Press Releases

October 10, 2017 - CULVER CITY, CA - Sony Pictures Virtual Reality (SPVR), Madison Wells Media's Reality One and VRX Networks today announced a multi-picture agreement to produce and distribute virtual reality experiences for select SPE films, expanding SPVR's in-home and location-based channels of distribution. The deal will commence with a fully immersive and dynamic virtual reality experience based on SPE's upcoming movie, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and will be followed by one for Sony Pictures Animation's Hotel Transylvania 3 in 2018.

To coincide with the December 2017 film release, audiences will experience what it is like to enter a magical, fully interactive 3D jungle in Jumanji: The VR Adventure. In the VR experience, fans control their favorite movie characters as they build a team and set out to lift the curse of Jumanji while outwitting evil henchmen and evading dangerous wildlife. Jumanji: The VR Adventure will be available at VRX Networks virtual reality kiosks in movie theaters and shopping malls. The virtual reality experience will debut at 50 locations across the United States and UK, with plans to expand to South America, Asia and Australia in advance of the Jumanji motion picture release.

"When it comes to VR, we've found that, in addition to great in-home experiences, there's a real opportunity for location-based entertainment. VRX Networks is a great partner for us to broaden out our distribution on this channel," said Jake Zim, senior vice president, virtual reality, Sony Pictures Entertainment. "Our goal at SPVR is to develop the business of virtual reality. This partnership represents another way to monetize our content while offering audiences an exciting way to dive into our movie worlds."

"We're very excited to expand our relationship with the SPVR team. At VRX, we're dedicated to bringing high quality VR experiences to global audiences. Our strategy allows us to scale rapidly into cinemas, malls and other high traffic venues to reach large audiences and extend the movie going experience. SPVR has been incredibly supportive and dedicated to the growth of the VR industry and Jumanji: The VR Adventure will be another great spectacle for our global audiences to experience the wonder and awe that VR offers," said Nicholas Cooper, chief creative officer, VRX Networks.

"Since we first began working with the SPVR team last year, we have seen how powerful their IP has been in attracting fans to our immersive content," said Reality One co-founders Gigi Pritzker and Clint Kisker. "We are excited to work with VRX Networks to help scale how we can bring these projects to the masses."

This partnership is the latest in a series of deals to produce fully immersive content based on SPE's unique intellectual property. In 2016, SVPR announced their partnership with Reality One to develop VR experiences based off SPE's slate of motion pictures and franchises leading with the release of Passengers: Awakening VR Experience. SPVR also teamed up with THE VOID in 2016 to launch Ghostbusters: Dimension in which fans got to battle against supernatural foes. In 2017, SPVR released Can You Walk The Walk through IMAX VR locations. In June, the studio unveiled Spider-Man: Homecoming VR, a multi-platform VR experience in which players don the superhero's costume and test their web-slinging skills.

Sony Pictures Virtual Reality is joined by longtime partner Reality One in co-producing these new VR experiences, which will be available at VR locations worldwide as well as in-home on PlayStation© VR, Steam, Viveport and the Oculus Store.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., which is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE's Motion Picture Group includes film labels Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Animation, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com.

ABOUT VRX NETWORKS
VRX Networks creates immersive blockbuster virtual reality experiences based on major motion picture and television IPs for consumers' entertainment pleasure. VRX partners with Hollywood and TV studios to adapt blockbuster features to the VR universe and distribute through our global location-based entertainment network. Founded by industry veterans Nicholas Cooper, Olivier Katz and Adam Vahed, VRX Networks is a privately held virtual reality production and distribution company with offices in the U.S and U.K. For more information please contact Greg Heckmann at greg.heckmann@vrxnetworks.com.

ABOUT REALITY ONE
“Founded in 2015 by Gigi Pritzker and Clint Kisker, Reality One is a premium immersive media content company dedicated to producing and distributing the highest quality VR and AR experiences created by the world's best storytellers. The company is based in Los Angeles, California and is a subsidiary of Madison Wells Media, a diversified premium content company.”

Contact:
Lisa Broock
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Lisa_broock@spe.sony.com
310-244-4148