “We are delighted The Woman in Black has performed so well here and in the US.  This is Hammer’s first ghost story and we’re delighted UK audiences have embraced it with so much enthusiasm and shows that British audiences enjoy intelligent genre which are the types of films Hammer is known for.”

“This is a fantastic result. The buzz in cinemas and online suggests great word of mouth which bodes well for the half term week ahead.  Our congratulations  to James Watkins, Jane  Goldman, Daniel Radcliffe, and all those at Hammer,” said Xavier Marchand, Managing Director Momentum Pictures.

Nigel Sinclair, CEO and Co-Chairman of Exclusive Media, which is Hammer’s parent company, added: “This is a great result for Hammer in the UK and follows on from the film’s strong performance at the US box office. This project, like The Ides of March and Rush, further underlies Exclusive’s commitment to making great mainstream movies with top tier talent, and I’d like to congratulate our partners Momentum and of course Cross Creek Pictures on this success.”

Tobin Armbrust, President of Worldwide Production & Acquisitions of Exclusive Media added: “We are thrilled to share in the success of The Woman in Black with our close family, Daniel Radcliffe, Jane Goldman, James Watkins and the entire cast and crew who all worked incredibly hard on this great project. Hammer is one of our key production brands and to see it embraced in the US is a great show of support for its production philosophy.”

The Woman in Black director James Watkins said: “I’m thrilled that a British ghost story, made with a British cast, crew and investment, is playing so well with British audiences.”

Alliance Films, Inc. is one of the top five international independent filmed entertainment companies in the world. A leading multinational distributor, co-financier and producer of filmed entertainment, its member companies, Alliance Films and Alliance VivaFilm (Canada); Momentum Pictures (UK) and Aurum Productions (Spain), offer integrated delivery of content in all media.

Strategic partnerships includes exclusive distribution rights with Relativity Media in Canada and UK, Focus Features, The Weinstein Company, CBS Films and Newmarket Films in Canada, as well as ongoing relationships with Summit, FilmNation, Newmarket, Exclusive Media, IM Global, Mandate, Wild Bunch, Constantin Films, EuropaCorp and Nu Image in all 3 territories.

On the production front, strategic partnerships include: a feature film co-production and acquisitions deal with Italy’s Medusa Film; a first-look deal with Iain Canning and Emile Sherman’s See-Saw Films, which yielded the critically acclaimed THE KING’S SPEECH and SHAME by Steve McQueen; the production joint venture with IM Global, Automatik run by Brian Kavanaugh-Jones which is responsible for the upcoming WELCOME TO THE PUNCH; and a five-picture deal with PARANORMAL ACTIVITY producers Oren Peli, Jason Blum and Steven Schneider with titles that include the recent James Wan release INSIDIOUS and Barry Levinson’s upcoming THE BAY.

Hammer’s chilling ghost story THE WOMAN IN BLACK exceeded box office expectations to open in the no.2 spot in its three day opening weekend (Fri-Sun) in the US, grossing just over $21m.

This is more than Paranormal Activity’s opening weekend which grossed $19,617,650 in 2009 and The Grudge 2 which grossed $20,825,300 in 2006.

Hammer’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s classic novel, starring Daniel Radcliffe, opened on almost  2855 screens with a per screen average of $7,356.

This weekend’s three day gross makes THE WOMAN IN BLACK the highest opening ever for a Hammer film in the US.

THE WOMAN IN BLACK, starring Daniel Radcliffe, is the iconic production company’s first ever feature ghost story. It is directed by James Watkins and adapted by Jane Goldman from the book by Susan Hill.

The film is a Hammer, Alliance Films, The UK Film Council presentation, in association with Cross Creek Pictures. A Talisman production in association with Exclusive Media. Producers are Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes and Brian Oliver. Executive Producers are Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, Marc Schipper, Neil Dunn, Xavier Marchand, Roy Lee and Tyler Thompson.

Commenting on the success of THE WOMAN IN BLACK, Simon Oakes, President & CEO of Hammer and Vice Chairman of Exclusive Media said: “We are delighted that The Woman in Black has performed so well. The fact that a gothic horror has attracted such a large audience on opening weekend shows the demand for elevated and intelligent genre films which Hammer aims to produce.”

Nigel Sinclair, CEO of Exclusive Media added: “This follows on a strong performance for Ides of March and reflects our commitment to great artists and great movies; I congratulate our partners CBS Alliance and of course Cross Creek pictures.”

