Middle-earth spreads to four corners of the planet
~ The Lord of the Rings set to reach over 150 million-strong mobile community ~
Helsinki, 11th December, 2001: Mobile phone users worldwide now have direct access to the fantasy world of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ via their handsets.
In the final count down to New Line Cinema’s eagerly-awaited December 19 film launch, Riot Entertainment (RIOT-E, www.riot-e.com), the global leader in wireless entertainment, has joined forces with some of the world’s largest mobile operators with exclusive deals to deliver the range of services.
RIOT-E’s mobile ‘The Lord of the Rings’ services will be available to subscribers across the four continents of Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania.
The unique mobile services bring alive the mysteries of Middle-earth and the characters’ journeys in an innovative, entertaining way. Fans of the trilogy can play single or multi-player games and test their ‘The Lord of the Rings’ knowledge using SMS and WAP. They can also personalise their handsets with a variety of original ‘The Lord of the Rings’ picture messages, logos, ringtones and phonecovers.
“The global appeal of ‘The Lord of The Rings’ mobile services has proven that wireless entertainment based on well-loved, traditional forms of media can attract operators to offer value-added services for their customers. In addition, content owners are presented with a new promotional tool that reaches target segments at a low cost while the consumer themselves receive compelling services they really want based on brands, characters and events they already love, ” said Jan Wellmann, CEO at RIOT-E.
“In this way we can tap into the communities of dedicated ‘The Lord of the Rings’ followers, as well as helping to create a whole new fan base. The various deals we have signed mean we can now offer our services to over 150 million people. By providing interactive ‘The Lord of The Rings’ mobile entertainment services, we can help to ensure that a whole new generation can now enjoy this classic creation,” he continued.
About Riot Entertainment Ltd (www.riot-e.com)
Founded in February 2000, Riot Entertainment immediately established itself as the most innovative publisher, creator and distributor of entertainment in the wireless sector. RIOT-E provides wireless entertainment, communication and commerce to mobile users worldwide. Games created by RIOT-E are promoted and co-branded in parallel with highly visible international media releases such as movies, TV shows and sports events. RIOT-E has successfully launched its Bridget Jones’s Diary and X-Men mobile services with operators in Europe and Asia and has secured exclusive rights to mobile content based on Guinness World Records and New Line Cinema’s The Lord of The Rings film trilogy. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, RIOT-E employs 70 people worldwide.
About New Line Cinema (www.newline.com)
Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the entertainment industry’s leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures. New Line licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as to international venues. The company, which is a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc., operates several divisions including in-house theatrical distribution, marketing, home video, television, acquisitions, production, licensing and merchandising units.
