UNIVERSAL INVITES AUDIENCES TO 'JOIN THE DEATH RACE' IN SWEEPSTAKES FOR ACTION-THRILLER STARRING JASON STATHAM

UNIVERSAL INVITES AUDIENCES TO 'JOIN THE DEATH RACE' IN SWEEPSTAKES FOR ACTION-THRILLER STARRING JASON STATHAM

Winner's Photo Included on DVD as a Casualty of the Death Race

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- To promote Universal Pictures' upcoming action-thriller "Death Race," the studio has announced a sweepstakes with a unique prize. The winner will have the chance to have his or her picture included on the DVD release of the film as a race participant who meets a grisly fate in the film's titular Death Race. "Death Race" stars Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson, Ian McShane and Joan Allen and hits theaters August 22. The sweepstakes ends on July 8.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060316/LATH064LOGO)

Contestants may go to http://www.deathracemovie.net/sweeps to enter. The Grand Prize winner will receive a trip for two to the 2008 International Comic-Con in San Diego to meet cast from the film and can submit a photograph for inclusion in the DVD release of the film.

   For more details visit: http://www.deathracemovie.net/.    About "Death Race"  

Jason Statham leads the cast of an action-thriller set in the post-industrial wasteland of tomorrow, with the world's most brutal sporting event as its backdrop. A penitentiary full of felons has inspired the jailers to create a grisly pastime ripe for lucrative kickbacks. Now, adrenalized inmates, a global audience hungry for televised violence and a spectacular arena come together to form the "Death Race".

Three-time speedway champion Jensen Ames (Statham) is an expert at survival in the harsh landscape that has become our country. Just as he thinks he has turned his life around, the ex-con is framed for a gruesome murder he didn't commit. Forced to don the mask of the mythical driver Frankenstein -- a crowd favorite who seems impossible to kill -- Ames is given an easy choice by Terminal Island's warden (Joan Allen): suit up or rot away in a cell.

His face hidden by a metallic mask, one convict will be put through an insane three-day challenge. Ames must survive a gauntlet of the most vicious criminals in the country's toughest prison to claim the prize of freedom. Driving a monster car outfitted with machine guns, flamethrowers and grenade launchers, one desperate man will destroy anything in his path to win the most twisted spectator sport on Earth.

About Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com/). Universal Studios is part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80% owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi.

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060316/LATH064LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Universal Pictures

CONTACT: Doug Neil of Universal Pictures, +1-818-777-6031

Web site: http://www.universalstudios.com/
http://www.deathracemovie.net/
http://www.deathracemovie.net/sweeps

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Profile: International Entertainment