Universal Studios and I-play to deliver Movie Clips to Mobile

Published Sep 18, 2006

Universal Studios and I-play, the mobile entertainment company, today announced a new video offering that brings the most memorable scenes from unforgettable blockbusters to mobile. Through a groundbreaking license agreement with Universal Mobile Entertainment, I-play and Universal have created the Mobile Moments channel, where audiences can view the best clips from Universal Studios' most popular blockbuster movies. The first video clips to hit handsets include The 40-Year-Old Virgin, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Animal House, The Breakfast Club, E.T., Jurassic Park, and Sixteen Candles, all launching in North America later this year.

This partnership marks a significant shift in I-play's strategic direction, which until now has been focused exclusively on mobile games. The on-demand video offering is also the first for Universal Mobile Entertainment.

Scenes from the following blockbuster movie hits will be the first added to the Mobile Moments catalog:

∑ The 40-Year-Old Virgin - Andy Stitzer went 40 years without sex before his friends made it their mission to help him "score." A comedy from director Jude Apatow, released in 2005, starring Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco and Seth Rogen.

∑ The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift - Set in the sexy and colorful underground world of Japanese drift racing, the newest and fastest customized rides go head-to-head on some of the most perilous courses in the world. An action thriller from Justin Lin, released in 2006, starring Lucas Black and Bow Wow.

∑ Animal House - One of the most popular comedies of all time follows the Delta fraternity through a hilarious spoof of 1960's college life. A comedy from director John Landis, released in 1978, starring John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Donald Sutherland and Stephen Furst.

∑ The Breakfast Club - Five students with nothing in common become good friends during Saturday detention in their school library. A comedy from director John Hughes, released in 1985, starring Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Ally Sheedy.

∑ E.T. - Magic and imagination ensue when a lost alien befriends a 10-year-old boy in this hugely popular masterpiece. A family adventure from director Steven Spielberg, released in 1982, starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote.

∑ Jurassic Park - Five people fight for their lives as a prehistoric theme park, boasting real-life dinosaurs, turns deadly in this spectacular box-office hit. An adventure thriller from director Steven Spielberg, released in 1993, starring Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough.

∑ Sixteen Candles - In this coming-of-age account of teen-hood, Samantha Baker's entire family forgets her sixteenth birthday. A comedy from director John Hughes, released in 1984, starring Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall.

"People love to talk about, reminisce over, and imitate their favorite moments from film and television. Now those same fans can have clips from Universal's rich film and TV library anywhere they go, anytime they want them," said Jeremy Laws, Senior Vice President, Universal Mobile Entertainment. "I-play's proven reach and advanced technical platform make them the perfect partner for this project in North America and we look at this as a very natural extension of our strong relationship with them in mobile gaming."

David Gosen, CEO of I-play commented: "Having moved our mobile gaming business into a position of sustained operational profitability, we continuously look at ways to leverage our internal technology and strong brand relationships to further build revenues. Since 1998 we have invested in and developed a proprietary carrier grade content management and hosting platform to support the distribution and monetization of mobile entertainment. The move into hosting and serving streaming video content is a natural evolution for the business that fully utilizes the capabilities of our platform, our distribution and consumer insight."

Commenting on the new license agreement, Gosen added: "Our strategic partnership with Universal is testament to the long standing success we've enjoyed with mobile game hits like The Fast and The Furious franchise, the most popular racing game in mobile history with more than five million downloads. There is no doubt that on-demand video services will advance our relationship with Universal even further and together with our valued carrier partners, we look forward to breaking new ground in the licensing of Hollywood content for mobile video."

I-play's move into on-demand video application delivery will support its 'mass market' approach to mobile gaming, offering something for everyone, in a fun, accessible package. The company plans to announce more video based deals over the coming months as consumer demand for video services increase.

Universal and I-play are working with Corbis, the industry leader in digital rights and licensing management. "Many of the strongest brands worldwide are working with Corbis to provide access to robust and dynamic content for consumers and we are happy to include I-play among them," commented David Reeder, Director of Branded Content Solutions for Corbis.

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