Events/News/Previews

Advance sales of Game of Thrones IMAX Experience going strong

Posted on by Sue the Fury

IMAX

Game of Thrones: The IMAX Experience is wowing critics and audiences before the special event even begins airing this Thursday, January 29th.

According to Entertainment Weekly, advance ticket sales have exceeded expectations and are very strong, with some locations selling out. This comes as no surprise to us, as the massive fan interest caused the IMAX website to crash at a few points due to fans rushing to book tickets.

EW reports:

Though box office numbers are not yet available, we’re told some of the 200 theaters that have booked Thrones have sold out screenings, particularly theaters in larger cities. After an initial burst of fan interest, IMAX insiders expected sales to “hit the wall” and decline—instead, interest has been accelerating. Sources say an average weekend take for an IMAX theater is $4000-$5000 per screen, but Thrones is tracking like it’s going to easily exceed that—which is rather impressive for a screening that’s essentially a TV show’s repeats on Super Bowl weekend. 

The figures reportedly surpass advance sales of almost all of “IMAX’s previous non-new-release special event screenings.”

IMAX Entertainment CEO Greg Foster took the repeated website crashes as a “pretty good indication” that the event would perform well. He tells EW, “I know everybody calls Thrones a television show, but it looks like a movie. […] It’s unbelievably cinematic. It blew us away.”

For more, visit Entertainment Weekly for the full report.

Sue the Fury: The showings should be packed this weekend. I’ll be there. We’re discussing fan meetups in this other post as well!

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Sue the Fury
Susan Miller, Editor in Chief of WatchersOnTheWall.com

97 Comments

  1. Hodor!

    I’m from Portugal, so I’m really jealous of you americans right now.
    Anyway, hope you guys have a good time, and I will count on you to give us your feedback after you get out of the theatre!

  2. I know I’m stoked. My closest friend and I are going. Considering 4×09 is our favorite episode, this is going to be seriously special.

    Off-topic just this once, but by the Seven am I glad I finally found this site. I was never the most outspoken of posters on WiC, but over the years I’d come to recognize and look forward to seeing names like Hoyty and Balerion regularly commenting. I took that same months-long hiatus during the especially dead seasons that I have always taken, and upon my return it felt like a ghost town with few of the same e-faces as before.

    *emotional sniffle* I feel like I’m home again. Even Game of Owns is here.

  5. HBO executives who’ve been pretending they have no intention of ever doing a GOT movie… will soon start hinting that it “might” be a “possibility” even though, obviously, they’ve been thinking about it since day 1.

  6. GeekFurious,

    I wouldn’t go so far as to say they’ve been thinking about it since day 1, but when I first heard about them showing the episodes in movie theatres, I did think, “hmmm, that would be a good way to test the waters to see if finishing the series on the big screen would be a good option.”

  7. I have a good feeling the final two episodes of season 7 will be the big battle between the others vs Dany. This means they will have lord of the rings scale battle scenes with fully grown Drogon going up against giant ice spiders and ice dragons. The hype is so real now.

  11. More significantly HBO’s Michael Lombardo reports he is really surprised.

    “If we were premiering the first episode of the new season in IMAX, I wouldn’t have been surprised,” Lombardo said. “But that’s not what we’re doing. It’s very heartening and surprising that people are willing to pay money and drive somewhere to re-experience a show they’ve already seen and now want to see again on a big screen with friends and family.”

    No sure all will have seen the episodes before, but maybe most.
    Not totally surprising, GOT’s production values have been high quality from the start and now HBO has increased the budget. Except for scale , which is dictated by the TV screen, D&D have shown an unusual attention to detail, such as that show by Peter Jackson in the Tolkien movies.
    We may actually see season 5 simulcast on cable and IMAX.
    If this experiment is BOFFO Time-Warner may press for a film or films!

  12. As long as they do the stories justice I have no problem if the plans change from seven seasons to eight or nine (depending on what GRRM has in store), or if they want to end it with a movie or a prolonged last season.

    *Hope they have the decency to show the series on screen outside of the US too! At least the next time…

    =)

  13. GeekFurious,

    Dammit Geekfurious you’re usually right about these things. I remember when people doubted you by saying there would never be GOT in theaters. A couple months later, here we are seeing GOT in theaters.

