2009-12-07 22:40:41 -

Continuing its commitment to deliver high quality entertainment across multiple formats, Warner Bros. Pictures International (WBPI) has entered into digital cinema deployment agreements directly with several key cinema circuits to advance the conversion to digital cinema throughout Asia. Under agreements with Golden Harvest Cinemas Hong Kong and Vie Show Cinemas Taiwan of Orange Sky Golden Harvest Group (OSGH), the leading exhibitor group in Asia; MCL (Multiplex Cinema Ltd.), one of Hong Kong’s leading cinema circuits; and The Grand, the territory’s largest cineplex, Warner Bros. will supply digital feature films to DCI-compliant digital projection systems installed by these circuits.
The Studio will make financial contributions towards their recoupment.

The announcement was made jointly today by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President, Distribution, Warner Bros.

Pictures International (WBPI); Fiona Chow, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Orange Sky Golden Harvest Group; Simon Tan, General Manager of Vie Show Cinemas Taiwan; Grace Wong, Group General Manager, Kadokawa Intercontinental Group Holdings Limited; and Raymond Chan, Director of The Grand and Director, Property Development of the Shaw Group.

“We are excited to partner with Orange Sky Golden Harvest Group, Vie Show, MCL and The Grand, who share our commitment to innovation,” said Kwan-Rubinek. “We are thrilled that our product will be on digital screens as they infuse the Asian marketplace.”

“Digitalization is a very important part of our overall strategy to bring enhanced theatrical experience to our audience in the region. We are very delighted to have WBPI as the valuable partner for our digital rollout and look forward to working closely with the WBPI team in the region,” said Fiona Chow.

“This is a very important milestone for our Group as well as exhibitors in Asia. We are very pleased to have WBPI’s support in our building a new digital platform that enables us to bring more variety of content and better quality of cinema experience to our customers in Taiwan,” said Simon Tan.

“MCL is committed to digital deployment and is pleased to have concluded this agreement directly with WBPI,” said Grace Wong, Group General Manager, Kadokawa Intercontinental Group Holdings Limited. “We have always been a leader in bringing quality exhibition to the cinemagoers of Hong Kong and this is a giant step in the direction of achieving the goal of providing on every screen the sound and image exactly envisioned by each film’s creator.”


“As one of the newest and most successful cineplexes in Hong Kong, we are thrilled to join hands with Warner Bros. Pictures International to support the development of digital cinema in Asia,” said Raymond Chan of The Grand.



About Warner Bros. Pictures International:

Warner Bros. Pictures International meets worldwide tastes and demands with a diverse mix of filmed entertainment and is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films. WBPI operates offices in more than 23 countries and releases films in over 120 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures. Warner Bros. Pictures International is a Warner Bros. Entertainment company, a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across current and emerging media and platforms. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.


About Orange Sky Golden Harvest

Orange Sky Golden Harvest, previously known as Golden Harvest, is one of Asia’s best known and most influential film and entertainment companies.

Listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong since 1994, Orange Sky Golden Harvest currently operates 28 multiplexes with 223 screens across Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore, commanding a substantial share of the film exhibition and distribution markets in Asia. Orange Sky Golden Harvest has produced over 450 films and nurtured movie legends such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. The company is also the distributor of countless successful films in both Chinese and foreign languages.



About Vie Show Cinemas, a subsidiary of Orange Sky Golden Harvest

Vie Show Cinemas was established in 1997, having brought the era of multiplex cinemas into Taiwan. Vie Show Cinemas is the current market leader in Taiwan’s exhibition industry, with 8 locations island-wide, accounting for 35% of Taiwan’s total box office market share. Further to continuing market expansions and development of innovative services, Vie Show Cinemas established the distribution company Vie Vision Pictures in 2006 with the mission to provide more variety of films into Taiwan. More information about the company can be found at www.vscinemas.com.tw : .


About Multiplex Cinema Limited (MCL)

Multiplex Cinema Limited (MCL), established since 1982, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Intercontinental Group Holdings Limited. MCL currently operates 5 cinemas with 21 screens in Hong Kong and 2 cinemas of 10 screens (one will open on March 2010) in Shenzhen, China. MCL also partnered with Shaw Group in 2007 to launch the most deluxe and largest cinema complex in Hong Kong, The Grand Cinema. MCL was one of the first cinema circuits in Hong Kong to release films on a regular basis in digital and was a pioneer in digital 3D exhibition in Hong Kong.


About The Grand

The Grand is jointly owned by the Shaw Group and Multiplex Cinema Ltd.

It is the only complex in Hong Kong that features a proprietary infrasonic audio system, “Shaw Active Sound,” giving the audience an enhanced sub-woofer experience. It is the largest cineplex in town with 1,600 seats in twelve houses – all with spacious stepped seating. An adjoining café, restaurant, art gallery and interactive zone provide extra entertainment amenities to cinemagoers. Particular attention during the design process was given to the audio system, acoustic treatment and overall architectural configuration, to bring the individual houses up to a standard approaching that of professional recording studios.


Warner Bros. PicturesJessica Zacholl818/954-3599 Jessica.Zacholl@warnerbros.com : mailto:Jessica.Zacholl@warnerbros.com