FANDANGO UNVEILS FANTICIPATION -- A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND MOVIE BUZZ INDICATOR -- AS PART OF THE NEW ORIGINAL VIDEO SERIES "WEEKEND TICKET" AT SXSW®

AUSTIN, Texas, March 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination, announced today at SXSW® Conference & Festivals the debut of a new movie buzz indicator called Fanticipation, a first-of-its-kind tool to measure moviegoer excitement and help predict the films that will connect with fans at the weekend box office.  Released weekly, Fanticipation ranks fan excitement around upcoming and current movies based on Fandango's proprietary data collected from its online and mobile traffic, the social media engagement of its fans, and its advance ticket sales.  In addition to being shared on the site, Fanticipation will also be featured in Fandango's new original digital video series, "Weekend Ticket," premiering on March 14, 2013.

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"Weekend Ticket" host Dave Karger – Fandango's Chief Correspondent and one of the country's most highly-regarded movie experts – will film the series' inaugural episode at SXSW, where he will interview fan favorites including Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Olivia Wilde, Paul Walker, Josh Duhamel and Paul Rudd, along with mainstream moviegoers.  Whether it's finding the ultimate date movie or a film the whole family will enjoy, Karger will help consumers find the perfect movie on "Weekend Ticket."  Unlike other movie preview shows, "Weekend Ticket" will also directly connect moviegoers to Fandango's advance ticketing for that film at one of its 20,000 screens nationwide.

"Fanticipation captures Fandango's unique ability to tap into moviegoer buzz and will be a great feature for both the industry and consumers," said Paul Yanover, President of Fandango. "SXSW, where entertainment meets technology, is the perfect place to debut this one-of-a-kind new tool." 

"Weekend Ticket" follows on the heels of Fandango's first original video series, "The Frontrunners."  Also hosted by Karger, "The Frontrunners" is a seasonal show covering breaking news, predictions, reactions, snubs and surprises of the movie awards season. 

"Our goal with 'Weekend Ticket' is to connect moviegoers with the perfect film based on what kind of experience they're looking for," said Dave Karger, Fandango's Chief Correspondent.  "Along with my own recommendations on each week's releases, I'm excited to have input from the film's stars, as well as from Fandango's engaged audience and our new data on movie buzz from Fanticipation."

In the same spirit of "Weekend Ticket," Dave Karger will moderate an official SXSW kickoff panel, "An Insider's Preview to the SXSW Film Festival," on March 8 at the Convention Center Room 16AB, to help SXSW attendees make their moviegoing decisions at the festival.   Fandango will also host the "Fandango Film Lounge" March 8 through March 12 at the InterContinental Stephen F. Austin Hotel, where festival-goers can relax with free food and drink, log onto WiFi and charge their phones -- all while checking out the latest movie trailers, Karger's live in-lounge interviews with celebrities, and Fandango's original videos, including a sneak preview of "Weekend Ticket."

About Fandango
Fandango, the nation's leading moviegoer destination and an NBCUniversal company, sells tickets to more than 20,000 screens nationwide. Fandango entertains and informs consumers with reviews, commentary, celebrity interviews and trailers, and offers the ability to quickly select a film, plan where and when to see it, and conveniently buy tickets in advance. For many theaters, fans can print their tickets at home or receive them as a paperless Mobile Ticket on their smartphones. Fandango is available online at www.fandango.com, via smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices, and at 1-800-FANDANGO. Fandango's top-ranking movie ticketing apps, with 31 million downloads, are available on the iPhone and iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and many other platforms. Fandango is enjoyed by more than 41 million online and mobile visitors per month. Film fans find Fandango on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fandango and on Twitter @Fandango.

SOURCE Fandango