  14. Unrelated but I hope to hell the reason they keep dressing Dany in gentle blues and related colours is they are saving for the shock when she goes batshit and dons red and black for the first time.

  15. Jeff O’Connor

    Welcome over Jeff! I recognize your handle.

    Lord Elmo Tully:
    I have a good feeling the final two episodes of season 7 will be the big battle between the others vs Dany. This means they will have lord of the rings scale battle scenes with fully grown Drogon going up against giant ice spiders and ice dragons. The hype is so real now.

    So do we want Peter Jackson to direct it? (if he is even interested) Personally I would rather they go in a different direction than try to be a LotR clone but if he does I hope it’s an R rated version. That would kind of suck if they watered it down to PG-13 to get more sales.

  16. My friend and I bought tickets for this Friday! I can’t wait, 4×09 is going to look so good on the IMAX screen!

  17. Kirstie:
    My friend and I bought tickets for this Friday! I can’t wait, 4×09 is going to look so good on the IMAX screen!

    I’m going Friday night with a group of friends. So stoked! Can’t wait to see that 360 shot and the wall scythe and GIANTS! and the Brienne/Hound fight! But I’m going to have a hard time holding it in when Ygritte dies.

  19. GeekFurious:
    HBO executives who’ve been pretending they have no intention of ever doing a GOT movie… will soon start hinting that it “might” be a “possibility” even though, obviously, they’ve been thinking about it since day 1.

    I don’t think they would necessarily do it as a traditional stand-alone movie, with all the necessary setup and character introduction necessary to make it comprehensible to people who hadn’t watched the show, but I could quite easily see them doing a massive 2 hour cinematic final episode and playing it in theaters, either simultaneously with an HBO TV airing, or possibly a week or two earlier.

  20. Hexonx,

    All great scenes but I’d add Grenns last stand, Tormund v Alliser and Jon v Mance v Stannis. Oh yeah, and special mention goes to Hobb and his cleaver!

  21. TheBerylfly:
    Unrelated but I hope to hell the reason they keep dressing Dany in gentle blues and related colours is they are saving for the shock when she goes batshit and dons red and black for the first time.

    That is 100% what they are doing, and I’m really glad. Colour is so important on TV, and it will have such an impact when she finally goes all out. I hope we get an image of her draped in a blood-red dress on the iron throne, even if she doesn’t stay there.

  26. Rygritte: Neil Marshall
    I agree it should be Neil Marshall directing the finale. I also think in the final season there should be ten directors doing one episode each.

  30. I’m soo there on Thursday night! First screening at 10pm!!!! Uh, to see The Wall and Castle Black on IMAX?!?!?!?!? And then Stannis and Davis ridding in like two bad asses! Plus the scythe, the giants, the mamoth…Jon burying a hammer in that baldheaded’s prick head! Wow! And the direwolves!

    As for who I’d like to direct the series finale…easy…Neil Marshall or Tim Van Patten! I like Peter Jackson, but if they decide to do a stand-alone HBO movie, heeeelllll nooooo! They can get Neil Marshall for that one too!!! I’ll not stand for some PG-13 bullshit! Which reminds me…time to watch “Centurion” again!

  31. Also congratulations to Sophie Turner for being chosen as Jean Grey by Bryan Singer for the upcoming “X-Men: Appocalypse”!

  33. The idea of concluding the series with a feature film that is shown in cinemas worldwide(!!!) sounds like a great idea. But as others have said – and this is a big “but” – only if there are absolutely no compromises on the content. So we’d be looking at “R” or even “NC-17”. In that sense, it’s good to see how popular these R-rated IMAX showings are, as this is something the HBO execs could have worried about.

  35. A movie is the smart way to go and a great business decision.

    Considering that a large portion of the fanbase that watch the series do so without an annual paid subscription, I am sure they can shell out the funds to buy a ticket to the cinema. This may be the best way HBO could actually make money from fans watching the show, apart from those who have subscriptions and buy the blu-rays/dvds.

    However, I absolutely dread going to the movies. I never enjoyed the endless previews, incessant chatter, chomping of smelly foods, outspoken self proclaimed critics, etc. Just give me my bourbon, a bowl, and my recliner.

