- North American Sales Nearing 1 Million -

SPIDER-MAN(TM) 3, The High-Definition SPIDER-MAN(TM) Trilogy and Steven

Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind debut Q4

    BERLIN, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- IFA -- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
 (SPHE) today announced that the company's Blu-ray Disc(TM) sales across
 Europe have reached 250,000 while sales in North America are nearing the
 one million mark approaching the fourth quarter with the Blu-ray launch of
 the highly anticipated blockbuster SPIDER-MAN 3 and Steven Spielberg's
 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.
     These benchmarks follow last week's announcement that sales of the
 high-definition format in six emerging markets including Hong Kong,
 Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now
 account for 10 percent of SPHE's total business in the growing regions.
     Said David Bishop, President, Worldwide, Sony Pictures Home
 Entertainment: "These sales milestones across the world illuminate the
 positive reception from retailers and consumers alike for Blu-ray. Our
 strong fourth quarter line-up will underscore the confidence in this
 format."
     Since the European launch of the PS3 in March, weekly sales of Blu-ray
 Disc(TM) titles have averaged between two- and five-times the amount of HD
 DVD sales week over week.**
     Blu-ray(TM) High-Def software now accounts for 69% of the total
 high-definition market in Europe, with SPHE titles making up more than 47%
 of the total European Blu-ray market. SPHE also holds the #1 best selling
 high-definition title in Europe -- Casino Royale.
     Simon McDowell, Senior Vice President, Europe, Sony Pictures Home
 Entertainment added: "With the breadth of titles already available on
 Blu-ray, the format is out-selling HD-DVD by more than 2:1 in Europe. Going
 into Q4, SPHE has a strong slate on deck and support from retailers, which
 should further propel momentum for Blu-ray."
     As part of the company's fourth quarter Blu-ray Disc(TM) line-up,
 Spider-Man will be making his way to Blu-ray with the much anticipated
 release of Spider-Man 3(TM) in Europe from 15 October*. Spider-Man and
 Spider-Man 2 will also be exclusively available for the first time on
 Blu-ray(TM) High-Def in the Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy Set.
     Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed classic, Close Encounters of
 the Third Kind will be released in Europe on Blu-ray Disc(TM) from 12
 November. All three versions of the film are included on one 50GB disc
 through seamless branching.
     SPHE was the first studio to release Blu-ray titles in Europe and SPHE
 has released a broad selection of Blu-ray Disc titles since the format's
 initial launch including Casino Royale and Black Hawk Down. To date SPHE
 has released more than 40 Blu-ray(TM) High-Def titles across Europe, with
 more than 30 titles scheduled for release between now and Christmas in
 Europe.
     Blu-ray Disc(TM) titles for Q4 include:
     SPIDER-MAN 3 & SPIDER-MAN HIGH DEFINITION TRILOGY - from 3 September
     The Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy is a three-pack release of all
 three films on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def allowing fans an exclusive opportunity
 to collect both Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 in high definition, along with
 Spider-Man 3 and the branching elements from Spider-Man 2.1 extended cut.
 Spider-Man 3 will also be available as a stand-alone two-disc release on
 Blu-ray(TM) High-Def, with the feature presented on a 50GB dual-layer disc
 and more than six hours of all-new bonus materials, including a trio of
 featurettes spotlighting the cinematic creation of the web crawler's
 greatest nemeses, on a second 25GB disc. Directed by Sam Raimi and starring
 Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, and Topher
 Grace, Spider-Man 3 smashed box office records and grossed more than $885
 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
     CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND: 30th ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE EDITION -
 from 12 November
     Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg's critically
 acclaimed classic, will be released on Blu-ray Disc(TM) from 12 November.
 Celebrating the 30th anniversary of this motion picture, the set
 incorporates all three versions of the film, including the first-ever home
 video release of the 1977 Original Theatrical edition, as well as the
 re-edited 1980 theatrical Special Edition and Spielberg's definitive
 Director's Cut (released in 1998 as the Collector's Edition). This marks
 the first classic Spielberg film ever to be released on a pre-recorded high
 definition disc format.
     The stunning high definition presentation of Close Encounters of the
 Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition contains all three cinematic
 versions on just one 50 GB Blu-ray Disc(TM), with bonus material included
 on a second disc. All three versions are included on one disc through a
 process known as "seamless branching," made possible with the added
 interactivity of Blu-ray's software and the robust processing power of the
 players. This process identifies the differences between each version of
 the film and segments the footage accordingly. These segments are then
 encoded and assembled into three unique playlists, thus allowing footage
 used in all three films to be included on the Blu-ray Disc(TM) only once.
 Based on the viewer's selection of the Original Version, Special Edition or
 definitive Director's Cut, each film will be presented seamlessly in its
 original form by use of its respective playlist.
     Added value materials on the Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th
 Anniversary Ultimate Edition high definition Blu-ray Disc(TM) include an
 exclusive interview with Spielberg created specifically for this release,
 all-new "Storyboard-to-Scene Comparisons," the original 1977 "Watch The
 Skies" featurette and an original theatrical preview.
     SURF'S UP - from 9 October
     Surf's Up goes behind the scenes of the high-octane world of
 competitive penguin surfing with the vocal talents of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff
 Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder. Inspired by his hero, the legendary
 wave rider Big Z, Cody Maverick leaves his family and his town of
 Shiverpool, Antarctica to travel to Pen Gu Island for the Big Z Memorial
 Surf Off -- Cody's first pro competition. Cody believes that winning will
 bring him the admiration and respect he deserves. But when he unexpectedly