Tobin Armbrust, President of Worldwide Production & Acquisitions of Exclusive Media, which is Hammer’s parent company, added: “We are thrilled to share in the success of The Woman in Black with our close family, Daniel Radcliffe, Jane Goldman, James Watkins and the entire cast and crew who all worked incredibly hard on this great project. Hammer is one of our key production brands and to see it embraced in the US is a great show of support for its production philosophy.”

THE WOMAN IN BLACK director James Watkins said: ‘I’m thrilled that a British ghost story, made with a British cast, crew and investment, is playing so well with American audiences.’

THE WOMAN IN BLACK will open in the UK on February 10.

If you’re a tweeter use #WomanInBlack and
#WhatDidTheySee Twitter hashtags to share movie info with friends! @WomanNBlack @HammerFilms

WHAT DID THEY SEE? Find out for yourself: http://whatdidtheysee.com/

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Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE® company, announced today that the fourth installment in the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA franchise – THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 has grossed an estimated $701.3 million in global box office receipts since the film’s release on November 18, 2011.  THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 is on its way to becoming the highest grossing film in the series to date looking to surpass the worldwide box office gross of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON which tallied $709.8 million.  The two other two films in the franchise THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE and TWILIGHT have each grossed $698.5 million and $390.4 respectively and the franchise continues to break records.  Upcoming releases of THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 internationally include Japan and China.

Not only has the TWILIGHT SAGA’s global fan base supported the films during their theatrical release, but audiences worldwide have continued to support this cultural phenomenon both on and off the screen. THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 1 will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD on February 11, 2012.

Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group Co-Chairmen Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger stated: “The milestone is important on several fronts and illustrates the vitality of the franchise on a global scale even after four films.  Stephenie Meyer’s story and characters were brought to the screen this time via the talented hands of Bill Condon along with the cast and crew that has been with the film franchise since its inception.  We are very proud of the success the franchise has experienced and anticipate the saga’s conclusion this November.”

The next chapter in THE TWILIGHT SAGA, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN – PART 2 will arrive in theatres on November 16, 2012. Academy Award® winner Bill Condon directed both the first and second part of the two-part finale starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. The project, based on the fourth novel in author Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, was written by Melissa Rosenberg with Wyck Godfrey, Karen Rosenfelt and Stephenie Meyer producing.

About THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series

THE TWILIGHT SAGA film series stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson and tells the story of 17-year-old Bella Swan who moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, and becomes drawn to Edward Cullen, a pale, mysterious classmate who seems determined to push her away. But neither can deny the attraction that pulls them together…even when Edward confides that he and his family are vampires.  The action-packed, modern day vampire love story TWILIGHT, the first film in the series, was released in theatres on November 21, 2008 to a blockbuster reception. The second installment of the film franchise, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON was released November 20, 2009 and the third installment, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE was released June 30, 2010.

About Summit Entertainment

Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE® company, is a worldwide theatrical motion picture development, financing, production and distribution studio.  The company handles all aspects of marketing and distribution for both its own internally developed motion pictures as well as acquired pictures.  Summit also represents international sales for both its own slate and third party product.

About Lionsgate

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming and an array of channel assets.  Lionsgate currently has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning “Mad Men”, “Weeds” and “Nurse Jackie” along with the comedy “Blue Mountain State,” the Golden Globe-winning drama “Boss” and the syndication successes “Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne”, its spinoff “Meet The Browns”, “The Wendy Williams Show” and “Are We There Yet?”.

Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as THE LINCOLN LAWYER, TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY, THE EXPENDABLES, MARGIN CALL, THE LAST EXORCISM and the critically-acclaimed PRECIOUS, which won two Academy Awards®. With the January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company now has the two leading young adult franchises – the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA, which has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office, and the HUNGER GAMES franchise, whose first film will be released on March 23.  Recent Summit hits include RED, LETTERS TO JULIET, KNOWING, the STEP UP franchise and the Academy Award winning Best Picture THE HURT LOCKER.

