Superman is projected to earn $55-62 million in its second weekend, maintaining strong box office performance with a total of $155 million domestically and $250 million globally, as it aims to revitalize the DC Universe amidst upcoming competition from other films like 'The Fantastic Four' and new releases such as 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and 'Smurfs.'
The live-action 'How to Train Your Dragon' is projected to earn $70-80 million in its opening weekend domestically, with an additional $110 million internationally, signaling a strong debut despite mixed reviews. The film, directed by Dean DeBlois, is expected to surpass the previous box office leader 'Lilo & Stitch' and is part of Universal's larger franchise plans, including a sequel set for 2027.
Fans are going to great lengths to watch Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" in Imax 70mm, a rare format that offers an unparalleled cinema experience. Despite being a dialogue-heavy drama, Imax accounted for 20% of the film's global opening, with the 70mm version earning an impressive $17 million to date. However, the limited availability of Imax film projectors poses challenges in bringing the format to a wider audience. Imax has extended the 70mm run of "Oppenheimer" twice due to popular demand, but will eventually have to make way for other films. Imax aims to find and refurbish more projectors to keep film alive and continue attracting both cinephiles and mainstream audiences.
IMAX theaters still rely on a 21-year-old Palm Pilot device, specifically the Palm m130, to control the quick turn reel unit (QTRU) and ensure the smooth operation of film projection. The Palm Pilot emulator, running on a Windows tablet, is used to keep the QTRU moving at a consistent speed and maintain synchronization between the film's video and audio. Despite the availability of more advanced controllers, IMAX continues to use the Palm Pilot because it is simple, stable, and does the job effectively. With only a limited number of theaters capable of showing full 70mm prints, and Christopher Nolan being one of the few filmmakers still using the format, there is little incentive to update the technology.