Next Action/Adventure From the Makers of The Matrix Trilogy To Be
Digitally Enhanced For IMAX’s Larger-Than-Life Format

LOS ANGELES, CA, March 4, 2008 — IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures announced today that Speed Racer, the action-packed adventure from the creators of ‘The Matrix’ trilogy, will be simultaneously released to IMAX® and conventional theatres on May 9, 2008. Speed Racer, based on the hit anime series created by Tatsuo Yoshida, is written and directed by The Wachowski Brothers. The film will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to IMAX theatres worldwide.

“Speed Racer combines riveting action with stunning special effects, making it an ideal choice for IMAX’s format,” said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. “We are delighted to release the film to IMAX theatres, where audiences can experience the next best thing to actually sitting in the driver’s seat during this high speed adventure.”

“Speed Racer is a fantastic addition to our 2008 film slate, and we are very pleased to welcome The Wachowski Brothers back to the world of IMAX,” said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. “The unique vision of these talented filmmakers has always been well suited to IMAX’s format, and we’re more than excited to be a part of this release.”

“Speed Racer has all the elements for a powerful IMAX experience, with its broad appeal and spectacular effects,” said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. “We are excited to be exhibiting the film internationally in this unique format.”

“Audiences will experience an incredible thrill ride when they see Speed Racer in IMAX theatres this May,” added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. “Warner Bros Pictures, The Wachowski Brothers and Joel Silver are masters at telling stories specifically for the big IMAX screen, and with up to 14,000 watts of digital surround sound combined with crystal-clear, larger than life images, this movie and IMAX are made for each other.”

Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized-the legendary Rex Racer - whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill. Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer, the designer of Speed’s thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company’s maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret-some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won’t drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line. The only way for Speed to save his family’s business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie, Speed teams with his one-time rival-the mysterious Racer X - to win the race that had taken his brother’s life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

They may play Secret Service agents in new thriller Vantage Point, but in real life, neither Dennis Quaid nor Matthew Fox wish to wear the badge.

“Most of the time, you’re just sitting in a hallway making sure someone doesn’t come down it. It’s not really interesting work, but in the movies, it’s great to be a Secret Service agent,” Dennis told reporters at the film’s New York premiere.

Matthew added: “It’s amazing and admirable that someone would give their life for someone else’s in a job and in a professional manner. I could never do this for real. I’d only take a bullet for my family.”

The Lost star revealed he didn’t have much time to prepare for the role, as he began filming Vantage Point only a day after wrapping up another project.

“Dennis did some preparation earlier, but I was working on another film and there was a 24-hour turnaround between both films, so I got thrown into the midst of it,” he admitted.

“We had consultants on the film at all times, so we could ask questions, and to make sure we got the logistics and the outward appearance of these guys.”

Matthew added: “And then, Dennis and I had to work quite a bit on finding a history between these two guys, which was cool.”

Vantage Point tells the story of an assassination of a president, from various perspectives. It’s released in the UK on March 7.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The political thriller ‘Vantage Point’ secured the top spot at the weekend box office, earning an estimated $24 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The previous No. 1 movie, 20th Century Fox’s ‘Jumper,’ dropped to second with $12.7 million, raising its domestic total to $56.2 million in two weeks. Paramount’s family fantasy ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ was a close third with $12.6 million. Disney’s dance saga ‘Step Up 2 The Streets’ and Warner Bros.’ romantic comedy ‘Fool’s Gold’ rounded out the top five.

‘Vantage Point,’ a Sony (NYSE:SNE) Pictures action-drama about a presidential assassination seen from the viewpoints of different characters, included a star-studded ensemble cast that featured Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox as Secret Service agents.

‘Audiences really love it when they get a summer-style popcorn movie at a time of the year when they don’t expect it,’ said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Media By Numbers.

The studio said ‘Vantage Point’ appealed to a broad audience — 52 percent of moviegoers were male and half were under age 30.

‘It’s fresh with lots of twists and turns. Audiences become very invested in it,’ said Rory Bruer, Sony president of distribution.

The only other new release to crack the top 10 was the Jack Black comedy ‘Be Kind Rewind,’ which took in $4.1 million and was tied at No. 7 with ‘Juno.’ The Fox Searchlight pregnancy comedy has rung up $130 million since opening 12 weeks ago.

Paramount Vantage’s oil saga ‘There Will Be Blood’ moved up two slots to No. 10 with $2.6 million for a total of $35 million in nine weeks.

The weekend’s other two debuts, Lionsgate’s (NYSE:LGF) ‘Witless Protection’ and MGM’s ‘Charlie Bartlett,’ came in at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively.

Box office revenues were down for the second straight week. The top 12 movies grossed $90 million, down 23 percent from last weekend and 10 percent from the same weekend in 2007.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. ‘Vantage Point,’ $24 million.

2. ‘Jumper,’ $12.7 million.

3. ‘Spiderwick Chronicles,’ $12.6 million.

4. ‘Step Up 2 the Streets,’ $9.8 million.

5. ‘Fool’s Gold,’ $6.3 million.

6. ‘Definitely, Maybe,’ $5.2 million.

7. ‘Juno,’ $4.1 million.

7. ‘Be Kind Rewind,’ $4.1 million.

9. ‘Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins,’ $4 million.

10. ‘There Will Be Blood,’ $2.6 million.

According to Box Office MoJo Vantage Point is in the lead to be the top grossing movie this weekend.

I just got back from seeing it and really, really enjoyed it.

“Lost” fans finally got new glimpses of their fearless (and, apparently, utterly bonkers at some future date) leader, Jack Shephard, when the brain-teasing hit show began its fourth season at the end of January.

And in his new movie, “Vantage Point,” Fox’s Secret Service agent Kent Taylor can be seen trying to save an American president from a Spanish assassination plot again and again and again. The movie depicts the same shooting from eight different perspectives, revealing more information each time it rewinds.

Fox was raised on an isolated Wyoming ranch and loves living in Hawaii with his wife of 17 years and their two children, out of focal length from most paparazzi lenses. And though the 41-year-old actor isn’t one to seek attention, he doesn’t mind if his current ubiquity pleases many adoring fans.

Now, if we could only figure out what his characters are up to.

Let’s talk about your character in “Vantage Point.” Oh wait, we can’t.

It’s kinda tricky; I’m not used to that. We really wanted to find ways of foreshadowing stuff that audiences wouldn’t necessarily see the first time around, but after the realization they would go, “Oh. Yeah.” So we were playing with levels of it and trying to make something that was nuanced.

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Head over to Fox4News to watch FOX 4 Film Critic Shawn Edwards chat with Matthew.

Having been a father for 10 years, one might assume Matthew Fox would have some great words of wisdom for father-to-be and his We Are Marshall co-star Matthew McConaughey, but he begs to differ.

“That’s a tough one,” Matthew tells OK! at the Vantage Point premiere. “Being a father is an individual experience and I wouldn’t really feel qualified to give anyone advice other than just trying to do the very, very best job you possibly can.”
Matthew and his wife Margherita Ronchi have two children together, daughter Kyle, 10 and son Byron, 7. Unlike some other celebrity clans, the family is rarely snapped together — a benefit of living in Hawaii, where the 41-year-old actor has been calling home since Lost started in 2004.
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