Panasonic and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Partner on AVATAR Blu-ray Disc and DVD Launch

SECAUCUS, N.J., April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Panasonic, a leader in Blu-ray Disc technology, announced today an exclusive agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on a promotion celebrating the release of James Cameron's epic movie, AVATAR, on Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD. This will offer consumers a $25.00 rebate with the purchase of a 2010 Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player or entertainment system as well as AVATAR on either DVD or Blu-ray Disc.

The promotion, which begins today nationwide(1), is a mail-in offer which gives consumers a $25.00 cash rebate.  Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player and entertainment systems included in the promotion include the DMP-BD45, DMP-BD65, DMP-BD85, DMP-B100, DMP-B500, SC-BT230, SC-BT330, and the SC-BT730.  

Panasonic Hollywood Labs, a leader in authoring and encoding Hollywood theatrical releases to Blu-ray and DVD format, authored the AVATAR Blu-ray and DVD releases.

Panasonic has a long history of involvement with AVATAR, collaborating with Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation and Lightstorm Entertainment on the global promotion of AVATAR as the film's exclusive audio visual partner.  As part of that relationship, Panasonic provided the production with its latest AV technology products.

Since its global theatrical release last December, AVATAR has continued to make motion picture history. Written by James Cameron and produced with his long-time collaborator Jon Landau, AVATAR stars include Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso. The Oscar® and Golden Globe® winning epic is the highest grossing film of all time, taking in over $2.7 billion in worldwide box office.

Director James Cameron takes audiences to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization.  AVATAR delivers a fully-immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the epic nature of the story.

Panasonic also supported the big-screen release of the film by launching a global advertising campaign in December 2009 tied to AVATAR and promoting numerous Panasonic AV products, including Panasonic's award-winning Full HD 3D Home Theater Systems which debuted in March 2010.  Panasonic's Full HD 3D Home Theater System was among the first to be certified under the new Blu-ray Disc Association(2) (BDA) 3D standard.

"Panasonic is proud to be a partner with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and to have played a part in the big-screen launch of AVATAR and its tremendous success worldwide through our technological and promotional contributions," said Bob Perry, Senior Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company.  "We are equally proud to work with Fox on the next step in the AVATAR legacy by helping to promote the launch of AVATAR on Blu-ray and DVD.  AVATAR is perhaps the purest example of the tremendous benefits of Blu-ray Disc movies which allow consumers to enjoy stunning Full HD, true-to-life imagery as the movie creators intended it to look."

"There are millions of households with high definition TVs that are ready for the high definition Blu-ray experience," said Mike Dunn, President Worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. "AVATAR will be their first Blu-ray purchase, and Panasonic will be their first Blu-ray player."

For complete promotional offer details, please visit www.panasonic.com/promos/avatar. Official rebate form found inside AVATAR Blu-ray or DVD discs.  For more information on Panasonic Blu-ray Disc products, visit www.panasonic.com.

About Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Based in Secaucus, N.J., Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a market and technology leader in High Definition television, is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC) and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations.  Panasonic is pledged to practice prudent, sustainable use of the earth's natural resources and protect our environment through the company's Eco Ideas programs.  Information about Panasonic products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.

About Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory

Founded in 2002, Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) is a video research lab located in Hollywood, the movie capital of the world. It builds on the more than 15 years that Panasonic has been conducting on-site research into technologies such as digital conversion for film-based movies, compressing DVD images, authoring, and digital cinema. In 2009, Panasonic announced Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory Advanced Authoring Center (PHL-AC). The Center is focused on 3D Full HD (3D FHD) Blu-ray format-establishment and development and will work directly with Hollywood studios providing 3D title development services for 3D FHD Blu-ray titles.

About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

(1) This promotional mail-in rebate offer will be available to consumers in the United States through July 10, 2010.

(2) Panasonic's BDT300 3D Blu-ray Disc Player is certified to be in compliance with the 3D Blu-ray standard created by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). The Blu-ray Disc™ name and Blu-ray Disc logo are registered trademarks of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

SOURCE Panasonic