Fairness hearing date for Alliance Atlantis Plan of Arrangement now scheduled for June 15, 2007

Fairness hearing date for Alliance Atlantis Plan of Arrangement now scheduled for June 15, 2007

TSX: AAC.A, AAC.B

TORONTO, May 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. today announced that, at its request, the Ontario Superior Court has now scheduled June 15, 2007 as the date on which the Court will hold the fairness hearing in connection with the Plan of Arrangement pursuant to which AA Acquisition Corp. (formerly 6681859 Canada Inc.), a subsidiary of CanWest MediaWorks Inc., would acquire all of the outstanding shares of Alliance Atlantis for $53.00 cash per share. The hearing had been scheduled for May 18, 2007.

Alliance Atlantis, AA Acquisition Corp. and GS Capital Partners VI, L.P. (a private equity affiliate of Goldman Sachs & Co.) have agreed with Movie Distribution Income Fund and its subsidiary trust, Movie Distribution Holding Trust ("Holding Trust"), to reschedule the fairness hearing to this date and have also agreed that the claim by Holding Trust announced in a media release on April 4, 2007 relating to whether Holding Trust's consent was required in connection with the Arrangement would be heard on the same date. Holding Trust is the owner of 49% of Motion Picture Distribution LP ("MPD") and it has publicly stated that it believes, based on publicly available information, Holding Trust's consent is required in connection with the Arrangement. Alliance Atlantis indirectly owns 51% of MPD and previously responded in a media release on April 5, 2007 that it does not believe the Arrangement itself requires Holding Trust's consent although certain reorganizational steps contemplated by AA Acquisition Corp. may require the consent of third parties.

"We understand that the Holding Trust trustees, AA Acquisition Corp. and GS Capital Partners VI, L.P., with assistance from management of MPD and Alliance Atlantis, continue to engage in discussions" said David Lazzarato, Executive VP and Chief Financial Officer of Alliance Atlantis. "Delaying the court date permits the discussions to continue. As we expect the arrangement to be completed in July or early August, we continue to believe there is ample time for this process to run its course and we are hopeful that the parties will reach a satisfactory understanding but, of course, we cannot currently predict its outcome."

About Alliance Atlantis

Alliance Atlantis offers Canadians 13 well-branded specialty channels boasting targeted, high-quality programming. Alliance Atlantis also co-produces and distributes the hit CSI franchise and indirectly holds a 51% limited partnership interest in Motion Picture Distribution LP, a leading distributor of motion pictures in Canada, with motion picture distribution operations in the United Kingdom and Spain. Alliance Atlantis' shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange - trading symbols AAC.A and AAC.B. Alliance Atlantis' website is www.allianceatlantis.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements which reflect Alliance Atlantis' current expectations. Forward-looking statements are those which are not historical fact and include in this news release statements relating to completion of the Arrangement and the outcome of the discussions with the Holding Trust trustees. The reader should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause them to differ materially from anticipated future results or expectations expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Certain risks, uncertainties and other factors are described in materials filed by Alliance Atlantis with the security regulatory authorities in Canada from time to time which are available at www.sedar.com. Alliance Atlantis undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source: Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc.

CONTACT: Andrew Akman, Senior Vice President, Finance - Corporate
Development & Investor Relations, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc., Tel:
(416) 966-7701, Email: andrew.akman@allianceatlantis.com; Nicola McIsaac,
Manager, Corporate & Public Affairs, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc,
Tel: (416) 969-4405, Email: nicola.mcisaac@allianceatlantis.com

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Profile: International Entertainment