
Suzanne Collins' massively popular trilogy made its big screen foray in 2012 with the premiere of The Hunger Games. Top-lined by a critically adored Jennifer Lawrence, Lionsgate's franchise-starter brought in a record-breaking $152 million domestic haul in its first weekend alone. That made it the third highest-grossing opening weekend of all time and the best for a non-sequel.
LionsgateTORONTO – This should feed The Hunger Games global take: Imax will next month release a digitally-remastered version of Lionsgate’s blockbuster film in China on 67 of its digital screens in that fast-growing Asian market.
The teen tentpole will be released with both dubbed and sub-titled prints in China under new revenue sharing terms recently agreed as part of a WTO arrangement.
Imax’s local partners for the release include the China Film Group, in conjunction with Huaxia Film Distribution Co.
Also pitching in is Lionsgate’s promotional partner in the region, Talent International.
The Hunger Games is already approaching $650 million at the worldwide box office, and Lionsgate anticipates that figure will climb significantly higher after the tent tentpole is released in China.
“The Hunger Games launch in China underscores the franchise’s continued emergence as a truly global phenomenon, and we’re delighted to extend our successful partnership with Imax around the globe to offer moviegoers in China a unique, world-class experience,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chairs Patrick Wachsberger and Rob Friedman said in a statement.