‘Prometheus’ Already Setting Records In The U.K.

We might end up remember 2012 as the year all of our box-office records were shattered. ‘The Hunger Games’ knocked out a few key records on March. ‘The Avengers’ appears ready to test a few worldwide records. And overseas, though we’re still weeks away from its opening, Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ just set a new record for IMAX ticket sales.

The director’s return to sci-fi, which also serves as a prequel to ‘Alien,’ booked nearly $480,000 in gross pre-sale tickets for the BFI IMAX Theater in London, giving it the highest grossing week ever according to THR. The trades adds that the IMAX theater “also reported its highest grossing first day of pre-sales ever, taking £137,000 ($221,717),” which puts ‘Prometheus’ ahead of such box-office heavies as ‘Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows Part 2,’ James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ and ‘The Dark Knight.’

What does this mean? I’m honestly not sure. While I agree that the ‘Prometheus’ marketing materials make it look like an epic, sci-fi summer blockbuster, I’m legitimately surprised at the outpouring of support the film is finding overseas. I think it’s great. Don’t get me wrong. And I guess if you are going to get lost in Scott’s celestial world, IMAX is the way to go. But still, this record surprises me.

Now we just wait to see if ‘Prometheus’ lives up to the advance buzz. UK audiences who are snatching up these advanced IMAX tickets will be able to see the movie at midnight on May 31. We’ll have to wait until June 8. It can’t get here soon enough.