Walmart and Warner Bros. Give Superman Fans Exclusive Opportunity to See "Man of Steel" First

BENTONVILLE, Ark., and BURBANK, Calif., April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Superman fans, mark your calendars! Walmart announced today that it has partnered with Warner Bros. to give its customers exclusive access to see Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures' "Man of Steel" in theaters nationwide before the film's official release. This program marks the first time in entertainment history that a studio has partnered with a retailer to provide such an opportunity for fans.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130424/LA00626)

Tickets for the exclusive screening of "Man of Steel," will go on sale in more than 3,700 Walmart stores starting at 8 a.m. on May 18. Customers will be able to purchase up to four tickets per visit, and have the option to choose between 2D or 3D showings, where applicable. The advance screening will take place in selected local theaters nationwide at 7 p.m. on June 13.

"We couldn't be more excited to give our customers and associates early access to one of the summer's most anticipated movies," said Laura Phillips, senior vice president of entertainment at Walmart U.S. "Walmart's premiere of 'Man of Steel' once again proves we have the ambition and studio partnerships to develop unique retail programs that give our customers access to the movies they love."

Dan Fellman, Warner Bros. Pictures president of domestic distribution, stated, "We are extremely pleased to partner with Walmart on this unprecedented initiative, which will allow devoted fans to be among the first to see 'Man of Steel.'  We know the movie delivers and believe this unique partnership will kick off strong word of mouth that, thanks to the reach and immediacy of social media, will propel moviegoers to theaters nationwide."

The director of "Man of Steel," Zack Snyder, added, "We have appreciated the unwavering support of the fans, and can't wait to share the movie with them. I am thrilled that Walmart is giving us this terrific opportunity to open the doors early."

Mobile App, Merchandise and More

In addition to being the first among their friends to see "Man of Steel," Walmart customers can also take advantage of the following offers:

• Priority Purchase of Blu-ray Combo Pack or HD Digital Download:  Each ticket bought at Walmart will feature a code on the back that allows customers to pre-order their own Blu-ray Combo Pack or HD Digital Download of "Man of Steel," which will contain exclusive film content.
• Official "Man of Steel Experience" Mobile App:  Fans can bring Superman to life with the official "Man of Steel Experience" augmented reality app. The app allows customers to take photos with the superhero, as well as unlock special photo frames by pointing their phone at "Man of Steel" signage in their local Walmart. To download the app please visit: Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Exclusive Original Digital Comic Book:  Customers will receive a free original Digital Comic Book written by "Man of Steel" screenwriter David Goyer with every ticket.
• "Man of Steel" Merchandise:  Beginning April 28, a variety of "Man of Steel" merchandise such as t-shirts, electronics, posters and more from top brands will be available at Walmart stores and at Walmart.com.

Walmart invites customers to join the conversation and show their excitement for the first screening of "Man of Steel" on Facebook and on Twitter with the hashtag #SeeSteelFirst. For more information and to view the selected theaters please visit: www.walmart.com/ManofSteel.

About "MAN OF STEEL"

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures comes "Man of Steel," starring Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent/Superman, under the direction of Zack Snyder.  A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this Earth.  As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do.  But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.

"Man of Steel" also stars Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni and Russell Crowe.  The film is produced by Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas and Deborah Snyder.  The screenplay was written by David S. Goyer from a story by Goyer & Nolan, based upon Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster and published by DC Entertainment.  Thomas Tull, Lloyd Phillips and Jon Peters serve as executive producers.  Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Legendary Pictures, a Syncopy Production, a Zack Snyder Film, "Man of Steel."  Opening nationwide on June 14, 2013, the film will be released in 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX^®, and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.  "Man of Steel" has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language. www.manofsteel.com

About Walmart 

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices.  Each week, more than 200 million customers and members visit our 10,500 stores under 69 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 10 countries. With fiscal year 2012 sales of approximately $444 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmartnewsroom. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

About Warner Bros. Entertainment

Warner Bros. Entertainment is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms. A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Walmart Media Relations
Sarah Spencer
Phone:  1-800-331-0085
http://walmartstores.com/reporter

Warner Bros.
Barry Ziehl
Phone:  1-818-954-6804
[email protected]

SOURCE Warner Bros.