  36. Rygar,

    Considering the popularity of old episodes in IMAX, I see no reason for HBO to decide on one or the other, they could easily keep their normal ‘on demand’ options. The cinema chains themselves may see it as a dangerous precedent though…

  38. GeekFurious,

    Absolutely. They are definitely testing the waters.
    I mentioned the possibility of this to a show watcher and they reacted with a “Well that would suck, you mean we’d have to wait to see how it ends?” I had to laugh at them. Oh sweet summer child…

  39. I just called the AMC Imax I’m going to tmw and they still haven’t received the poster shipments. :(. I’ll try calling again tmw

  40. Jeff O’Connor,

    Yeah man this site is the best ever. Every once in a while I check out WiC just to see how its going and I feel bad for the guy who took it over. They never have breaking news and even when they have a hot topic they rarely see double digits in comments. HAHA I hate them.

  41. I just found out that David Benioff co wrote the screenplay for XMen Origins: Wolverine. Has he ever answered for this crime?

  42. Tar Kidho,

    I agree, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. There was something that the Metropolitan Opera tried but it never really took off: simulcasting a live performance to movie theaters. In this case, I think it would be a great idea if there is a 9 pm EST showing of the final episode(s) in a theater along with the normal home box office at the same time.

    They could do that for the finale or maybe a whole season, offering a season pass in the movie theater. That would be great for people who don’t want to get cable plus HBO just for the one show. Of course it would end up costing $100 or more, but spread over three months.

    ETA: I don’t think movie theater chains would mind, this is a different model, it would be bringing them more business than they would have otherwise had.

  44. Oh no,now this is only going to ignite the morons who actually think HBO is going to make a movie just to give the fat tub of shit more time to write the books even though he doesn’t deserve it because he is lazy as fuck .

  45. Hopefully they show it in Imax here in Melbourne Australia after seeing the success in the U.S

    Would love to see the battle of the Wall on a Giant Movie screen, is really quite fitting

    hehe, and Brienne versus the Hound, they are both quite big but on Imax…

  46. Don’t think HBO would turn it into a cinematic movie to wrap it up (though it would be nice if it’s the difference between getting a real battle vs implied one ala Rome series), they’d have to be working with a movie studio etc for that and it would be rather complicated and then there’s actors salaries etc

    There’s movie potential in the GoT universe though, although it would have to relate to a different topic like Robert or Balons rebellion or Dance of the Dragons or Aegons conquest or something which if GRRM wants a GoT movie he can negotiate with a studio once the TV series is finished I think

    Depends what he sold the rights to, is it just the current story ala Tolkien with Hobbit and LotR but not Silmarillion or is it the entire lore?

  48. Skipjack,

    I don’t know if you recall the discussion that a few of us (including DH87 – where did he/she go?) had regarding this scenario at the end of S3 (mid-2013) on the original site, but we were wondering about that as well. I had a meeting with the local Regal theater manager around that time and asked him if he would/could consider having a GoT night on Sundays at 9pm. We basically ended the meeting with a “we’ll see” stance. He expressed concerns about licensing and cost but he also thought the interest would be there since he knew the GoT/ASoI&F community was significant. At the time, he thought that the extra cost for HBO subscribers would be a hindrance but the upcoming a la carte option that people wanted for GoT might play nicely with a “GoT night” at the theaters. No new equipment would be necessary if the theater has a solid HBO HD subscriber account, but mass-viewing licensing/charging would be the only legal hurdle, imho.

    Given where this has gone…all the way to IMAX…I think this simultaneous theater-showing idea has obtained a life of its own and may be considered in the future.

    Then again, if 100″ curved HD/LED screens with Bose soundsystems are sold for $500 in the future, the whole issue may be moot because, like the super bowl, the party is always at the neighbor’s house with the best system. 🙂

  51. Hodor’s Bastard,

    I seem to recall part of their idea was to the effect that Benioff and Weiss would turn the series over to Martin (and I guess probably apologize tearfully for being hacks) and he would then write scripts as opposed to additional novels.

