Imax has expanded its alliance with Japan-based exhibition giant Aeon Entertainment with a two-theater deal.
New theaters with laser projection systems will go into the Aeon Cinema Ichikawa Myoden outside Tokyo and Aeon Cinema Shijonawate near Osaka, both prime retail locations. The Japanese deal follows Imax and Thai exhibitor Major Cineplex expanding their own partnership with an agreement for three new Imax theaters with laser systems in the southeast Asian market and comes amid Asia’s movie box office rebound.
“From its growing global blockbuster portfolio to outsized box office returns, Japan is a thriving market for cinema with some of the most passionate Imax fans in the world,” Imax CEO Richard Gelfond said in a statement on Tuesday as CinemaCon in Las Vegas kicked into gear.
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In 2016, Aeon Entertainment signed its first giant screen theater deal with Imax, which has targeted Japan for growth as its third highest-grossing theater market in 2021. Imax has tripled its network in Japan over the last decade, from 13 screens in 2011 to 39 today.
“We are excited that our expanded partnership with Imax, an innovative technology for groundbreaking cinematic experiences that will drive even more value for our theatres,” Yasuhiro Asada, president and representative director of Aeon Entertainment, added in a statement.
Imax’s box office recovery in Japan has sprung in large part by screening local films. Imax raked in a record $32.6 million in global box office with Japanese language releases in 2021, up from $2.5 million in 2017.
Japanese anime is an especially strong growth area for Imax, from the recent Jujutsu Kaisen 0 to 2020’s Demon Slayer, the highest grossing Imax film of all time in Japan. Upcoming Japanese titles set to release on Imax screens include Toho’s Detective Conan: The Bride of Halloween, Shin-Ultraman and Toei’s Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
