Academy Award(R) Winner Russell Crowe Stars in a Gripping and Provocative Conspiracy-Thriller That Will Have you Riveted Until the Final Twist

STATE OF PLAY

SEPTEMBER 1, 2009 OWN IT ON BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF & DVD FROM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., June 30 /PRNewswire/ –

OVERVIEW: A film that Roger Ebert calls “a smart, ingenious thriller,” State of Play‘s tale of murder, corruption, and manipulation will have you holding your breath until the final suspenseful moment. The star-studded cast is led by Academy Award(R) winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator, American Gangster), with Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting), Rachel McAdams (The Notebook), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Jason Bateman (Juno), and Robin Wright-Penn ( Forrest Gump). From director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), State of Play brings together gripping performances, riveting suspense and is “sophisticated, intelligent and powerful” ( Shawn Adams, FOX-TV).

EXCLUSIVE TO Blu-ray(TM) Hi-Def: Unleash the power of your HDTV and experience State of Play with perfect picture and the purest digital sound available.

• U-CONTROL(TM): Universal’s exclusive signature feature puts the viewer just one click away from going deeper into the making of the film without ever leaving the movie.
  • PICTURE IN PICTURE: Without leaving the movie, watch featurettes about the making of State of Play.
  • WASHINGTON, D.C. LOCATIONS: Through interactive graphics and Picture in Picture, get historical insight on the fascinating areas of Washington, D.C.
• BD-LIVE(TM): Access the BD-Live(TM) Center through your Internet-connected player to download more exclusive content, the latest trailers and more!
  • MY SCENES SHARING: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movie then share with your BD-Live buddies!

BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF and DVD):

• DELETED SCENES
• THE MAKING OF STATE OF PLAY: With interviews from director Kevin Macdonald and cast members Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams, take a behind-the-scenes look at creating State of Play.

SYNOPSIS: Oscar(R) winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in a case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation’s most promising political and corporate figures. Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins ( Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race – until his research assistant is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out. McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar(R) winner Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della ( Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer’s identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is ever safe.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF:

Street Date: September 1, 2009

Copyright: 2009 Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Selection Number: 61106214

Price: $39.98 SRP

Running Time: 2 Hours, 8 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1

Rating: PG-13 (for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content)

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, French Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles

Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French DTS Surround 5.1, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – DVD:

Street Date: September 1, 2009

Copyright: 2009 Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Selection Number: 61104845

Price: $29.98 SRP

Running time: 2 Hours, 8 Minutes

Layers: Dual Layer

Aspect Ratio: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1

Rating: PG-13 (for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content)

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, French Subtitles, Spanish Subtitles

Sound: English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1

CAST AND FILMMAKERS

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright-Penn

Screenplay By: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray

Directed By: Kevin MacDonald

Executive Producers: Paul Abbott, Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward, E. Bennett Walsh

Produced By: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Andrew Hauptman

Casting By: Avy Kaufman

Music By: Alex Heffes

Costume Designer: Jacqueline West

Editor: Justine Wright

Production Designer: Mark Friedberg

Director of Photography: Rodrigo Prieto

www.stateofplaymovie.net

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    Lea Porteneuve
    Senior Vice President, Communications and Publicity
    (818) 777-1391
    Lea.Porteneuve@nbcuni.com

    Cathy Scott
    Publicist on Behalf of Universal Studios Home Entertainment
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    Cathy.Scott@nbcuni.com

SOURCE Universal Studios Home Entertainment