Sony Pictures Entertainment Makes Studio History, Crossing the $1 Billion Mark In North American Ticket Sales for the Second Year in a Row

For the first time in its 79 year history, Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment crossed the $1 billion mark for the second consecutive year on Thursday, it was announced today by Jeff Blake, Vice Chairman of SPE and President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group.

"To follow-up our record breaking performance in 2002 with this kind of encore is quite an achievement," said Blake. "It is truly a testament to Amy Pascal and our entire production, marketing and distribution teams, and Joe Roth and his team at Revolution Studios that we have been able to reach this magnificent milestone for the second year in a row."

Sony Pictures Entertainment currently ranks #2 in market share for 2003, and expects to add to the billion dollar total with such national releases as "The Missing" (which bows nationally on November 26), directed by Ron Howard, starring Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones, "Something's Gotta Give" (debuting December 12) with Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton and Keanu Reeves, and "Mona Lisa Smile" (due for release on December 19) starring Julia Roberts and Kirsten Dunst. In addition, Tim Burton's "Big Fish," starring Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney and Jessica Lange, will open in limited release beginning December 10.

"Based on the outstanding quality of our year-end releases, we hope to add substantially to that already impressive total by the end of this year, perhaps making 2003 the second best year at the box office in Sony Pictures history."

Looking forward to the company's 80th anniversary slate in 2004, Columbia has such highly anticipated titles as "Fifty First Dates," starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, "Secret Window," directed by David Koepp and starring Johnny Depp, James L. Brooks' "Spanglish," "Spider-Man 2," starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, and "Closer," directed by Mike Nichols and starring Julia Roberts. In addition, Revolution Studios will contribute such highly anticipated films as "Hellboy," directed by Guillermo Del Torro, "The Forgotten," starring Julianne Moore and "13 Going on 30," starring Jennifer Garner.

In 1997, Sony Pictures grossed $1.27 billion, which, at the time, was an all time industry record, shattered by the studio in 2002, with a $1.57 billion domestic gross, the current industry record.

Contributing to 2003's $1 billion box office tally have been eight movies which debuted in the #1 spot, starting with the Revolution Studios' thriller "Darkness Falls" last January, and continuing with the Revolution Studios comedy "Anger Management," Columbia's thriller "Identity" and its three summer blockbusters, "Charlie's Angels™: Full Throttle," "Bad Boys II" and "S.W.A.T." There were two additional #1 openings this fall, "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" and Screen Gems' "Underworld." No studio has ever released more than 8 # 1 films in a single year.

So far, five films released by the studio this year have exceeded $100 million in total grosses: "Anger Management," "Daddy Day Care," "Charlie's Angels™: Full Throttle," "Bad Boys II" and "S.W.A.T."

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

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/ .

   For More 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; Sony Pictures Entertainment

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/