Lionsgate’s home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company’s core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

Year’s Highlights Included Studio’s First Billion Dollar Release,
Successful Re-launch of Mission Impossible Franchise,
the Coen Bros. Biggest Release Ever & Paramount’s First Original CGI Animated Film

Paramount Pictures announced today it ended 2011 in the No. 1 position among all studios, having achieved the highest total combined gross of any studio for the year, earning a record $5.17 billion worldwide. The studio, which released a total of 16 new releases domestically this year, placed first in the North American market share with $1.96 billion, while also amassing record grosses at the international box office with $3.21 billion.

“This achievement reflects the combined efforts of our entire team across the globe and the careful process by which we select the projects and partners we believe in,” said Paramount Pictures Chairman & CEO Brad Grey. “We produce pictures that aspire to entertain audiences around the world, while at the same time we have sought to find innovative ways to reach movie-goers in this changing entertainment environment.

“This year our studio reached some key milestones, including the release of three vibrant Paramount franchise pictures and our first original CGI animated film. Our studio had its first ever $1 billion worldwide grossing film in Michael Bay’s hit ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’; we successfully re-launched our ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise with Tom Cruise, JJ Abrams and Brad Bird; our latest installment in the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise had another $100 million dollar success; our first original animated film ‘Rango,‘ from director Gore Verbinski, earned rave reviews and more than $100 million at the domestic box office; and we released global phenomenon ‘Super 8,’ directed by JJ Abrams, who will now direct the newest ‘Star Trek’ for 2013. We also benefited from our distribution partnerships with DreamWorks Animation and Marvel and I want to thank them both.

“Film President Adam Goodman and his team in production and development, and Vice Chairman Rob Moore and his team in marketing and distribution, did outstanding work and truly delivered. “As we prepare to celebrate Paramount’s 100th year in 2012, we are all grateful to be part of this wonderful institution as it continues to prosper,” added Grey.

In 2012, Paramount’s release slate highlights include “World War Z,” a zombie thriller starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” the next installment in the global franchise starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Channing Tatum, a new chapter in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise, and “The Dictator,” starring Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Larry Charles, the team behind “Borat.”

The 2011 box office results seen from the studio were built on a wide reaching range of titles, including the following (with current domestic grosses): “True Grit” ($85 mil this year, $171.2 million total), Ivan Reitman’s “No Strings Attached” ($70.7 mil), Jon Chu’s “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never” ($73 mil), Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” ($123.5 mil), Marvel Studio’s “Thor” ($181 mil), DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda 2″ ($165.2 mil), JJ Abrams “Super 8″ ($127 mil), Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” ($352.4 mil), Marvel Studio’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” ($176.7 mil), Craig Brewer’s “Footloose” ($51.7 mil), the third installment in the hit “Paranormal Activity” franchise ($104 mil), DreamWorks Animation’s “Puss In Boots” ($145.8 mil), Sundance prize-winner “Like Crazy” ($3.4 mil), Martin Scorsese and GK Films’ “Hugo” ($50.2 mil), Jason Reitman’s “Young Adult” ($12.8 mil), Brad Bird’s “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” ($142.8 mil) and Steven Spielberg’s “Tintin” ($51.4 mil).

Relativity Media’s visually-stunning epic 3D adventure Immortals exceeded both internal and external industry estimates leading the company to its highest box office opener as an independent distributor, taking in an estimated $32.3mm in 3,112 locations in North America and $38mm internationally from opening in 35 countries, it was announced today by Kyle Davies, Relativity’s President of Worldwide Distribution. Opening on 11-11-11, the film impressively took the # 1 spot in America and became the highest R-Rated action film this year and the third highest-grossing R-rated film debut in 2011 behind The Hangover 2 ($85mm) and Paranormal Activity 3 ($52mm). Directed by Tarsem Singh, and from the producers of 300 Mark Canton, Gianni Nunnari and Relativity’s Ryan Kavanaugh, Immortals is completely original and not based on a comic book,novel or a previous film.

Relativity mounted a robust marketing and publicity campaign toward a broad audience, beginning by targeting the elusive under 35 male demographic, and leveraging innovative partnerships with such companies as Clear Channel Radio, MTV, Best Buy, Carl’s Jr.®, Spotify, Richard Petty Motor Sports and Virgin Mobile to reach beyond the targeted under 35 male demographic. Exit polls indicate that Immortals reached thatspecific group and beyond, as 75% of its audience was under 35 (with 60% ofthat audience consisting of males and 40% comprising of females) and 25% was 35 and over. Exit polls also indicated very strong response in both rating and recommendation scores from the younger demographic (males and females under 25). 70% of locations played the film in 3D. 66% of the gross was on 3D screens with 34% on 2D.

Relativity owns worldwide rights to Immortals with Lionsgate handling foreign sales. Immortals opened day and date with the U.S. in over 35 international territories including: UK/Universal, Germany/Austria/Constantin, Italy/RAI/01 Distribution, Japan/Universal, South Korea/Next Entertainment World, Turkey/Aqua Pinema, Taiwan/Studio Solutions Group/Catchplay, Netherlands/A-Film, Greece/Village Films, South Africa/Nu Metro, UAE/Gulf Films, and CIS & Eastern Europe/Paradise/MGN. Immortals is the first Relativity title released in China through Sky Land, its joint venture with IDG and Saif Partners. The current estimated weekend box office is approximately a solid $38mm+ with a number of territories still to report. The rest of the world will open by the Christmas holiday including France/Metropolitan, Belgium/A-Film/Belga, Australia/New Zealand/Universal, Denmark & Norway/Nordisk, Portugal/Prisvideo, Brazil/Imagem, Mexico/Gussi, Spain/Universal, among others.

In Relativity’s first year as an independent distributor, Immortals marks the studio’s second over-performing film to reach the #1 spot in America, following Neil Burger’s paranoia-fueled action thriller Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in March of this year. Both titles were produced internally by Relativity.

“We are thrilled that our homegrown epic Immortals performed well above internal and industry projections and are gratified that our core audience showed up to this wholly original film. We’re also enthused by the broad and ethnically diverse audience, hoping the positive word-of-mouth will continue the movie’s playability through the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Davies.

Immortals stars Henry Cavill (Superman: Man of Steel), Luke Evans (Robin Hood), Kellan Lutz (Twillight), Isabel Lucas (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Dorff (Public Enemies), Daniel Sharman (The Collection), Stephen McHattie (Watchmen), Greg Bryk (A History of Violence), PeterStebbings (Jeremiah), Alan VanSprang (Saw III), John Hurt (Hellboy) and Mickey Rourke (Iron Man 2). Directed by Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) and written by Charles Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, Immortals tells the story of the ruthless King Hyperion (Rourke), who leads his bloodthirsty army on a murderous rampage across Greece to find a deadly weapon that will destroy humanity. A mortal chosen by Zeusnamed Theseus (Cavill) must lead the fight against Hyperion and his evil army with the fate of mankind and the Gods at Stake. The film is executive produced by Relativity’s Tucker Tooley, Working Pictures’ Jeff Waxman, Tommy Turtle, Virgin Produced’s Jason Felts and co-executive produced by Voltage Productions’ Craig Flores, Relativity’s Robbie Brenner and Virgin Produced’s Rene Rigal. Relativity’s Kenneth Halsband served as co-producer.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/immortals
Official Site: http://www.immortalsmovie.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/immortalsfilm

The next film on the studio’s growing slate is Oscar®-winner Steven Soderbergh’s dynamic Haywire debuting in theatres January 20, 2012. This highly anticipated action-thriller stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Bill Paxton and introduces mixed martial arts (MMA) star Gina Carano in a demanding lead role that has her performing her own high-adrenaline stunts. Haywire tells the story of Mallory Kane, a highly trained operative who works for a government security contractor in the dirtiest, most dangerous corners of the world. After successfully freeing a Chinese journalist held hostage, she is double crossed and left for dead by someone close to her in her own agency. Suddenly the target of skilled assassins who know her every move, Mallory must find the truth in order to stay alive. Using her black-ops military training, she devises an ingenious – and dangerous – trap. But when things go haywire, Mallory realizes she’ll be killed in the blink of an eye unless she finds a way to turn the tables on her ruthless adversary. The release marks Soderbergh’s 25th film.

RelativityMedia just wrapped production on the hilarious comedy 21 & Over and is currently in pre-production on Nicholas Sparks’ gripping love story Safe Haven and the international espionage thriller Hunter Killer. Relativity’s expansive upcoming slate also includes: Act of Valor, a heart-pounding action film starring active duty Navy SEALs (in theatres February 17, 2012), a gritty thriller The Raven (in theatres March 9, 2012), the magical adventure comedy Mirror Mirror (in theatres March 16, 2012), starring Oscar®-winner Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, and Armie Hammer and edge-of-your seat thriller House at the End of the Street (in theatres April 20, 2012).

