Universal Studios Home Entertainment to Release Six Hit Feature Films Playable On Sony's New PSP Game Console

Universal Studios Home Entertainment to Release Six Hit Feature Films Playable On Sony's New PSP Game Console

First Wave of Universal Titles to be Released in Sony's UMD Format Are 'Assault on Precinct 13,' 'The Rundown,' 'Van Helsing,' 'Dawn of the Dead,' 'The Chronicles of Riddick' and 'The Fast and the Furious'

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Studios Home Entertainment will release six feature films on Universal Media Disc (UMD), playable on Sony's new PlayStation Portable videogame system. The announcement was made today by Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

"The PSP offers consumers an exciting opportunity to expand their entertainment experience beyond the living room," said Mr. Kornblau. "In selecting the first wave of films to be released on UMD, we have chosen films targeting young male consumers who, not surprisingly, are the early adopters of the multimedia device," Mr. Kornblau added.

The first Universal features to be released on UMD are widescreen versions of "Assault on Precinct 13," "The Rundown," "Van Helsing," "Dawn of the Dead: Unrated Director's Cut," "The Chronicles of Riddick: Unrated Director's Cut" and "The Fast and the Furious," which will hit stores July 26, 2005. While "Assault on Precinct 13" will carry a suggested retail price of 28.98, the other five titles will carry a suggested retail price of $19.98. The company plans to announce additional high-profile UMD titles in upcoming months.

UMDs are 2.3-inch optical discs housed in protective cases. With data storage capacity of 1.8GB, the discs are capable of holding up to 140 minutes of DVD quality video. The format was developed by Sony for the PlayStation Portable gaming system. In January, the company announced plans to open the format to content providers interested in releasing movie and music on UMD as well as to other hardware manufacturers who want to create systems that play the discs.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, 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. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates the no. 1 television network, the fastest-growing Spanish-language network, a valuable portfolio of new and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

Contact:
Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity

Vivian Mayer
Sr. Vice President
(818) 777-3594 / vivian.mayer@nbcuni.com

Lea Porteneuve
Vice President
(818) 777-1391 / lea.porteneuve@nbcuni.com

Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Vivian Mayer, Sr. Vice President, +1-818-777-3594,
vivian.mayer@nbcuni.com, or Lea Porteneuve, Vice President, +1-818-777-1391,
lea.porteneuve@nbcuni.com, both of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Publicity

-------
Profile: intent