|
< Back to Previous Page
Thomson Signs Strategic Agreement with Twentieth Century Fox
To Advance Digital Cinema Rollout Plans in North America
Twentieth Century Fox Agrees to Utilize Digital Projection Systems from Technicolor Digital Cinema In 5,000 Screens in the United States and Canada; Thomson on Track to Begin Beta Test Deployment in First Quarter of 2006
Further demonstrating its industry leadership in the provision of digital cinema services and technologies to major film studios, Thomson (Euronext 18453; NYSE: TMS) today announced that its Services division, through its Technicolor Digital Cinema business, has reached a long-term digital cinema equipment usage agreement with Twentieth Century Fox to advance Thomson’s groundbreaking plans for the distribution of digital cinema content and systems throughout North America. The accord follows the company’s recently-announced agreements with DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros.
Under the terms of the agreement, Twentieth Century Fox will distribute its film content digitally throughout the United States and Canada, and pay a virtual print fee to Technicolor Digital Cinema for content played on screens equipped with Technicolor systems, beginning in the first quarter of 2006. Twentieth Century Fox’s support of the Technicolor Digital Cinema plan covers an initial rollout of complete digital projection systems in up to 5,000 DCI-compliant screens over the next 3-4 years. Thomson, through its Technicolor Digital Cinema business, intends to deploy at least 15,000 digitally-equipped screens in the United States and Canada over the next 10 years through the initial rollout and additional phases.
“We are delighted to reach agreement with Fox on its use of our digital cinema systems, and greatly appreciate the help they have provided us in their thoughtfulness on how the conversion to digital is going to take place for the industry,” said Joe Berchtold, president of Technicolor Electronic Distribution Services, and head of Technicolor Digital Cinema. “This is a further indication that we have a plan that is going to work for studios and exhibitors, and we look forward to working with Fox on this transition for the next several years.”
|
