Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It’ to Be Presented in Theaters Around the World by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment

“This Is It” is being produced with the full support of
The Estate of Michael Jackson and will be drawn from hundreds of hours
of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage, captured in high definition
with state-of-the-art digital sound as the late singer was preparing
for his concert series in London. The film, which will also offer
select sequences in 3-D, will provide a unique career retrospective and
feature interviews with some of Jackson’s closest friends and creative
collaborators.

The announcement was made by Michael Lynton, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Amy Pascal,
Co-Chairman of the studio, Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, Chief Executive Officer
of Sony Music Entertainment, and Rob Stringer, Chairman of
Columbia/Epic Label Group, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment.
The companies serve as the principal entertainment divisions of Sony
Corporation.

Joining Sony in the announcement was The Estate of
Michael Jackson, administered by his longtime attorney John Branca and
veteran music executive John McClain, a Jackson family friend for more
than 40 years. Proceeds the Estate earns from the film’s release will
benefit the Michael Jackson Family Trust, the entity that Mr. Jackson
specified in his will is to receive all of his assets.

The rights to the exclusive footage were acquired from
AEG Live and The Estate of Michael Jackson. Sony Pictures and Sony
Music will co-produce with AEG Live and the Estate, and Sony Pictures
will distribute the film worldwide. Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware
of AEG Live will serve as producers of the film.

The majority of the film’s footage was shot in June, 2009
at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California and The Forum in
Inglewood, California, as Jackson prepared for “This Is It,” the series
of fifty concerts Jackson planned to present at the O2 Arena in London.

“This Is It” will offer Jackson fans and music lovers
worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, his career,
and the stage spectacular that would have been. The film will provide
moviegoers with an unforgettable front row experience compiled from
extensive footage that shows Jackson’s meticulous preparation for his
2009 London shows.

Said Branca, “Our goal is to work with partners who treat
Michael’s legacy with dignity and respect, while allowing us to
substantially build the value of his estate for the benefit of Mrs.
Katherine Jackson, Michael’s three children and the charitable causes
that meant so much to him during his life. We are confident we found
the right partners for this project in Sony Pictures Entertainment and
Sony Music Entertainment. Sony and Michael enjoyed a long and mutually
beneficial history together, and it’s only fitting that the
relationship continues.”

Said McClain, “This film is not only a tribute to an
artist who created excitement every moment he was on stage, but also is
a fitting gift to the millions of fans worldwide who loved him and who
he devoted his professional life to entertaining. John and I are
thrilled to be working with Sony to build on Michael’s musical legacy
in a way that will generate significant proceeds for his family and for
children in need.”

“People who have seen this footage are astounded by the
amazing quality of Michael Jackson’s performance,” said Lynton. “This
historic recording of the last time he sang and danced on stage shows
the legendary artist in an incredibly powerful way, with crystal clear
images and sound. We understand the importance of producing a film that
pays tribute to Michael as an artist, and are honored to work with The
Estate of Michael Jackson to give audiences the gift of his final
performances. I know this film will serve as further proof that Michael
Jackson is one of the greatest entertainers who ever graced a stage.”

“Michael lives on through his songs, his creative genius,
his body of work and his passion for his art,” said Rob Stringer. “He
was a perfectionist on stage and through this unique film, audiences
will be able to see, many for the first time, how much Michael poured
into making his performances as special as they were perfect.”

Said Kenny Ortega, director of and Jackson’s creative
partner on the This Is It concert, “The world will see what our team
was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion
and creativity that Michael put into this project. He was the architect
of This Is It, and we were his builders. The footage that was captured
from the early stages of the production to our technical rehearsals at
the STAPLES Center in L.A. will show Michael as he truly was,
creatively involved with every aspect of the production, from the
staging and choreography, to the music, lighting, production design and
conception of the original short films and video backdrops. It will
also show Michael as one of the greatest entertainers in the world and
one of the industry’s most creative minds. This Is It was Michael’s
last theatrical work and although it was still a work in progress, I
think the footage will show that the process was something that Michael
deeply enjoyed and that it was clear that he was on his way to another
theatrical triumph.”

In the coming weeks, additional information about the film will be available at www.michaeljackson.com .

Peter Schlessel, President of Worldwide Affairs,
negotiated for the footage on behalf of Sony Pictures. Branca
represented The Estate of Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved
entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an
indelible imprint on popular music and culture.

Five of Jackson’s solo albums – “Off the Wall,”
“Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous” and “HIStory,” all with Epic Records, a
Sony Music label – are among the top-sellers of all time and “Thriller”
holds the distinction as the largest selling album worldwide in the
history of the recording industry with more than 70 million units sold.
Additionally, singles released from the Thriller album sold more than
100 million copies worldwide, another all time record.

During his extraordinary career, he sold an estimated 750
million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles and became one of a
handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Jackson as the Most
Successful Entertainer of All Time and “Thriller” as the Biggest
Selling Album of All Time. Jackson won 13 Grammy Awards and received
the American Music Award’s Artist of the Century Award.

Michael Jackson started in the music business at the age
of 11 with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5. In the early
1980s, he defined the art form of music video with such ground-breaking
videos as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and the epic “Thriller.” Jackson’s
sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop,
soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony
Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony
Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture
production and distribution; television production and distribution;
digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel
investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation
of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products,
services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in
more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on
the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music
company with a roster of current artists that includes a broad array of
both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a
vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in
history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from
every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista
Records, Aware, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, Black Seal, BNA
Records, Cinematic, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Epic Records,
Essential Records, Flicker Records, Fo-Yo Soul, GospoCentric, Hitz
Committee Entertainment, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records,
Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA
Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Slightly
Dangerous, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International,
Verity Records, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is
a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. For more
information, visit www.sonymusic.com