There will be more Godzilla-sized movie screens coming to Japan. IMAX
Tokyu's no stranger to IMAX. It opened four IMAX screens in Japan last year. It's clearly an encouraging sign to see an overseas revenue-sharing partner agree to more than double its presence.
The buzz for the platform is building in Japan, where Disney's
IMAX has grown up in a hurry, and not just because its stock has popped sevenfold since bottoming out 17 months ago. These joint-venture arrangements with companies including Tokyu, AMC, and Regal
This may have seemed risky a year ago, but everything's changed after News Corp.'s
IMAX posted its first quarterly profit in three years this past summer, and it has been in the black ever since. Analysts see it earning $0.75 a share this year and $0.88 a share come 2011. The optimism continues to grow. Just three months ago, Wall Street figured IMAX would earn just $0.53 a share in 2010 and $0.68 a share the following year.
A couple of years ago, it seemed as if IMAX was at the mercy of Time Warner
More than doubling its presence in Japan between now and June of 2012 is incrementally positive news, but hopefully it's merely a sign of coming attractions.
Are you willing to pay a premium for an IMAX experience? Share your perspective in the comments box below.