Pirates 3 tops Spider-Man 3 as widest digital release

My friends and colleagues at Deluxe were as always too modest to shout that the digital cinema release of 'Spider-Man 3' was the largest ever, hitting over a thousand digital screens across the world. That record was, however, short lived, as 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' looks set to go even larger. This from a press release from an article in the Hollywood Reporter:

"At World's End" will be the first feature to be released on more than 1,000 digital cinema screens domestically and will be the first movie to bow on more than 400 screens internationally, Buena Vista Pictures domestic distribution president Chuck Viane said.

As of Monday, "Pirates" was set to open on 1,064 digital cinema screens domestically and an additional 410 internationally. Viane said the number could rise before this weekend's release.

"It went up 20-something (screens) in the last few hours," he said.

There are 3,229 domestic digital screens. Precise international figures weren't immediately available, but the pace of digital installations in the U.S. and abroad has quickened dramatically during the past 18 months amid major rollout financing.

What with 'Spider-Man 3' still playing in plenty of screens and 'Shrek 3' also occupying its fair share, this record is all the more impressive.