Sneak Peak of Groundbreaking Footage From 'Final Fantasy' Film Premieres Online

   Landmark Animated Feature Slated for 2001 Unveils Never-Before-Seen
   Segments on Official Film Web Site and at Limited Comicon Screenings

  WHO:       Audiences can now have a first glimpse at a motion picture
             event unlike anything that has come before.  On July 20,
             footage from one of the most eagerly awaited films of 2001,
             "Final Fantasy," debuts Online at www.finalfantasy.com with a
             mind-blowing 50-second peek into a whole new kind of filmmaking
             from Columbia Pictures and Honolulu-based Square Pictures.
             Special screenings of this exclusive footage are also set to
             steal the show at Comicon 2000, the ultimate animation
             conference on July 22.

  WHAT:      Check out scenes from the first animated feature film boasting
             full-motion, photo-real imagery. Using CGI actors, "Final
             Fantasy" brings a completely original and compelling story to
             the screen, in the spirit of the legendary interactive game
             produced by Square.  Destined to raise the standard by which
             all other animation films will be judged, "Final Fantasy"
             follows the adventures of its digital heroine, Aki, utilizing
             revolutionary in-house software tools developed at Square.
             Delivering unprecedented realism to its computer generated
             characters, the film renders breathtaking "virtual actors" with
             life-like skin colors, textures and facial expressions.
             Hironobu Sakaguchi, visionary of the "Final Fantasy"
             interactive game series, directs the groundbreaking motion
             picture that features voice talents from Alec Baldwin, Steve
             Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, Ming-Na, Ving Rhames, Donald Sutherland,
             James Woods and more.

  WHEN:      Log on July 20, 2000

  WHERE:     Launch into another world at www.finalfantasy.com, the official
             film Web site for "Final Fantasy" developed in conjunction with
             The Agency at Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment.  Fans can
             also register at the site for announcements about the next wave
             of exclusive content for "Final Fantasy."

CONTACT: Lisa DeLucia of Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, 310-840-8955, ldelucia@sonypictures.com; or Dennis Higgins of Columbia Pictures, 310-244-7547, dennis_higgins@spe.sony.com; or Grace McNamee of Square Pictures, 310-244-7914, grace@squareusa.com

PRNewswire -- July 18

SOURCE: Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment

Website: http://www.spe.sony.com/
http://www.finalfantasy.com/