UNIVERSAL PICTURES' RIDE ALONG PARTNERS WITH WAZE FOR APP'S FIRST U.S. CELEBRITY VOICE NAVIGATION FEATURE

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Pictures and Waze, one of the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation applications, announced today that Kevin Hart will be the very first celebrity voice featured in U.S. versions of the free navigation app.  The partnership is in lead up to the release of Universal's Ride Along, the new comedy from the director and producer of Think Like a Man that stars Ice Cube and Hart.  The film opens in theaters across the country on January 17, 2014.

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This promotion marks the first time in America that Wazers have been able to download special audio directions recorded by a celebrity.  To ride along with Kevin, they should simply update the Waze app on their mobile phone, then go to Settings > Sound and select "English - Ride Along" as their voice language.  The next time they need to get to their destination, Kevin will serve as their trusted co-pilot.

"In Ride Along, Kevin plays a guy who uses his quick wit to navigate out of difficult situations," said Doug Neil, Executive Vice President, Digital Marketing, Universal Pictures.  "His signature voice and humor made him the perfect celebrity voice guide for Waze, and we're pleased to partner with the app and get drivers where they need to go."

"Waze serves millions of drivers to make every route faster and a little more fun," said Julie Mossler, Spokesperson, Waze.  "We're really excited to team up with Kevin and Universal Pictures to debut this new feature, offering Wazers some entertainment while keeping their eyes on the road during holiday traffic."

Waze is one of the world's largest driving communities with millions of drivers globally.  At the time of its acquisition by Google in June 2013, the application had 50 million users and has continued to grow since.  Waze is free, and available in more than 30 languages and nearly 200 countries on both iOS and Android.

About Waze
Waze is the social navigation pioneer, leveraging mobile technology and a passionate global community to redefine expectations of today's maps.  Waze is home to one of the world's largest network of drivers who work together daily to outsmart traffic and save time and money.  The app consistently recommends the fastest routes based on real-time driving and data from millions of users.  From traffic reroutes to low gas price alerts and relevant offers from favorite brands, Waze is one of the most comprehensive driving companions in the marketplace.  To download the free Waze app for iOS or Android, visit http://www.waze.com.

About Ride Along
Kevin Hart and Ice Cube lead the lineup in Ride Along, the new film from the director and the producer of the blockbuster comedy Think Like a Man.  When a fast-talking guy joins his girlfriend's brother—a hot-tempered cop—to patrol the streets of Atlanta, he gets entangled in the officer's latest case.  Now, in order to prove that he deserves his future bride, he must survive the most insane 24 hours of his life.

For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben (Hart) has been trying to show decorated APD detective James (Cube) that he's more than just a video-game junkie who's unworthy of James' sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter).  When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he's earned the seasoned policeman's respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela.

Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister, James invites him on a shift designed to scare the hell out of the trainee.  But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner's rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.

John Leguizamo and Laurence Fishburne join the cast of the action-comedy directed by Tim Story.  Ride Along is produced by Will Packer (Think Like a Man), alongside Ice Cube, Matt Alvarez (Barbershop) and Larry Brezner (Good Morning, Vietnam).  www.ridealong.com 

About Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com).  Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal.  NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience.  NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks.  NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation.

SOURCE Universal Pictures