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 10, 2011 – IMAX Corporation today announced that REAL STEEL, an action drama from DreamWorks Pictures, distributed by Touchstone Pictures, earned approximately $4.4 million at the box office in IMAX® theatres worldwide during its three-day opening weekend. Domestically, the film grossed approximately $27.3 million, with IMAX screens generating approximately $3.2 million on 270 screens. Internationally, the film grossed approximately $22.1 million, with 62 IMAX screens generating $1.2 million. There are 42 IMAX screens still to open in various territories, including China.

“REAL STEEL performed quite well in IMAX, particularly for an October release,” said Greg Foster, IMAX Chairman and President of Filmed Entertainment. “With nearly half of our international markets yet to open, combined with the healthy word of mouth and our experience with Shawn Levy’s films, we expect REAL STEEL will have a successful run over the next several weeks across our network.” 

Real Steel: The IMAX Experience has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience^® through proprietary IMAX DMR^® technology. With crystal-clear images, laser-aligned digital sound and theatre geometry that maximizes field of view, IMAX provides the world’s most immersive movie experience.

About REAL STEEL

A gritty, white-knuckle, action ride set in the near-future, where the sport of boxing has gone hi-tech, Real Steel stars Hugh Jackman as Charlie Kenton, a washed-up fighter who lost his chance at a title when 2000-pound, 8-foot-tall steel robots took over the ring. Now nothing but a small-time promoter, Charlie earns just enough money piecing together low-end bots from scrap metal to get from one underground boxing venue to the next. When Charlie hits rock bottom, he reluctantly teams up with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) to build and train a championship contender. As the stakes in the brutal, no-holds-barred arena are raised, Charlie and Max, against all odds, get one last shot at a comeback.

DreamWorks Pictures presents REAL STEEL, directed by Shawn Levy, produced by Don Murphy, Susan Montford and Shawn Levy, with a screenplay by John Gatins, story by Dan Gilroy and Jeremy Leven, and based in part on the short story “Steel” by Richard Matheson. REAL STEEL opened in theaters on October 7, 2011.

The film has been rated PG-13 for some violence, intense action and brief language.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience® and The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

The 3D re-release of THE LION KING has moved Disney’s animated film to No. 10 on the list of all-time top grossing films at the domestic box office. The classic has now grossed $98.7 million worldwide, $79.7million in North America and came in at #3 this weekend with $11,057,000 million.

All-Time Top 10 Domestic Grossing Films:

1. Avatar Fox $760,507,625 2009
2. Titanic Paramount $600,788,188 1997
3. The Dark Knight WB $533,345,358 2008
4. Star Wars Fox $460,998,007 1977
5. Shrek 2 DW $441,226,247 2004
6. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Uni. $435,110,554 1982
7. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Fox $431,088,301
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest BV $423,315,812
9. Toy Story 3 BV $415,004,880 2010
10. The Lion King BV $408,193,776 1994
11. Spider-Man Sony $403,706,375 2002
*BoxOfficeMojo

Its highly anticipated home entertainment debut kicks off October 4, celebrating the Diamond Edition release of THE LION KING in high-definition Blu-ray™ and Blu-ray 3D™.

“THE LION KING is the best-selling home entertainment release of all time-and this is THE LION KING like never before,” said Bob Chapek, president of distribution, The Walt Disney Studios. “The all-new 3D format immerses viewers in the epic settings and puts them face-to-face with these beloved characters. We’re showcasing one of the all-time favorite Disney movies in theaters and making it available in Blu-ray hi-def and in Blu-ray 3D-it’s the must-see, must-own title for everyone.”

Nearly a decade since THE LION KING last appeared on the big screen, the theatrical release invited new generations into the “Circle of Life.” The 3D-only presentation was a planned wide domestic release-the biggest since the film’s 1994 debut-and the film’s first-ever 3D release.

