IMAX And China's WASU Group Announce Content Delivery Agreement For IMAX-TCL Premium Home Theatre

BEIJING, April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings Ltd. today announced a joint-venture partnership with Wasu Digital TV Media Group (WASU) as part of their IMAX TCL home theatre initiative. As one of China's largest digital content providers and one of five operators approved by the state to deliver multimedia content to the home, WASU will license and distribute IMAX-enhanced Hollywood and Chinese current theatrical and other content to the IMAX-TCL premium home theatre system.

The deal builds on the 2013 joint venture agreement between IMAX and TCL to design, develop and manufacture a premium, fully integrated home theatre system that is expected to launch in China and select other global markets in 2015. Today's agreement is a significant milestone in the IMAX-TCL initiative that will enable the delivery of a wide array of premium, wholly differentiated IMAX content in the home.

"Following our joint venture with TCL and our investment in Prima Cinemas' secure content transmission technology, today's content alliance marks the next logical step in the development of our premium home theatre offering in China," said IMAX CEO Richard L. Gelfond. "As a pioneer in digital content transmission and the navigation of the regulatory environment in China with extensive experience and knowledge of the local business landscape, WASU is the ideal content distribution and operation partner and enables a complete end-to-end premium home theatre experience for consumers in China."

"As TCL is transforming itself towards becoming a customer-centered entertainment technology provider, we are committed to bringing world-class movie experiences to households by working with IMAX and the Hollywood studios," said Tomson Dongsheng Li, Chairman and CEO of TCL Corp. "The addition of our long-time partner WASU to this venture will provide us valuable distribution resources and market channels as well as access to high-quality local content."

"With the world's largest Internet population, entertainment consumption in China is undergoing a dramatic transformation.  We are committed to supporting innovations that reflect the new digital media realities that are currently underway," commented Qiang Cao, chairman of WASU Digital TV Media Group. "The merging of TCL Multimedia and IMAX's ground-breaking entertainment technology in a home theatre environment is a powerful collaboration.  We are proud to be a part of this offering which we believe will set a new standard of excellence in China's premium home theatre market."

"Today's agreement, along with the recent investment in our China business by CMC Capital Partners and FountainVest Partners, is consistent with our long-term strategy in the country," concluded Gelfond. "We are committed to aligning ourselves with strategic Chinese partners to better address consumer and market needs in order to strengthen our business interests in China and those of our shareholders."

About TCL Corporation
Founded in 1981, TCL Corporation (000100.SZ) is one of the largest consumer electronics enterprises in China, with over 70,000 employees in 40 countries throughout the world. Currently it has three listed subsidiaries: TCL Multimedia (01070.HK), TCL Communication (02618. HK), and Tonly Electronics (01249.HK), with a diverse business portfolio covering LCD TVs, LCD panels, mobile phones, audio and video equipment, home appliances and lighting products. In 2013, TCL's total sales reached RMB85.32 billion, and the TCL brand value exceeded RMB63.9 billion. TCL is ranked No. 3 in market share of LCD TVs, No. 5 in mobile phones, and No. 5 in LCD panels sector, on global basis. Starting from 2014, TCL is focusing its goal of building new customer-centered "product + service" business model, while pushing its transformation towards "smart + Internet technologies." TCL is committed to its new vision of "enriching lives of its customers by rendering products and services of ultimate experience."  For more information, please visit its website:  http://www.tcl.com/en.php

About WASU Digital TV Media Group
WASU Digital TV Media Group is one of the top three operators in China to hold licenses to deliver content on several media platforms including IPTV, 3G mobile TV and Internet TV. WASU is recognized by the industry as the first full service network operator in China with 20 million cable subscribers. WASU's new network businesses include Cable TV, broadband, IPTV, WiFi and Mobile TV.  As a new media operator, WASU's IPTV services currently reach 12 million users in over 120 cities in 28 provinces in China. It is also China's largest operator and digital content provider for 3G mobile TV and Internet TV.

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.

IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing.  As of Dec. 31, 2013, there were 837 IMAX theatres (701 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 117 institutions) in 57 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, The IMAX Experience®, IMAX Is Believing® and IMAX nXos® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

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SOURCE IMAX Corporation