 comes face to face with Geek, a washed up old surfer, Cody begins to
 understand that the greatest champion isn't always the one who comes in
 first.
     The Surf's Up Blu-ray Disc(TM) will include the all-new animated short
 "The ChubbChubbs Save XMAS," (featuring the characters from the Academy
 Award(R)-winning short film) as well as three exciting interactive games --
 "Create Your Own Surfboard," "Lava Surf," and "Whale Hopping," a three-part
 documentary about the technical achievements in making the movie,
 filmmakers' commentary and much more!
     A FEW GOOD MEN - from 17 September
     The acclaimed drama about the dangerous dichotomy between following
 orders and following one's conscience, A Few Good Men features Tom Cruise
 as a brash Navy lawyer who's teamed with a gung-ho litigator, played by
 Demi Moore, in a politically explosive murder case. Charged with defending
 two Marines accused of killing a fellow soldier, the two lawyers are
 confronted with the complex issues of loyalty and honor, including its most
 sacred code and its most formidable warrior, played by Jack Nicholson.
 Special bonus features on the 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) include Director's
 Commentary with Rob Reiner as well as two featurettes: "Code of Conduct"
 and "From Stage to Screen."
     MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA - from 25 September (rights vary across European
 territories -- excludes UK)
     A Cinderella story like no other, Memoirs of a Geisha stars Ziyi Zhang,
 Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li in a romantic epic about a house
 servant blossoming against all odds to become the most captivating geisha
 of her day. The Blu-ray(TM) High-Def version of the film features an
 extensive array of bonus features on a 50GB disc, including an enhanced
 high-definition photo gallery, indexing and bookmark capabilities, audio
 commentary by Rob Marshall and John DeLuca, Audio Commentary, AV pop-up
 menus, an enhanced Blu-meter(TM) and 11 featurettes: "Sayuri's Journey --
 From the Novel to the Screen," "The Road to Japan," "Geisha Bootcamp,"
 "Building the Hanamachi," "The Look of Geisha," "The Music of 'Memoirs,'"
 "A Geisha's Dance," "The World of the Geisha," "The Way of the Sumo," "Rob
 Marshall," and "A Day With Chef Nobu Matsuhisa."
     UNDERWORLD - from 17 September (rights vary across European territories
 -- excludes UK)
     Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman star in Underworld, a futuristic,
 action-packed tale of ruthless intrigue and forbidden passion set against
 the dazzling backdrop of a timeless, Gothic metropolis. The 50GB Underworld
 Blu-ray Disc(TM) offers an assortment of added-value features, including
 Director and Cast Commentary, a blooper reel, storyboard comparisons, a
 Finch "Worms of the Earth" music video and eight featurettes: "Fang vs.
 Fiction," "Making-of 'Underworld,'" "The Visual Effects of 'Underworld,'"
 "Creature Effects," "Stunts," "Designing 'Underworld,'" "The Look of
 'Underworld,'" and "Sights and Sounds of 'Underworld.'"
     BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA - from 1 October
     Academy Award(R)-winning director Francis Ford Coppola's gothic epic
 Bram Stoker's Dracula, featuring a sensational all-star ensemble with
 Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu
 Reeves, and Cary Elwes arrives on a 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) starting 1
 October, with never-before-seen special features. For the first time,
 Francis Ford Coppola provides a video introduction and audio commentary for
 his modern horror classic. Also among the brand-new extras are deleted
 scenes and four new featurettes: "The Blood is the Life -- The Making of
 Dracula," "The Costumes Are the Sets -- The Design of Eiko Ishioka,"
 "In-Camera -- The Na�ve Visual Effects of Dracula" and "Method and Madness
 -- Visualizing Dracula."
     20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION - from 4 December
     Sony Pictures Home Entertainment marks the half-century milestone of
 one of the earliest films by stop-motion animation genius Ray Harryhausen
 with the debut of 20 Million Miles to Earth: 50th Anniversary Edition,
 available starting 4 December. This 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) includes the
 pristine, digitally-restored black & white original version of the film
 along a newly colorized version (supervised by Harryhausen himself) and a
 wealth of added value material. Bonus features include audio commentary by
 Ray Harryhausen, visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and
 producer Arnold Kunert, "Remembering 20 Million Miles to Earth," wherein
 Harryhausen and others discuss the film's production and influence, "Tim
 Burton Sits Down with Ray Harryhausen," "The Joan Taylor Interview,"
 "Colorization," a video discussion of 20 Million Miles to Earth's 1957
 marketing and advertising campaign by producer Arnold Kunert, "Mischa
 Bakaleinikoff: Film Music's Unsung Hero," and an elaborate still and
 production art gallery.
     * release dates vary by territory
     ** Gfk, ytd 12th August, 2007.
     About Sony Pictures Home Entertainment:
     Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a division of Sony Corporation of
 America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. Sony Pictures
 Entertainment's global operations encompass motion picture production and
 distribution; television production and distribution; digital content
 creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home
 entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities;
 development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and
 distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Information on Sony
 Pictures Entertainment and Blu-ray can be found on the World Wide Web at
 http://www.sonypictures.com/bluray.
     Please contact the SPHE press office for Blu-ray spokesperson
 availability and artwork.
     For individual territory requests, please send your request to the
 contacts below and it will be routed to the relevant spokesperson:
     Claire McKittrick                      Caroline Nelson
     Sony Pictures Home Entertainment       Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
     Mobile: +1 310 625 2665                Mobile: +44 (0)7931 752 832
     Office:  + 1 310 244 4722              Office: +44 (0)207 533 1132
     claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com         caroline_nelson@spe.sony.com
 
 

SOURCE Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

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