Warner Bros says it will release RobertZemeckis' The Polar Express inconventional cinemas and Imax 3D format day-and-date on Nov. 19 in NorthAmerica and in some international territories. It's the first majorHollywood release in the 3D format.

Warner Bros would not confirm whichterritories it is considering. The company is the exclusive distributor of theChristmas-themed film to Imax cinemas worldwide.

The CGI stop-motion feature, which re-teamsZemeckis and his Cast Away star Tom Hanks, is ablend of animation and live-action and is based on Chris Van Allsburg'sprize-winning children's Christmas story about a young boy'sextraordinary experience on a train journey to the North Pole. In a statement,Zemeckis said the Imax 3D adds "incredible depth" to the viewingexperience.

The film will be the fourth Warner Brospicture to be released in Imax cinemas day-and-date with a conventional releasesince 2003. The first picture was the third installment of The Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions; thesecond will be the upcoming Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, which goes on release June 4, with the Halle Berry-starring Catwomanfollowing in July.