  53. Patchy Face,

    Thx for the link. Think of what is going behind the scenes right now. Tons of hours doing post-prod, sequencing and integration of VFX & music. They are probably barely able to focus on anything else and are probably getting in animated discussions about every detail of 550 minutes of celluloid they oversee. Personally, I commend them for the energy they are able to dedicate to this huge effort with so many daunting distractions.

  54. Jordan,

    I get your concern, but that’s not at all related to what I was discussing earlier. Were you responding to someone else?

  55. Hodor’s Bastard,

    I was responding to you, but yeah, I see that wasn’t really part of what you were discussing. I also had in mind Geek Furious’ post.

    I do think though that while showing episodes on IMAX/movie screens is really cool, the fact that this is happening doesn’t really lend support to what DH87 and at times Martin himself seem to be pushing for- which is more in the way of finishing the series as a movie instead of a show.

    There’s a big difference between showing on the big screen episodes that have already aired and having episodes (or simply movies) shown exclusively in movie theaters, and I don’t think the fact that the first one happens means that HBO is planning on the second.

  57. Jordan,

    I guess I’m conflicted on this. I really am highly anticipating this IMAX viewing but I’m not really excited about a possible movie to end this series. I would like to “see” GRRM get the last word on ASoI&F …..(please)

  58. I wonder what kind of music they will use for the trailer. ‘Bones’ by MS MR was perfect so I hope it will be something similar.

  60. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Me too. And I think at least in Martin’s case, the suggestion is to the effect that the show would take a hiatus, giving him time to finish the books, and there would then be both a movie and novels.

    I can see why Martin suggests this, but I can’t see HBO investing in something premised on Martin finishing the books.

    Incidentally, I’m iffy on your theory on Martin having the books end differently than the show because while I’m not sure if you intended it this way, it seems like a similar kind of “anti-D&D fantasy” as DH87’s theories.

    I mean given the changes/character absences in the show, I wouldn’t expect the two to necessarily be all that similar, but the idea of Martin tricking D&D with a false ending seems like wishful thinking by a certain kind of fan.

    Edit- If by your “false plateau” (I think that’s what you call it) you mean that the contract allows Martin to provide an ending, but not The Ending, I think that is unlikely, but more likely than his tricking HBO/D&D.

  61. The Hound,

    Yeah, that song has made the rounds for several TV series. Good lyrics.

    I wonder if the trailer has gone through the DMR conversion process to IMAX as well? I bet it will be in “normal” format.

  62. Jordan:
    I mean given the changes/character absences in the show, I wouldn’t expect the two to necessarily be all that similar, but the idea of Martin tricking D&D with a false ending seems like wishful thinking by a certain kind of fan.

    Yikes! I never implied that GRRM would “trick” anyone. However, the devil is in the details, which, to paraphrase GRRM….”are created during the telling.” My reflections on the possibility of a different GoT-ASoI&F climax were related to the actual wording of the “legal” agreement of the multi-million dollar deal between GRRM and HBO. Is the agreement just related to the infamous “outline” that was discussed with D&D several years back? Or does it leave some flexibility given the author’s pacing? It would be interesting to view that legal document (but that won’t happen).

  64. Jeff O’Connor,

    Welcome home. WotW is built on what made WiC great. When Winter left WiC, it was like the coming of the footsteps of doom for the site. To their credit, the other writers were able to carry the load for awhile. I don’t know what exactly happened (fansided?), but when the writers left to form this site, they took the heart and soul of WiC with them. Reborn, like Azor Ahai, WotW is here to save us from the darkness.

  67. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Welp.

    I’m sorry. I really always thought you were getting at the idea that Martin would be telling something false in terms of presenting as an ending something that’s actually a climax. My apologies.

    You are right though that there are a lot of things that could create differences in the endings, and I’m curious about the wording as well.

    You are right that a lot of other factors could make the two endings quite different.

  69. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Yep probably, an IMAX version would cost too much money to make I think.
    I really hope the official trailer will hit Youtube very quickly because I don’t want to be spoiled 🙂

    A crappy cellphone version would ruin all the fun.

    Oh well just saw Balerion’s post. That’s insane!!!! Lucky bastards……

  70. Balerion The Cat:
    The trailer will be in IMAX too, it was said on the IMAX blog.

    So cool. Thx.