The Blu-ray debut marks the first time THE LION KING has been available in any form since 2004. Featuring pristine high definition picture and sound, the Blu-ray creates an incredible at-home experience with a host of picture and sound enhancements, interactive features and bonus content, including a new set of hilarious animated bloopers

Notable Facts:

• First released in 1994, The Lion King is the highest-grossing traditional hand-drawn animated film of all time and the highest-grossing film from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
• The Lion King is the top-performing home entertainment release ever. The Blu-ray debut marks the first time it has been available in any form since 2004.
• The Lion King is Disney’s best-selling soundtrack. It received Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (10x platinum). Only four other soundtracks in history have been certified Diamond.
• Best of The Lion King, a collection of songs from and inspired by the films and the show, is currently the #3 soundtrack on iTunes.
• The Lion King has won 2 Academy Awards®, 3 Golden Globes®, 6 Tony Awards® and 3 Grammys®, among other accolades, including over 70 major theatrical honors worldwide.
• The stage show has been seen by more than 60 million people worldwide, grossing over $4.6 billion in 18 productions across 14 countries, spanning 5 continents and 8 languages.
• Current productions include Broadway, North American Tour, Las Vegas, London, Hamburg, Tokyo and Singapore.
  The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997 and in January 2011 became its seventh longest-running show ever; it continues to be one of the highest-grossing on a weekly basis.
• The North American tour recently completed a record-breaking, sold-out, 32-show premiere engagement at the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal, grossing more than $7 million – the highest-grossing theatrical production in the venue’s history.

 

ABOUT THE LION KING
An unforgettable story, breathtaking animation, beloved characters and award-winning music sets the stage for The Lion King, a Disney classic that follows the adventures of Simba, the feisty lion cub who “just can’t wait to be king.” But his envious Uncle Scar has plans for his own ascent to the throne, and he forces Simba’s exile from the kingdom. Alone and adrift, Simba soon joins the escapades of a hilarious meerkat named Timon and his warmhearted warthog pal, Pumbaa. Adopting their carefree lifestyle of “Hakuna Matata,” Simba ignores his real responsibilities until he realizes his destiny and returns to the Pride Lands to claim his place in the “Circle of Life.” The all-star vocal talents – including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Robert Guillaume, Cheech Marin and Moira Kelly’s rip-roaring comedy and uplifting messages of courage, loyalty and hope make this a timeless tale for all ages. Produced by Don Hahn and directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff from a script by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton, The Lion King is rated G by the MPAA.

BURBANK, CA, August 2011 – Continuing to make box office magic, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ has now become the top-grossing release of 2011 in all categories: domestic box office, international box office and worldwide box office. The announcement was made today by Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, Dan Fellman, and President of International Distribution, Veronika Kwan-Rubinek.

The last installment of the blockbuster motion picture franchise has broken numerous box office records around the world in just under a month since its July opening. As of August 8, the film had earned $344.8 million domestically and $801.5 million internationally, for an astounding worldwide box office gross of $1.146 billion, making “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ the third-highest-grossing film worldwide of all time.

Veronika Kwan-Rubinek stated, “‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2′ can truly be called a global phenomenon. The filmmakers and cast, who dedicated their talents to the success of these films for over a decade, share in this piece of cinema history. We congratulate and thank them all.”

Dan Fellman said, “This is another incredible milestone for the last chapter of this historic film series, and for the Harry Potter franchise as a whole. In a crowded and very competitive summer, it is a tribute to both the film and the people behind it that moviegoers are still turning out to enjoy it—whether for the first time or for a repeat viewing.”

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

The film was directed by David Yates, and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the first Harry Potter film to be released in both 3D and 2D. Concurrently with its nationwide theatrical distribution, the film is being released in select IMAX® theatres. The film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

The weekend actuals for August 5 – 7 are in. 20th Century Fox’s RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES was #1 at the box office with $54 million.

Source: ERC Box Office

HOLLYWOOD, CA (August 3, 2011) – Worldwide box office receipts for TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, have hit $1 billion, Paramount Pictures announced today. To date, the third installment of the hit Transformers franchise, and the first shot in 3-D, has grossed $338 million in U.S. (through Monday) and $663 million internationally (through Tuesday).

“TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON is the first billion dollar grossing movie in the history of Paramount Pictures, marking a substantial milestone in the 99 year life of this legendary studio,” said Brad Grey, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures. “We are grateful for the extraordinary work of Michael Bay and his film-making team, executive producer Steven Spielberg, and everyone at Paramount around the globe who played a part in helping make this latest TRANSFORMERS one of the 10 highest grossing films worldwide of all time”.

