Warner Home Video and Mattel Enter Exclusive Home Entertainment Distri

Warner Home Video and Mattel Enter Exclusive Home Entertainment Distribution Agreement for Hot Wheels Property

    Business Editors/Entertainment Editors/Toy Industry Writers

    BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 14, 2005--

Deal Encompasses Four High-Octane DVD/VHS Premiere Movies Debuting with AcceleRacers(TM): Ignition in March 2005
    Warner Home Video Inc. (WHV) and Mattel Inc. (NYSE:MAT) have entered into a worldwide home video distribution agreement for the company's new Hot Wheels(R) AcceleRacers(TM) property. The announcement was made jointly today by Jeff Brown, Senior Vice President Worldwide Marketing, Warner Home Video, and Steve Ross, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Entertainment & Business Development, Mattel.
    Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, WHV will have exclusive distribution rights to four Hot Wheels(TM) movies promoting the new AcceleRacers(TM) animated property in all territories throughout 2005, beginning with the debut release of the first installment of the four-part movie saga, "AcceleRacers(TM): Ignition," on March 22, 2005. Additional titles to be released this year on DVD and VHS include "The Speed of Silence," "The Challenge" and "The Ultimate Race."
    Mattel's Hot Wheels(R) brand, the No. 1 selling vehicle toy in the U.S., will become this year's hot new animated movie series with the debut of AcceleRacers(TM). The story is told in four parts, yet each movie can stand alone. Kids do not need to see the prior movie to understand the next installment, but once they become members of the AcceleRacers(TM) franchise, they will want to own all four movies. The four AcceleRacers(TM) movie releases will be supported by a year-long multi-million Dollar campaign, including 12 weeks of pre-awareness (reaching 94 million U.S. households three or more times) for the first release, "Ignition," with extensive consumer products support. Additional awareness will be generated as all four AcceleRacers(TM) movies will air multiple times on Cartoon Network throughout 2005, timed just prior to each home video release. The first television premiere of "AcceleRacers(TM): Ignition" in January performed 74% better than the time period average on Cartoon Network.
    "We are very excited to partner with leading toy manufacturer Mattel on this incredible Hot Wheels(R) AcceleRacers(TM) launch," said Brown. "Hot Wheels(R) is by far one of the leading young boy brands in the industry, with its more than 35 year history of entertaining kids. The demand for the Hot Wheels(R) programming is clearly evident, with the success of the shows to date on Cartoon Network. The four-part AcceleRacers(TM) movie saga will be a remarkable year-long release campaign from WHV supported by aggressive marketing and promotional partners, becoming one of the hottest home entertainment properties for young boys in 2005."
    "The property will have fresh new content every week now through the Fall with the TV specials, webisodes and online games. AcceleRacers(TM) will fully engage and immerse kids into the story, the characters and the related products," said Ross.
    A full-throttle, action-packed racing brand series geared for young boys, "Hot Wheels(R) AcceleRacers(TM): Ignition" pits two rival races teams, Teku(TM) and Metal Maniacs(TM), who are recruited by Dr. Peter Tezla to race in the fantastic Racing Realms and retrieve the all-powerful Accele-Charger(TM) devices before they fall into the hands of the deadly Racing Drones(TM). The Racing Realms become a high-speed battleground as two teams of human racers compete with deadly robotic racers and secret undercover drivers to see if they have the skill and courage to win the ultimate race -- and the ultimate power that goes with it! "Hot Wheels(R) AcceleRacers(TM): Ignition" will be available on March 22, 2005 on DVD for $19.98 SRP and VHS for $14.94. Order due date is February 22, 2005.

    About Mattel:

    Mattel, Inc. (NYSE:MAT) (www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products, including Barbie(R), the most popular fashion doll ever introduced. The Mattel family of toys and games is comprised of such best-selling brands as Hot Wheels(R), Matchbox(R), American Girl(R) and Fisher-Price(R), which also includes Little People(R), Rescue Heroes(TM), Power Wheels(R), as well as a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 25,000 people in 36 countries and sells products in more than 150 nations throughout the world. The Mattel vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.

    About Warner Home Video:

    With operations in 89 international territories, Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment. Warner Home Video also represents such leading kid entertainment properties such as Scooby-Doo, Looney Tunes and DC Comics Kids.

--30--CS/la*

CONTACT: Warner Home Video Melissa Hufjay, 818-977-7310 melissa.hufjay@warnerbros.com or Mattel Sara Rosales, 310-252-5397 rosaless@mattel.com

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: ADVERTISING/MARKETING RETAIL MOTION PICTURES CONSUMER/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCT MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Warner Home Video Inc.

Copyright Business Wire 2005