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Toronto, On -- Cineplex Media, the premiere name in Canadian cinema marketing, hosted its first Upfront presentation Wednesday; the event took place at the Scotiabank Theatre in downtown Toronto with agencies and clients in attendance.

"Cinema has always been a unique and powerful medium that allows advertisers to stand out and reach consumers" said Salah Bachir, President, Cineplex Media. "Our Upfront presentation combined with the incredible lineup of movies for 2013 and beyond, proves that the movie advertising is stronger than ever. The multi-platform media options, available from Cineplex Media, offer advertisers strategically integrated contact points to effectively deliver their messaging to busy and otherwise distracted consumers"

Attendees were treated to a candid interview with legendary Canadian director Norman Jewison (In the Heat of the Night, Moonstruck) who was on hand to discuss cinema and his formidable career. At the conclusion of the interview Mr. Bachir announced that in honour of Norman Jewison's outstanding work and contributions, Cineplex Entertainment would be naming an auditorium at the Cineplex Odeon Varsity Cinemas in his honour.

Lori Legault, Senior Vice President, Sales, revealed that cinema is often considered the best way to showcase advertising as each movie is a special event often compared to the Superbowl or The Oscars, but on a daily basis. In fact the emotional engagement of cinema out reaches those once a year spectacles. "Adding cinema to your existing mass reach plans," says Lori Legault, "will deliver the heart of your consumer, something only cinema advertising can do".

Ellis Jacob, President and CEO, Cineplex Entertainment, was on hand to discuss the technological innovations that will continue to put the theatre chain at the forefront of the industry, including developments in 3D, UltraAVX, IMAX, VIP Cinemas and D-Box. He also revealed details about recently acquired theatres in Montreal, Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, and two locations in Vancouver.
Cineplex Media had a strong 2012, welcoming more than 100 million moviegoers. Cinema in Canada delivers some of the most coveted demographics; 74% of P12-24 and 69% of A18-34 (PMB Spring 2013).

Chris, the 5 year-old screenwriter cited by The Onion as the screenwriter for Fast Five, claimed in a 2011 interview that the Fast & Furious franchise had enough material for 600 sequels. The satirical clip might be on to something after Fast & Furious 6 opened at the U.K. box office last week with $13.2 million ahead of this weekend's global day-and-date expansion.

The Fast & Furious franchise is a perfect example of how today's blockbuster films are developed with global box office numbers in mind. The original cast was reunited in 2009 with Fast and Furious after an international spin-off, 2006's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, failed to gain any significant traction. With the pieces in place and renewed popular interest, Universal set out to retool the franchise -molding it into a global heist thriller; the obnoxious, loud patrimony derived from the comparatively compact and effete legacy of The Italian Job (1969).

The focus of the films went from the niche world of street racing to the more accessible heist thrillers that can pull in a wider audience by including action sequences and higher narrative stakes. The franchise embraced the globetrotting exoticism that adorns James Bond films by setting the fifth entry in Brazil, with a vibrant soundtrack and marketing campaign to match the allure of Rio de Janeiro. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson joined the cast to add global box office clout to the film's star power. 

The previous entry in the franchise grossed a series-best $628 million globally, including an eye-opening $418.7 million take. Fast & Furious 6 has the potential to be one of the summer's biggest hits and has its sights set on a $500 million overseas cume. Whether or not it gets there will largely depend on the film's staying power. A market-leading opening weekend is all but assured, but the film will have to retain viewers through the coming weeks if it wants to meet the lofty expectations set by Fast Five.

The trailer for Fast & Furious 6 features exotic locales, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, a globe-trotting storyline, Vin Diesel saying "That's the deal: take it or leave it," explosions, men with big muscles wearing tight and/or sleeveless shirts, car chases, attractive women in short skirts, a tank, Ludacris, more car chases, Michelle Rodriguez asking if you believe in ghosts, and a car chasing an exploding airplane.

Fast & Furious 6 will open in North America and over 50 overseas markets throughout the weekend. The biggest performers out of the gate promise to be Russia, Brazil, and Mexico. Key markets like Australia, China, and South Korea are coming up later this summer. 

Can 'Epic' Replicate the Success of 'The Croods?'

Epic expands beyond Latin America with a $19.9 million head start. The animated film will hit theaters across Europe and the Middle East this weekend, including key markets like France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Epic will become the first animated film to hit screens in the last two months for most territories, hoping to catch some of the windfall from the The Croods' $376 million overseas run.

Poor Reviews Won't Stop 'The Hangover Part III' in Australia and the U.K.  

The Hangover Part III is opening in a handful of English-speaking territories this weekend, coinciding with the film's North American release. The Hangover Part III is the third (and reportedly final) entry/rehash in the trilogy about a group of grown men who wake up with headaches before going off on zany adventures that usually involve a zoo animal. Bad reviews have dampened some of the film's buzz heading into the weekend, a factor complicated by the previous entry's similarly poor critical reception. The Hangover Part III should be the frontrunner for the top spot in Australia and the U.K., benefiting from markets with few new comedies in release.

Follow Daniel Loria and BoxOffice on Twitter for more news on the global box office.

Los Angeles, CA -- Volfoni is pleased to announce its first official participation in ShowCanada, the conference for Canadian cinema exhibitors, held in St. John's, Newfoundland, May 28th-30th.

Attendees will find Volfoni's high quality passive 3D glasses in their goody bags, and will be able to learn more about Volfoni's variety of 3D cinema products.

SmartCrystal Cinema is the perfect passive 3D system for all exhibitors interested in a simple, digital 3D solution. The system's high quality 3D is approved by the major Hollywood studios, and requires no contracts or licenses.

SmartCrystal Cinema is available in two models. SCC-V, the portable vertical version on wheels. And the new SCC-H, the highly modular horizontal version, ideal for boothless solutions. This European-designed and manufactured system has already been installed in hundreds of locations, in over 20 different countries around the world. In the U.S., Volfoni recently became the preferred 3D provider for Regency Theatres and ShowBiz Cinemas.

"Canada is a very important neighbor, and partner," noted Matt Garelik, VP Business Development of Volfoni U.S. "For the long-term, we believe our system will be chosen over other systems for its quality, simplicity, and unbeatable price."

Friday Update: Warner Bros. reports that The Hangover Part III took in $11.8 million on Thursday. That's down quite a bit--nearly 63%--from the $31.6 million that Hangover Part II managed on Thursday, May 26--its first full day of release.   

Thursday Update: Warner Bros. reports that The Hangover Part III took in $3.1 million from Wednesday evening/Thursday midnight shows. That's a far cry from the $10.4 million that The Hangover Part II managed in 2011. 

It seems that poor word of mouth is hurting the film already. Part III currently has an anemic 27% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com. That rating could keep many potential customers away. 

It's not time to give up hope just yet. Part II was also plagued by bad reviews and it still managed a $581.5 million global haul.