Countdown to '2012' Begins October 1 as Columbia Pictures Unveils an Exclusive Two-Minute Scene From the Highly Anticipated Film During Largest North American Media Roadblock Ever Executed

Countdown to '2012' Begins October 1 as Columbia Pictures Unveils an Exclusive Two-Minute Scene From the Highly Anticipated Film During Largest North American Media Roadblock Ever Executed

- Audiences to See the Extended Five-Minute Scene After the Roadblock Exclusively in High-Def on Comcast and Fancast.com - - Total Television, Online and Mobile Viewership Projected to Reach Over 140 Million -

CULVER CITY, Calif., Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The countdown to 2012, the highly-anticipated film from director Roland Emmerich, begins October 1 with the largest broadcast, cable, online and mobile media preview ever orchestrated to support the launch of a motion picture, it was announced today by Marc Weinstock, president of Worldwide Marketing for Sony Pictures. Television audiences watching virtually every major North American broadcast and cable outlet will have the opportunity to see an exclusive, two-minute scene from the film as part of this simultaneous roadblock on Thursday, between 10:50 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EDT/PDT. The film will be released in theaters worldwide on November 13, 2009.

Supported by a multi-million dollar promotional campaign by Comcast, the action-packed two-minute sequence from 2012 will air on the major broadcast networks (ABC, NBC and CBS), 89 cable networks, local stations in the top 70 markets, and Spanish-language networks throughout the United States. With nearly 450 separate North American television outlets taking part in this unprecedented media event, it is projected that the 2012 footage will reach nearly 110 million television viewers - a delivery that exceeds that of the Super Bowl. The two-minute scene will reach an estimated 90% of all households watching ad-supported television at that time.

Consumers will have the opportunity to see the conclusion of the two-minute cliffhanger scene after the roadblock with an extended five-minute sequence on Fancast.com and on Comcast On Demand. The total projected television, online and mobile audience in North America that will be able to see the footage in the first 24 hours exceeds 140 million consumers.

Comcast will launch its on-air and online promotional campaign across its cable networks and on Comcast-owned networks and popular web destinations such as E! Entertainment Television, G-4, Comcast Sports Group, Comcast.net, Fandango.com, E!Online, Fancast.com and through its vast Video on Demand (VOD) libraries. In addition to the exclusive footage, Comcast will launch VOD sneak-peeks and story arcs that offer an expanded look at 2012.

Specifically, the two-minute scene will air on national and local outlets between approximately 10:50 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. EDT/PDT, between 9:50 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. CDT and between 8:50 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. MDT.

For information on when and where the television preview can be seen in your area, visit Comcast.com/2012.

"2012 is an extraordinary film that captures the imagination and attention of all moviegoers from 13 years-of-age on up," said Weinstock. "Since it appeals to such a broad audience, we wanted to launch our campaign in a way that would make an impact, and we are excited to be partnering with Comcast on this unprecedented launch."

Derek Harrar, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Video Services for Comcast added, "When we saw the scene from 2012, we thought it was compelling footage and we were thrilled by the opportunity to share it with our subscribers. Comcast lives at the center of people's entertainment experience - whether online or on television - so the opportunity to participate with Sony Pictures in this unprecedented popular culture 'moment in time' was appealing not only from a brand perspective, but more importantly from what we're delivering our customer: exclusive access online and On Demand as the only place to see the conclusion for this highly anticipated preview."

Overseas, the 2012 roadblocks will be replicated in many countries around the world at the end of October.

Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments. 2012 is an epic adventure about a global cataclysm that brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Roland Emmerich & Harald Kloser. The producers are Harald Kloser, Mark Gordon, and Larry Franco. 2012 stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, with Danny Glover and Woody Harrelson. For more information on the film, please visit WhoWillSurvive2012.com.

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 more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com.

   FOR MORE INFORMATION:    Steve Elzer   Senior Vice President, Media Relations   310-244-7142   steve_elzer@spe.sony.com  

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Source: Columbia Pictures

CONTACT: Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President, Media Relations of Columbia
Pictures, +1-310-244-7142, steve_elzer@spe.sony.com

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Profile: International Entertainment