Moviegoers Follow the 'Angels & Demons' Path of Illumination in Online Contest

Moviegoers Follow the 'Angels & Demons' Path of Illumination in Online Contest

Seven Winners in Seven Countries to Attend World Premiere

CULVER CITY, Calif., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- On May 15, 2009, famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon will follow the Path of Illumination in order to thwart the Illuminati's plot to commit unspeakable acts of violence in their quest to destroy the Vatican in Columbia Pictures' Angels & Demons. Online moviegoers from seven countries will have the chance to follow their own path with the Angels & Demons Path of Illumination Contest on AngelsAndDemons.MSN.com. Contestants will compete online to solve puzzles themed to the film. They will look for clues using Microsoft's Photosynth software to view 3D online photographic environments of key sets used during filming. One finalist from each country will be flown to Rome to attend the World Premiere of the film in May, where the Grand Prize winner will be announced. This program marks the first time that Microsoft is utilizing its Photosynth software in connection with a major studio release.

Commenting on the announcement, Dwight Caines, president, Worldwide Digital Marketing, said, "Three years ago with The Da Vinci Code Quest we created a groundbreaking and exciting online contest. With Angels & Demons Path of Illumination, we have the opportunity to take the program to a whole new level. By partnering with MSN and using Photosynth users can explore key sites at the Vatican, including the Sistine Chapel and Papal Offices, discovering those locations like never before. In addition, this contest is a fantastic example of Sony United at work, combining the media and marketing efforts of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and Sony Electronics."

The contest site on MSN which reaches a global audience has also enabled the Studio to cross-promote the re-release of The Da Vinci Code on Blu-ray(TM) from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in all participating countries as well as tout the prizing from several partners including Sony Electronics and expose the MSN user base to Sony's various brands.

The contest begins January 30 and will take place in two parts. Round 1 goes through February 27; Round 2 begins March 6 and then the contest ends March 27. To begin playing and for the Official Rules, entrants should go to AngelsAndDemons.msn.com.

Each week during Round 1, contest entrants will complete a series of puzzles and explore Photosynth 3-D environments, including the Sistine Chapel and Papal Offices. The puzzles are themed to the four elements - Earth, Air, Fire, and Water - that the Illuminati hold sacred in Angels & Demons. Those that complete Round 1 qualify for Round 2, becoming capable of continuing the online race to vie for the opportunity to go to Rome.

The winner from each of the seven participating countries - the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain - will each receive a prize package, including a trip for two to Rome, with accommodations provided by Starwood Hotels; two tickets to the film premiere, one private Path of Illumination Tour of Rome, one Vespa S125, and one Damiani-designed 18K pink gold and onyx Camerlengo cross and necklace.

At the world premiere, the grand prize winner will be announced on the red carpet. The grand prize winner will receive one 2009 Lancia Delta (if the winner is in Europe) or two Aprilia motorbikes (if the winner is from the U.S. or Canada); one Damiani-designed 18K pink gold and onyx rosary cross and necklace; as well as a Sony Electronics package themed to the four elements:

-- Earth - Move the ground with a 5.1 channel home entertainment system
-- Air - Transmit sound with wireless speakers
-- Fire - Take high quality stills with a Sony a (alpha) Digital SLR
camera and burn media with a Blu-ray recordable/rewritable drive
-- Water - Stream multimedia from a home theater PC and 55" LCD TV

The site will also promote the Blu-ray release of the smash hit The Da Vinci Code in all participating countries.

The team behind the global phenomenon The Da Vinci Code returns for the highly anticipated Angels & Demons, based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who once again finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to advance their goals. Ron Howard again directs the film, which is produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and John Calley. The screenplay is by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman.

When Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati - the most powerful underground organization in history - he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.

About Columbia Pictures

Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/.

Source: Columbia Pictures

CONTACT: Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of Columbia
TriStar Motion Picture Group, +1-310-244-7142, steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

Web Site: http://www.sonypictures.com/

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