“L Change the WorLd” - Highest Opening For A Japanese Film In 2008

(February 13, 2008 – Burbank, CA) – Warner Bros. Pictures Japan set a year-to-date opening record for 2008 with the release of “L Change the WorLd.” The film opened on 398 screens nationwide on Saturday, February 9. The three-day opening weekend brought in more than 846 million yen ($7.9 million) at the box office and over 670,000 in admissions. Warner Bros., the only foreign film distributor in Japan to open a domestic film at #1, has accomplished this feat now for the third time. Additionally, “L Change the WorLd” is Warner Bros.’s third consecutive #1 opening in Japan following “I Am Legend” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” The film is a spin-off from the record-smashing two-part Death Note series, with the total BOG for the three-film franchise projected to surpass 12 billion yen and 10 million admissions. “Death Note,” and “Death Note: The Last Name” were both released in 2006 and together grossed over 8 billion yen ($69 million) at the box office for Warner Bros. “Death Note” launched on June 17 on 342 screens nationwide, grossing 400 million yen ($3.48 million) at the box office with more than 300,000 admissions in its two-day opening. It was the first Japanese film to open at number one for a foreign distributor. “Death Note: The Last Name” was the second film in this category for Warner Bros. in 2006. “Death Note: The Last Name” opened on 351 screens nationwide on Friday, November 3. The record-breaking, three-day opening weekend brought in more than 1.2 billion yen ($10.3 million) at the box office and over 975,000 in admissions. The feature film continues the story adapted from the super hit comic book “Death Note.” The film franchise has triggered a cultural phenomenon now known in Japan as “Death Note Syndrome.” The total cumulative number of comic books sold, which was 12 million with nine existing volumes at the time of the first film’s production announcement, has now broken through 26 million with 12 volumes. The first “Death Note” film was aired on network television just prior to the release of the sequel, garnering a 24% ratings share nationwide. “Death Note: The Last Name” was aired the week before the opening of “L Change the WorLd” and saw a similar ratings share of 24% nationwide. Warner Bros. Japan is aggressively tapping into the popularity of local content, which now makes up about 50% of the theatrical market. Warner Bros. Japan will release five more locally-produced films in 2008: “Sweet Rain: Shinigami no Seido” (March), “Sushi Ohji” (April), “The Sky Crawlers” (August), “Ichi” (October), and “252: Seizonsha Ari” (December). “L Change the WorLd” Seiji Okuda, executive producer, Tadashi Tanaka, Takahiro Sato, and Yoshinobu Kosugi, producers; directed by Hideo Nakata; L Change the WorLd Film Partners - Nippon Television Network Corporation, Shueisha Inc., HoriPro, Inc., Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Vap, Inc., Shochiku Co., Ltd., Nikkatsu Corporation, and Warner Bros. Pictures Japan; released by Warner Bros. Pictures, Japan. WITH: Ken'ichi Matsuyama (L); Youki Kudoh (Kimiko Kujo); Mayuko Fukuda (Maki Nikaido); Kiyotaka Nanbara (Hideaki Suruga) # # #