The Amazing Spider-Man™ Swings Into 3D Virtual Action As Sony Pictures Launches Augmented Reality Application

CULVER CITY, Calif., May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In anticipation of the release of The Amazing Spider-Man™, in theaters on July 3, 2012, and as a companion to the new trailer launch for the film, Sony Pictures Entertainment has launched a free mobile application themed to the movie.  Developed using Qualcomm's Vuforia™ platform, the application is available for iPhone, iPod touch, and Android™ devices.  The Amazing Spider-Man Augmented Reality (AR) application allows fans worldwide to discover Spider-Man in online and real world environments by finding specially marked movie-themed images and scanning them to activate interactive, 3D Spider-Man animations.

Using footage from a special shoot with the movie's stunt team, the app features exclusive Spider-Man animation sequences in which Spider-Man swings through buildings, crawls up walls, shoots his web at the screen, or engages with nefarious characters on the streets.  When the virtual Spider-Man appears on their phones, users can take photos of the hero and share them with their friends and family.  Each photo experience will be unique to the user, and fans can share multiple photos from each interaction. 

To activate the animation sequences within the app, users can find out the locations for individual marker images on the official movie website and social channels.  Sony Stores, Activision, and Entertainment Weekly will also offer select marker images within their designated retail, online and editorial channels.   As an extra bonus for moviegoers, a single frame within the new trailer, when scanned, will also reveal one of the Spider-Man animations on the user's mobile device.  Each new image activates one of 13 achievement badges that users can share on Facebook and Twitter.

Commenting on the announcement, Dwight Caines, President, Worldwide Digital Marketing, Sony Pictures, said, "Many of today's moviegoers are digital natives on the go, and our app allows us to engage them.  Our use of augmented reality technology is a fun way of embracing the 3D aspects of the movie while nurturing the playful kid inside all of us who wants to collect items from their favorite superhero character to share with their friends and family."

The Amazing Spider-Man Augmented Reality app is now available for download from the App Store http://bit.ly/IGfuTc or get it on Google Play http://bit.ly/IEy4wu.  The app download is easily accessed via a WiFi connection.

About The Amazing Spider-Man
One of the world's most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man™. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field.  The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.  Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field).  Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today.  Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets.  As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance – leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner.  As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; worldwide television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.  For more information visit www.marvel.com.

SOURCE Sony Pictures Entertainment