PRESS RELEASE: The Avengers to be released in IMAX (3D)

Not much to add here, but this is hardly a surprise.  Of course, now filmgoers like me who love IMAX have to hope that the converted 3D effects are actually halfway decent (Green Lantern is the high-water mark in this not terribly distinguished field).  Anyway, Marvel and Disney are clearly aiming gunning for the opening weekend record on May 4th, the same weekend where Spider-Man ($114 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($151 million) broke said record in 2002 and 2007.  What are your thoughts?  Are you a big enough fan of IMAX to justify watching yet-another live-action film that was shot in 2D but converted to 3D?  Or will your primary goal be finding the biggest 2D screen you can find?  Oh, and if I had known that the 3D poster above actually worked as 3D, I would have posted it last week (sometimes 3D embeds don't work on Blogger).  Anyway, it's a snazzy poster and I'll only add that poor Scarlett Johansson looks like that kid standing way back in the outfield hoping/praying that no one hits the baseball to her.  The full press release is after the jump.

Scott Mendelson

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS TO BE RELEASED IN IMAX^®3D ON MAY 4, 2012

Los Angeles, CA – Jan. 31, 2012 – IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX) Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Studios today announced that the epic super hero adventureMarvel’s The Avengers will be digitally re-mastered into the immersive IMAX^® 3D format and released in IMAX^® digital theatres worldwide day-and-date on May 4, 2012.

Marvel’s The Avengers, based on the well-known Marvel comic book series, is written and directed by Joss Whedon and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson.

     

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

Marvel’s The Avengers is the second tentpole film from Walt Disney Pictures to be confirmed as part of IMAX’s 2012 film slate.  John Carter, which will be released on March 9, will play for 3 weeks in IMAX film theatres and 2 weeks in IMAX’s digital network.

“This highly anticipated gathering of Marvel’s epic superheroes combined with the brilliant vision of Joss Whedon is sure to wow audiences when presented in IMAX 3D,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment.  “The Avengers is a perfect film to kick off our 2012 summer slate and we anticipate this limited IMAX engagement will be a must-see for fans around the world.”

The IMAX release of Marvel’s The Avengers will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The 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 will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie.