EA Extends The Lord of the Rings License
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EA AND NEW LINE CINEMA EXTEND THE LORD OF THE RINGS LICENSE
EA Agreement with New Line Cinema and Tolkien Enterprises Extended with All-New Title in Development for 2008
For Immediate Release
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 28, 2007 Electronic Arts Inc., (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that it has renewed the license to launch additional games within the world created by J.R.R. Tolkien's epic literary fiction, The Lord of the Rings™, through 2008. EA has developed games based on New Line Cinema's Academy Award® winning theatrical productions of The Lord of the Rings since 2001. To date, the New Line Cinema feature film trilogy has grossed more than $3 billion worldwide. By moving ahead with this popular license, and the development of an all-new title scheduled for release in 2008, EA will continue to give gamers the most engaging experiences in the realm of Middle-earth.
(The Lord of the Rings is an incredible canvas to create epic games,) said Frank Gibeau, EA's executive vice president and general manager of North American publishing. (We look forward to our next project with New Line Cinema and Tolkien Enterprises scheduled to ship in 2008.)
(We have a long history of making great games with EA and are thrilled to extend our longstanding relationship,) said David Imhoff, New Line's senior executive vice president of worldwide licensing and merchandising. (We look forward to working closely with EA to create even more compelling Lord of the Rings adventures in the future.)
With EA and New Line Cinema's continued partnership, fans can look forward to new, in-depth and compelling interactive adventures inspired by the books and movies of The Lord of the Rings. Details will be forthcoming on an all-new The Lord of the Rings title.
EA was granted the rights to The Lord of the Rings videogames based on the trilogy of books by J.R.R. Tolkien, in accordance with an agreement with the Saul Zaentz Company D/B/A Tolkien Enterprises, in addition to a separate agreement which allows for games based on the New Line Cinema films. For information about all of EA's games, please visit EA's press site at www.info.ea.com .
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for videogame systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTSTM, EATM, EA SPORTS BIGTM and POGOTM. In fiscal 2006, EA posted revenue of $2.95 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com .
About Tolkien Enterprises
The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Tolkien Enterprises is the holder of worldwide motion picture, legitimate stage, merchandising, and other rights in J.R.R. Tolkien's literary works The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Tolkien Enterprises has been producing and licensing films, stage productions and merchandise based on Tolkien's works for almost 30 years. Its headquarters are in Berkeley, California, and its website may be found at www.tolkien-ent.com.
About New Line Cinema Corporation
Founded almost 40 years ago, New Line Cinema is the most successful independent film company in the world. Its mission is to produce innovative, popular and profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. In addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, the fully-integrated studio has divisions devoted to home entertainment, television, music, theater, merchandising and an international unit. In 2005, New Line partnered with HBO to form Picturehouse, a new theatrical distribution company to release independent films. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line's Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most successful film franchises in history. New Line is a division of Time Warner, Inc. (TWX).
