THQ to Bring Columbia Pictures' Monster House to Major Videogame Systems This Summer
Monster House Videogame to Put Movie Experience Into Fan's Hands
AGOURA HILLS, Calif., Nov. 28: THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) today announced it has been named interactive game licensee for Columbia Pictures' highly anticipated digitally rendered live action feature Monster House from award-winning executive producers Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. The film is directed by Gil Kenan, produced by Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey and is also executive produced by Jason Clark. THQ's worldwide agreement with Sony Pictures Consumer Products includes videogames for console and select handheld gaming systems. The Monster House videogames are slated for release in conjunction with the film release in Summer 2006.
"THQ is excited to work with Sony Pictures Entertainment, one of the premiere movie studios in Los Angeles, to bring Monster House to the interactive world," said Germaine Gioia, vice president, licensing, THQ. "We look forward to creating a fun and humorous game that will enable the moviegoers to extend their experience beyond the movie theater."
"We are thrilled to be partnering with THQ to bring Monster House into the hands of videogame audiences throughout the world," said Mark Caplan, executive director, interactive, Sony Consumer Products. "With THQ's long history of quality adaptations of major motion pictures we are confident that the video game will allow fans of Monster House to relive the action-adventure and graphical richness of the film itself."
Columbia Pictures' Monster House is an exciting and hilarious thrill-ride tale about three kids (Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner and Spencer Locke) who must do battle with a mysterious home that is determined to eat every trick or treater in sight on Halloween. Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Jason Lee, Catherine O'Hara, Kathleen Turner and Fred Willard are among the stars lined up for Monster House, the latest film to employ the groundbreaking technology of Performance Capture Animation, an innovative technique developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks initially for Robert Zemeckis, Steve Starkey and Jack Rapke's ImageMovers Company. In an unprecedented opening, Monster House will be released in more than 100 theaters in REAL D's revolutionary digital 3D format day and date with its 2D national release scheduled for July 21, 2006.
The Monster House videogames will allow players to experience key moments of the movie as they explore the house room by room, while also taking on unique adventures that were inspired by the film. With three playable characters, fans of the film will enjoy seeing the movie come to life in their living rooms.
About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a Division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.
Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). 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.
About Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures, part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. 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.
About THQ
THQ Inc. (Nasdaq: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Korea and Australia. More information about THQ and its products may be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, THQ Wireless and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.
The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "THQ"), including but not limited to expectations and projections related to the release and features of Monster House, and are based upon management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements, including, but not limited to economic, competitive and technological factors affecting the operations, markets, products, and pricing of THQ. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ's financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2005, and particularly the discussion of risk factors that may affect results of operations set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.