Boys & Girls Clubs of America Partners with IMAX and Regal Cinemas to Host Marvel Studios® Advanced Screenings of Black Panther in Select Markets
Press Release
ATLANTA, GA – Feb.13, 2018 – Boys & Girls Clubs of America today announced plans to partner with IMAX Corporation and Regal Cinemas to host advanced screenings of Marvel Studios’® Black Panther. On Thursday, Feb. 15 more than 1,300 Club kids and teens in Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Long Beach, CA, and New Rochelle, NY, will receive the blue carpet treatment courtesy of IMAX and Regal Cinemas. In addition to these screenings, IMAX has partnered with entertainment icon Snoop Dogg and Cashmere Agency to host a finale screening event for nearly 300 additional Los Angeles area youth. Children from Boys & Girls Clubs and Snoop’s Youth Football League have been invited to screen the film in IMAX’s private screening rooms at their Los Angeles offices February 18.
The screenings are a result of the #BlackPantherChallenge, a viral GoFundMe campaign launched by Frederick Joseph to send 1,000 youth from Boys & Girls Clubs of Harlem to watch the Black Panther movie. The campaign began with a goal of raising $10,000 to cover transportation costs, concessions and movie tickets. It has now raised more than $40,000, and sparked hundreds of individuals across the nation to launch similar fundraisers. To encourage celebrity support of the campaign, Joseph nominated Snoop Dogg to accept the challenge and Snoop immediately pledged his support.
Joseph’s campaign inspired IMAX and Regal Cinemas to take the challenge to the next level, by launching multi-city, private screenings of Black Panther for Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S. Celebrities and influencers have been invited to the screenings as a show of support for the #blackpantherchallenge and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. IMAX and Regal are providing concessions and movie tickets for all screenings.
These special screenings in IMAX will allow Boys & Girls Club members to experience more of the action of Black Panther than in any other format. The IMAX presentation of Black Panther contains an hour of footage specially formatted in IMAX. Select scenes will be presented in an expanded IMAX 1.9:1 aspect ratio to fill more of the screen – allowing audiences to see an impressive 26% more image exclusively in IMAX!
To join the conversation, search #blackpanthertotheMAX on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Black Panther
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to the African nation of Wakanda to take his rightful place as king. When a powerful enemy suddenly reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king — and as Black Panther — gets tested when he’s drawn into a conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people.
Snoop Youth Football League
Founded in 2005, The Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded to provide the opportunity for inner-city children to participate in youth football and cheer. The SYFL serves children between the ages of five and thirteen, teaching them the values of teamwork, good sportsmanship, discipline, and self-respect, while also stressing the importance of academics.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 150 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 54 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at Facebook and Twitter.
Media Contacts
Ashley Keyes
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
404-487-5466
akeyes@BGCA.org
Ann Sommerlath
IMAX
212-821-0155
asommerlath@imax.com
Richard Grover
Regal Cinemas
865-925-9539
richard.grover@regalcinemas.com
