'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Movie Release Date News: Premiering On 75 IMAX Screens In U.S.

For IMAX, it's never too late to join the "Fifty Shades of Grey" craze.

Just a few days before the Valentine's Day release of the much-awaited erotic drama, IMAX committed to feature "Fifty Shades of Grey" on 75 of its large-screen locations across the U.S. this coming weekend.

Greg Foster, chief operating officer of IMAX Entertainment, made the announcement during the Stifel Technology, Internet and Media Conference in San Francisco, California, on Monday.

"This morning, we decided to pick up 75 runs of Fifty Shades of Grey. We're doing it literally at the last moment. We'll be part of it and get some of the walk-up business," Foster announced, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Foster said IMAX's last-minute coming onboard reflects the giant screen exhibitor's effort to expand its offerings beyond franchise tentpoles, or movies expected by their film companies to turn a profit in a short period of time.

IMAX Entertainment is actively trying to show different types of movies and media on its large screens, making "Fifty Shades of Grey" stand out from its typical fares like comic book movies and action films from Marvel.

Foster said IMAX plans to change its tune regarding family-oriented films, adding that the company missed out on potentially lucrative opportunities like "Frozen" and "The Lego Movie," the Wrap reported.

Earlier, IMAX showed "American Sniper" and two episodes from the fourth season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" with upcoming releases that include week-long runs for the Will Smith movie "Focus" and Hugh Jackman's sci-fi tale "Chappie."

"We should be able to experiment and take chances and see what works and what doesn't," Foster added, according to Hollywood Reporter.

Universal-Focus' "Fifty Shades of Grey" has been strong in early tracking, with projections for as much as $60 million for its Friday-Monday launch, the Variety reported.

The R-rated film appears to be heading toward significant profitability given the $40 million price tag for the adaptation of E.L. James' sex-saturated bestseller.

Online ticketing site Fandango, which is owned by studio parent NBC Universal, reported last week that "Fifty Shades of Grey" is becoming the fastest-selling R-rated title in the site's 15-year history.

The highly anticipated big-screen version of EL James' best-selling erotic novel will hit theaters on Feb. 13. Other show times start at 8 p.m. on Feb. 12.