    Balerion The Cat:
    And when they finish that they also have to start mapping season 6 and begin writing scripts. Poor guys.

    Yes…that is indeed troubling. GRRM has got to be feeding D&D some raw TWoW chapters, right???

    Did you see Amanda Peet’s interview with Conan the other night? She was mentioning that Benioff’s office is filled with spoilery storyboards….Ahhhh!!! Although her support is suspect (she was there to remind him of his family duties!), I would have loved to be a piece of lint on her shoulder at that point.

  71. Excited for the IMAX showing!

    Hodor’s Bastard,

    I would LOVE to know how much latitude that multi-million dollar agreement gives to the writer! Many from all over the web (and really mean all over!) have speculated strongly that it is only the television producers that have the freedom of cutting and changing the books and that outline since they are the ones who supposedly “adapt” the concept of the remainder of ASoIaF books.

    Yet, since this has never actually happened to my knowledge (an adaptation passing the source while the source it is still being written), you’d have to wonder if there WAS included some wording to bind the author to that outline.

    Because here is the issue I have in believing that: they probably in good faith assumed Martin will write the books first. There was no need to bind him to anything really, when the first contract was struck.

    Of course Martin will probably never change entire storyarcs just so it would be different than the TV version. There is no need, it is still his universe and he went on record saying that he won’t. But no doubt his books will get some things different regardless by sheer scope and remaining characters that were left out of the TV adaptation.

  73. Tormund’s Woman,

    In the commercial s/w consulting world in which I live and thrive, the signed contract serves as a guideline for the “deliverable.” There are always clauses for timely changes/iteration, incentives for timely progress and penalties for deficiencies/untimeliness. As GRRM’s primary editor, Anne Groell, explained a few months back, GRRM had to give them X-hundred pages per year in order to be “paid” (or not be penalized) per his contract. I assume something along this mindset has been put in place with HBO given the unique circumstance that you described.

    HBO (and their legal beagles) knew his writing pace, they knew the risk of this unique adaptation situation. How do you contract with the possibility of “writer’s block” in the mix? Did they contract by book to be adapted? Did they also contract (with Random House) for books/chapters yet to be written within a certain timeframe? Is GRRM required to be a direct consultant? Who knows? We do know that GRRM’s involvement in S5 was significantly reduced. This was a contract change, probably related to an enabling clause in the original contract. Toward what purpose? (…we can only wonder) At this point, all those clauses are probably being tested. It is indeed a “living” contract. 🙂

    Btw….my favorite recent relevant link.

  77. Greenjones,

    Hah! I wonder…

    To me, GRRM’s “official” twitter is nothing more than an echo of his “Not a Blog” topics, so I never pay it any mind. I WISH it was more interesting….(or as interesting as the various “homage” twitters out there)

  79. Hodor’s Bastard,

    LOL HB! Everyone by knows by about the infamous 168 pages Martin had to turn in to be paid for TWoW. I believe it was more a matter of signing the contract on the basis of something (in this case 168 pages), than being actually paid, though I may be wrong about that. I did read a bit about this type of writing for “future books to be delivered” though not for them to be at the same time adapted to another medium. Which is why I was curious. Thanks for the info you’ve provided from your experience!

    As for them knowing his pace, but I am not entirely sure you are right about that. The pitch for HBO was in 2006 hot on the heels of AFfC being released in 2005. While that actually took 5 year to deliver at the time it was considered a fluke. The first three came at a reasonable pace after all. They signed the contract in 2007 Jan if I recall correctly. At that time Finish the Book current was barely starting, no? So honestly, I don’t think they knew. Which is why I am even more curious about the blasted contract!

    Sorry to the rest of the posters about the off topic btw.

  80. BTW folks, remember those photos from outside of the HOBAW exterior set that WOTW had an article about a while back? On gameofthronesfan.org you can zoom in on them quite a bit closer and it turns out the “mysterious hooded figure” we were speculating on back then is a black actress wearing sunglasses (not for the scene obviously but between shooting).

    My guess is that, although they were looking for an East Asian actress for the Waif, they cast a black girl instead (just like they wanted an Indian actress of Nym and went a different route ethnically).