Earlier this summer, Paramount was the first studio to reach $1 billion in domestic grosses, aided by the $180.7 million opening of TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON over the July 4th holiday. This is the fifth year in a row that Paramount has reached the milestone before any other studio. Paramount Pictures International crossed the $2 billion mark on July 30th, making it the first for any studio this year to reach the benchmark. The studio has had six consecutive movies earning over $100 million at the domestic box office in 2011.

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON is directed by Michael Bay, written by Ehren Kruger and produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce. The executive producers are Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. When a mysterious event from Earth’s past erupts into the present day it threatens to bring a war to Earth so big that the Transformers alone will not be able to save us. The movie stars Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Patrick Dempsey, Kevin Dunn, Julie White with John Malkovich and Frances McDormand.

© 2011 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

HASBRO, TRANSFORMERS and all related characters are trademarks of Hasbro.

© 2011 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

For more information, go to www.TransformersMovie.com

ABOUT PARAMOUNT PICTURES CORPORATION:
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.  The company’s labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies.  PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home  Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studio Group and Paramount Television & Digital Distribution.

BURBANK, CA – Continuing its record-breaking run, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ has surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, becoming the first in the series—and just the ninth film in cinema history—to reach that benchmark. The announcement was made today by Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, Dan Fellman, and President of International Distribution, Veronika Kwan-Rubinek. Adding to the records already achieved, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ tied the record for the fastest climb to $1 billion. The finale of the blockbuster motion picture franchise crossed the billion dollar mark on Sunday, July 31, only its 17th day in release in North America, as well as most international markets. The film has now earned an estimated $318.46 million domestically and an estimated $690 million on the international side for a worldwide total to date of approximately $1.008 billion, already making it, globally, the top-grossing film in Warner Bros. Pictures’ history.

Dan Fellman stated, “What’s truly astounding is that these kinds of numbers are being achieved so early in the film’s release. The movie’s excellent reviews, outstanding word-of-mouth and repeat business will ensure that Harry Potter will be charming moviegoers for months to come.”

Veronika Kwan-Rubinek remarked, “To say that the global response to the film has been extraordinary would be an understatement. We are so proud that this last film in the series has not only reached such heights but has reached them in record time. It is now Warner Bros.’ most successful release ever, and there is still plenty more to come.”

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

The film was directed by David Yates, and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the first Harry Potter film to be released in both 3D and 2D. Concurrently with its nationwide theatrical distribution, the film is being released in select IMAX® theatres. The film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

BURBANK, CA – With “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ still in the first week of its record-breaking run, the Harry Potter film franchise has now crossed the $7 billion mark worldwide, and counting. The announcement was made by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ has earned an astounding $640.2 million worldwide in its initial week, encompassing $214.9 million domestically and $425.3 million at the international box office.

In addition, the success of the movie has propelled Warner Bros. Pictures’ combined 2011 domestic box office past $1 billion for an eleventh consecutive year, which is an industry record.

Robinov stated, “It is an extraordinary privilege for everyone at Warner Bros. to share in this piece of cinema history. We are extremely grateful to the Harry Potter fans, who have remained loyal to the movies for more than a decade. We also want to congratulate the amazing roster of actors and filmmakers, whose artistry and talent is evident in every frame of every film. But special thanks must go to the woman whose incomparable imagination literally changed the world, Jo Rowling.”

Sue Kroll, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Worldwide Marketing, noted, “Each film has inspired us creatively and it has been exciting to watch the evolution through eight remarkable movies. It has truly been the movie event of a generation, as Harry Potter fans who were there from the beginning have been joined by new fans over the years, and their enthusiasm—as well as our own—has never waned.”

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, said, “Becoming a $7 billion-plus franchise is a stunning achievement, which is shared by everybody involved in any or all of the Harry Potter films. On the domestic side, the studio is also thrilled to have reached the billion-dollar benchmark for an unprecedented eleventh year in a row. We thank everyone at Warner Bros. whose hard work and dedication have contributed so much to our success.”

Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, Warner Bros. Pictures President of International Distribution, added, “It is a rare pleasure to have an opportunity to be a part of a global event of this magnitude. For ten years, the Harry Potter films have delighted audiences, bridging across countries and continents. We applaud all the actors and filmmakers who have given us the true definition of movie magic.”

