Columbia Pictures' 'Monster House' Schedules REAL D's Digital 3-D Release on More Than 100 Screens
ImageMovers' Second 'Performance Capture' Production Through Sony Pictures Imageworks Debuts Nationally July 21, 2006
PRNewswire
CULVER CITY, Calif.
07/18/2005
Columbia Pictures' Monster House, the second film to employ the ground-breaking "Performance Capture," innovation developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks, will be released in more than 100 theaters in REAL D's revolutionary digital 3-D format day-and-date with its 2D national release on July 21, 2006, it was announced today by Rory Bruer, President of Domestic Distribution, Sony Pictures.
The imagery for the ImageMovers/Amblin Production of Monster House is being overseen by Sony Pictures Imageworks, which also oversaw ImageMovers' first "Performance Capture" film The Polar Express, a film that was released in IMAX 3-D with the help of Sony Pictures Imageworks.
"Monster House is the perfect film for REAL D's innovative technology," said Bruer. "It literally adds another dimension to the filmgoing experience and enhances the film's entertainment value."
"Moviegoers are clearly looking for new experiences from their local multiplex, and we are delighted to work with Sony Pictures and our exhibition partners to deliver the future of cinema," said Michael V. Lewis, Chairman, REAL D. "This partnership advances our goal of capturing a vast theatrical footprint for REAL D Cinema so that audiences worldwide can experience incredibly lifelike 3D entertainment from Columbia Pictures and our growing roster of content partners."
"As a leader in visual effects and character animation, we are constantly developing new technologies to enable filmmakers to tell their stories," said Tim Sarnoff, President, Sony Pictures Imageworks. "REAL D Cinema truly enables a movie-goer to experience a film versus just watching it and we look forward to working with them on such an exciting project."
"Monster House is perfect to be presented in 3D," said Steve Starkey, the film's producer and principal in ImageMovers, "as was proved on The Polar Express. I'm thrilled that we once again have this opportunity."
Monster House is an exciting and hilarious thrill-ride tale about three kids (Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner and Spencer Locke) who must do battle with a mysterious home that is determined to eat every trick or treater in sight on Halloween.
Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Jason Lee, Catherine O'Hara, Kathleen Turner and Fred Willard are among the stars lined up for Monster House, the latest film to employ the groundbreaking technology of Performance Capture Animation, an innovative technique developed by Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke's ImageMovers Company and Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Monster House is the second feature-length Performance Capture film to be produced by ImageMovers.
Monster House is being directed by Gil Kenan, the UCLA Spotlight Award-winning director of the live-action/animation short The Lark. The film is written by Dan Harmon & Rob Schrab and Pamela Pettler. The producers are
Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey, Jack Rapke and Steven Spielberg. The executive producer is Jason Clark.
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/.
About Sony Pictures Imageworks
Sony Pictures Imageworks Inc. is an Academy Award®-winning, state-of-the-art visual effects and character animation company dedicated to the art and artistry of digital production and character creation. The company has been recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with Oscars® for its work on Spider-Man® 2 and the CG animated short film The ChubbChubbs!, as well as nominations for Spider-Man®, Hollow Man, Stuart Little and Starship Troopers. Imageworks continues to raise the level in the visual effects and character animation industry, becoming a major force by providing leading edge technology to its world-class artists.
Imageworks is a division of Sony Pictures Digital, which oversees the digital production and online entertainment assets of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
About REAL D
REAL D provides premium visual experiences through the pioneering and delivery of advanced visualization technologies for use in entertainment, marketing, science, research and other industries. REAL D is the first company to provide the entertainment industry with a multitude of solutions for the delivery of unsurpassed stereoscopic experiences capable of reaching sizeable audiences. With REAL D's 2005 acquisition of StereoGraphics, the world's leading inventor, manufacturer, and supplier of stereoscopic hardware and software, it is poised to bring a multitude of mission-critical technologies currently used by companies like NASA, Pfizer, BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, SEGA and Boeing to the entertainment industry. REAL D is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information, visit www.REALD.com.
For further information contact: Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group (310) 244-7142 steve_elzer@spe.sony.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