Sci-Fi Storm

IMAX and Lionsgate announced today that The Hunger Games will return to over 100 IMAX theaters for one week starting April 27th, due to overwhelming demand.

The Hunger Games has grossed over $533 million globally since its launch on March 23, including $13.2 million generated from IMAX theatres in its original one week run.

“It’s wonderful that so many fans have expressed interest in seeing The Hunger Games in the immersive IMAX format, and many of these are repeat viewers,” said Lionsgate’s Motion Picture Group Co-Chair Rob Friedman, adding “We’re delighted that IMAX has been able to accommodate them through this special one week re-engagement.”

“The Hunger Games has become a cultural phenomenon and we are thrilled to provide moviegoers with another opportunity to see this year’s most successful film in IMAX,” said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment.

The IMAX release of The Hunger Games 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.

Shortly after I posted that the Hunger Games sequel search was down to two, apparently they made their choice – and it is Francis Lawrence, who previously directed Water for Elephants, I Am Legend and Constantine. It is expect he will receive an offer today.

Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games, is slated for a November 2013 release. It is expected the third book, Mockingjay, will be filmed at the same time.

Hearing from various sources that the necessarily quick search for a replacement director for Gary Ross – who decided not to continue with the sequel for The Hunger Games – has been narrowed down to two choices, neither of which have a lot of top-line directing titles under their belts but what they have were well known: Bennett Miller, who was nominated for an Oscar for Capote and more recently directed Moneyball; and Francis Lawrence, who most recently scored with Water for Elephants but also genre films I Am Legend and Constantine.

Of the two, Lawrence would seem to make sense given his experience in a post-apocalyptic-like setting of I Am Legend, and 2 genre films to zero for Miller.