  81. Greenjones,

    Not sure about Ms. Groell but I caught @Westeros RT-ing that fake account when Associated Press posted a tweet about TWoIaF I think. I thought it was hilarious. Everyone knows Mr. & Mrs. Elio know the correct account.

  82. Tormund’s Woman:
    They signed the contract in 2007 Jan if I recall correctly. At that time Finish the Book current was barely starting, no? So honestly, I don’t think they knew. Which is why I am even more curious about the blasted contract!

    Given the incredible money that HBO is making on this deal and the current conflict (book progress vs show), I wonder if the original “2007” contract looks anything like the current contract and its clauses.

    Oh well, I must deliver my s/w before I am in violation of my contract. 🙂

  84. Jeff O’Connor,

    You lot are all just jealous of the brilliance of WiC these days. The last two articles there had 4 comments each. That is mightily impressive, because it shows that there are four people that care about the site, and didn’t just arrive expecting the old WiC. I think that figure should be applauded, and they might even regularly make 6 by the time the season premiere arrives if they keep up the fantastic work.

    Envy really is a terrible thing. Facts speak for themselves.

  85. My heart is not ready for the trailer 🙁 I want to see it but I don’t want to at the same time ahhh I hope it doesnt get leaked tomorrow … So many feelings 🙁

  89. Balerion The Cat,

    Mapping for season 6 is probably finished or almost, scripts have to be in by April so editing can be made for continuities sake. I am pretty sure scripts are complete by June, well scripts are never complete, as they edit even while filming is ongoing. Anyways GoT is an all year effort for D&D, post production will continue into May for the final episodes of the current season, and while that is ongoing, they must begin pre-production for the next season. There are very few casting decisions for season 6, if Iron is out, unless D&D know of new characters from Winds, which if cast would be very spoilery. I can see a very tight lid on filming for the next season, since fans will be in uncharted territory, unless Winds is published beforehand.

  90. tyjon,
    Yeah, they should have the major plot points for S6 finished by now. I wonder how many chapters or outlines GRRM was able to give them.

    Buckle up, everybody, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

  91. Lady Nym:
    My heart is not ready for the trailer I want to see it but I don’t want to at the same time ahhh I hope it doesnt get leaked tomorrow … So many feelings

    I only have to wait until Friday night. If it leaks tomorrow I won’t watch but I hope it does leak for those that can’t go.

  92. This is surreal. Finally gotten over that my favourite series over 10 years ago is now a wildly popular show, and now it’s on IMAX and smashing expectations!

  93. Maelina,

    Hmm. Maisie’s is particularly interesting. She seems to be talking about Arya being very different, or at least having to play her in a very different way.

    At first, I assumed this meant that Arya was going to start being very vengeful and darker… but then I thought about it for a second. Benioff&Weiss seem to be making her more of a vengeful type, and less like a pyschopath like her book counterpart… and if it was just more of Arya getting darker, would that have been such a challenge for Maisie? Becuase Arya has been dark and killing for two seasons now.

    the only conclusion I can come to (and hoping I’m right) is that D&D are accelerating Arya’s homesick feelings, and maybe having her become very sad and emotional this season? Maybe that’s way far off and a horrible guess, but Arya getting really emotional is the only thing I can think off that we haven’t seen much of from Arya so far, and something that could definitely pose a new challenge for Maisie.

  94. brandone jackson,

    You could be right. I think maybe Arya might be a bit happier this season and that’s why Maisie found it so different from the previous seasons. In the books at least Arya is really enjoying her training at the HoBaW, especially when she becomes Cat of the Canals. Or it could be that Maisie was so nervous just because of the huge change in the setting, going from wandering in Westerosi countryside for like 3 seasons to Braavos is a pretty significant shift.

  97. Maelina,

    Hey look at that! From Maisie’s Reddit AMA today!

    “There’s actually a scene in the coming season… which was my most difficult scene to film. And I think fans are going to be really excited about it. More emotional than we’ve seen Arya in previous seasons.”

    This makes me beyond excited for her storyline this season. Looks like Arya will definitely not be losing her Stark identity, and maybe points to Arya becoming homesick and ditching the FM in TWOW? Either way, Arya’s storyline should be great.

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