Top Artists Break New Ground With Character-Driven Music Tracks for Activision's Fantastic Four Video Game
Taking Back Sunday, Jurassic 5, The Explosion and Go Betty Go Create Original Songs That Echo Unique Characteristics of Fantastic Four Super Heroes
SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 14, 2005: For the first time ever, four popular bands have written and recorded original tracks specifically for the lead characters in a video game. The songs will debut in four character-specific trailers that will be released online in April and May, and will be included as unlockable bonus content in Activision, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) upcoming Fantastic Four game, which is slated to ship this summer. The songs echo the distinctive personalities and special powers of each of the Fantastic Four Super Heroes.
Chart topping modern rock band, Taking Back Sunday, lead the team with "Error Operator" for Mr. Fantastic; hip-hop veterans, Jurassic 5, rock out "Clobberin' Time" for The Thing; punk-rock up-and-comers, The Explosion, light up "I'm on Fire" for The Human Torch; and all-girl punkers, Go Betty Go, blast out the cerebral tour de force "Everywhere" for The Invisible Woman.
"Creating four unique character-driven songs and music video-like trailers is a whole new approach at integrating music into games," said Tim Riley, worldwide executive of music, Activision, Inc. "This project underscores our strategy to use artists that are aligned with the content and feel of our titles, further enhancing the overall sensory experience for players. The Fantastic Four game also will feature the signature musical theme from the film's score, which was composed by John Ottman, whose credits include X2: X-Men United and The Usual Suspects."
This is the only game based on Twentieth Century Fox's upcoming feature film. Fantastic Four game players will be able to harness the Marvel Super Heroes' unique and amazing powers through a compelling single-player or two-player co-operative team based gameplay experience. Authored by Zak Penn, who co-wrote the story for X2, the game follows the Fantastic Four film's storyline and expands the adventures by letting players stretch, control fire and use invisibility and brute force to defeat evil Super Villains in new environments and familiar comic book locales. Challenged to master the individual powers of each Super Hero and combine them to level even more devastating attacks, players must battle some of Marvel's most notorious Super Villains, including, the ultimate evil -- Doctor Doom -- to save the human race from disaster.
Fantastic Four is being developed by Seven Studios for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, XboxTM video game system from Microsoft and the Nintendo® GameCubeTM. The PC version is being developed by Beenox Studios and Torus Games is developing Fantastic Four for the Game Boy® Advance. The PC and console games are rated "T" (Teen -- with mild language and violence) by the ESRB and the Game Boy Advance title is rated "E-10+" for (Everyone 10 and older with violence).
Fantastic Four opens in theaters nationwide on July 8th.
About Marvel Enterprises, Inc.
With a library of over 4,700 proprietary characters, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in four areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios), licensing, comic book publishing and toys (Toy Biz). Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters and plot lines are created by its comic book division which continues to expand its leadership position in the U.S. and worldwide while also serving as an invaluable source of intellectual property.
About Twentieth Century Fox
One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox Animation.
About Activision, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products. Founded in 1979, Activision posted net revenues of $948 million for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, Scandinavia, Spain and the Netherlands. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.activision.com.
The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Activision's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, retail acceptance of our products, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions, integration of recently acquired subsidiaries and identification of suitable future acquisition opportunities. These important factors and other factors that potentially could affect the Company's financial results are described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's most recent Annual report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Readers of this press release are referred to such filings. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.