AEON Entertainment and IMAX Corporation announced an agreement for seven new, state-of-the-art IMAX® with Laser systems across Japan this year. Under the deal, all seven systems are scheduled to be installed in existing multiplexes by summer 2023 in areas largely untapped by IMAX — advancing the Company's commitment to offer The IMAX Experience® throughout this thriving market. The new expansion follows on the heels of an agreement AEON and IMAX announced at CinemaCon in April 2022 for two new locations outside Tokyo and Osaka.

The agreement comes at a time when IMAX is driving remarkable growth across its Japanese network, box office, and local filmmaking partnerships. IMAX has nearly tripled its network in Japan over the last decade, from just 16 locations in 2012 to 41 today. Japan was IMAX's third highest grossing global market in 2022 with more than $73 million in box office and home to six of the Company's top 15 highest grossing locations.

Furthermore, 31 IMAX locations generated box office of more than $1 million in 2022 — a figure second only to the United States. The new locations will be equipped with IMAX with Laser technology, IMAX's most advanced theatre experience. Immersive by design, IMAX with Laser has been developed from the ground-up to deliver crystal clear, lifelike images and precision audio for a moviegoing experience unlike anything else.

It is set apart by a groundbreaking 4k laser projection system that features a new optical engine, custom designed lenses, and a suite of proprietary technology that delivers brighter images with increased resolution, deeper contrast, and the widest range of colors exclusively to IMAX systems. IMAX's momentum in Japan has been driven by a potent combination of Hollywood blockbusters and its successful local language strategy. Most recently, IMAX has generated 20% of total Japanese box office with "Avatar: The Way of Water" on only a fraction of total screens. "Top Gun: Maverick" generated box office of $18 million on IMAX screens in Japan and is the second highest grossing IMAX title ever in Japan.