The collective Harry Potter films are the highest-grossing franchise of all time, a global record it has held since the success of the sixth film, 2009′s “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” Individually, the worldwide grosses for the previous films stand as: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” at $974,755,371; “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” at $878,979,634; “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” at $796,688,549; “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” at $896,911,078; “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” at $939,885,929; “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” at $934,416,487; and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1″ at $955,417,476.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

The film was directed by David Yates, and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the first Harry Potter film to be released in both 3D and 2D. Concurrently with its nationwide theatrical distribution, the film is being released in select IMAX® theatres. The film has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology.

Opened nationwide on July 15, the film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

© 2011 Warner Bros. Ent.

Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R.

Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

With an astounding estimated worldwide box office total of more than $476 million, Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ shattered multiple domestic and international box office records in a history-making opening weekend. The announcement was made today by Warner Bros. Pictures President of Domestic Distribution, Dan Fellman, and President of International Distribution, Veronika Kwan-Rubinek.

The finale of the globally beloved film series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ earned a stunning $168.5 million at the domestic box office, which not only is the biggest Harry Potter opening weekend but also obliterated the industry’s opening weekend record, including holiday weekends. Among the other records broken were single-day box office (Friday at $92.1 million), Friday box office, and opening day box office.

With the film opening day-and-date in 59 territories, the international box office take was a staggering $307 million, making it the biggest international weekend of all time. Led by record-breaking grosses in the UK ($36.6 million) and Australia ($26.7 million), all markets have performed exceedingly well, including Germany ($25.7 million), France ($23.9 million) and Japan ($21.5 million).

Globally, it also broke the IMAX opening weekend record with a worldwide gross of $23.5 million, which includes setting a new record in North America with $15.5 million.

The film began breaking records even before its opening, as unprecedented advance ticket sales gave the first indication of just how huge the box office bow would be. Midnight opening screenings not only met but exceeded those expectations, with $43.5 million at the domestic box office alone.

Dan Fellman stated, “These numbers are amazing, but they are only part of the story. It is impossible to quantify how thrilled and grateful we all are that both critics and audiences—especially loyal Harry Potter fans—continue to support the film. This is the culmination of an extraordinary decade, and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of many, many people on both sides of the camera, beginning with the brilliant J.K. Rowling, as well as producer David Heyman. We applaud them all.”

Veronika Kwan-Rubinek remarked, “Harry Potter is truly a cultural phenomenon the world over. Whether in German, French, Japanese, Russian, or any language, international audiences have embraced the Harry Potter films over the years, with the powerful finale punctuating just how special the property is. We congratulate everyone associated with the films on this monumental achievement.”

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

The film was directed by David Yates, and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the first Harry Potter film to be released in both 3D and 2D. Concurrently with its nationwide theatrical distribution, the film is being released in select IMAX® theatres. The film has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology.

Opened nationwide on July 15, the film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

© 2011 Warner Bros. Ent.
Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R.
Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

BURBANK, CA, July 15, 2011 — Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ smashed the domestic box office record for a midnight opening, taking in a phenomenal $43.5 million. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Domestic Distribution.

In addition, the film broke the midnight opening record for IMAX theatres, with a $2 million gross on a record number of IMAX screens.

Some midnight showings around the country capped marathon screenings of all the previous Harry Potter movies, leading up to the long-awaited finale. There were fan celebrations at a number of theatres, with audience members dressing up as their favorite characters, turning the release of the film into a shared event.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is also the first in the series to be released in 3D, and many lucky fans attending midnight 3D screenings received commemorative Harry Potter 3D glasses to keep as a souvenir.

The midnight opening record came on the heels of the film setting the record for advance ticket sales. Many of the opening day’s shows were sold out weeks ago as moviegoers rushed to be among the first people to see the last title in the most successful film franchise of all time.

Fellman stated, “What an incredible beginning for the movie that ends it all. The filmmakers and cast crafted a wonderful and fitting finale for this extraordinary franchise, and the response of the fans has been extremely gratifying. Everyone at Warner Bros. joins me in congratulating the many people behind the Harry Potter films. We know this is just the start of what promises to be an astounding weekend and a magical summer.”

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise their roles as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Matthew Lewis, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters and Bonnie Wright.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ was directed by David Yates, and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ is the first Harry Potter film to be released in both 3D and 2D. Concurrently with its nationwide theatrical distribution, the film will be released in select IMAX® theatres. The film has been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology.

Opening nationwide on July 15, the film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. It has been rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.

www.harrypotter.com

© 2011 Warner Bros. Ent.
Harry Potter Publishing Rights © J.K.R.
Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.