Canadian Theatrical Debut of DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME

Special One-Night-Only Presentation of Supernatural Crime Thriller to Delight Canadian Fans Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press release Official Movie Site: Death Note Films Special Thanks to Manami Iiboshi and Erik Jansen

VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced an exciting one-night only theatrical event – DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME – showing at select Cineplex Entertainment and Empire Theatres locations across Canada on Wednesday, December 3rd. Advance tickets are now on sale. For more information, screening times, advance tickets and a complete list of participating theatres go to DeathNoteFilms.com/tickets, cineplex.com, or empiretheatres.com/deathnote2. VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP magazine will lend additional support with a promo ad in the December 2008 issue, which hit stores on November 4th. Earlier this year, VIZ Pictures partnered with Cineplex Entertainment and Empire Theatres to present the first DEATH NOTE live-action film theatrically in Canada. Based on the enthusiastic response, combined with the continued overall popularity of the DEATH NOTE franchise, the companies will again be showing this presentation (English dubbed) in nearly every major Canadian city. DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME is based on the hit supernatural action mystery manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. The live-action film is a sequel to the movie DEATH NOTE, which closely followed the plot of the original manga series, but also introduces several new key story elements. Taking place right after the conclusion of the first movie, Light Yagami joins the investigation team in pursuit of the serial killer known as "Kira.” While L still strongly suspects that Light is "Kira,” Light Yagami continues to seek out the real name of L so he can kill him with his Death Note. Making things even more unpredictable are the `Eyes of Death`, given to the second Kira, enabling the owner to know the true identity and lifespan of any person. Adding further confusion for the authorities, a new rash of murders attributed to the Death Note occurs all over the world and is attributed to "the Second Kira.” Light Yagami learns the identity of the other Kira and wants to join forces to get rid of L. Will L be able to catch "Kira" before he gets killed? Who will be the last name written in the Death Note book?

“DEATH NOTE is one of the most original and compelling manga and animated properties to come out of Japan and ideally suited to make the transition to the live action film genre,” says Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures. “The recent theatrical presentations of DEATH NOTE and DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME in the United States were a phenomenal success and this latest chapter will now captivate Canadian audiences with a new level of psychological drama as conflicted hero/villain Light Yagami struggles to stay one step ahead of the authorities. We invite fans everywhere to enjoy this special event.” The theatrical screenings will also feature an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary about the creation of this breakthrough live-action production, an in-depth interview with director Shusuke Kaneko, who also directed the first DEATH NOTE film, and a unique profile of the film’s cast. “Thousands of Canadian fans turned out for the screening of the first DEATH NOTE live-action film at our theatres and we are delighted to present the sequel, DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME to our audiences across the country,” says Pat Marshall, Vice-President, Communications and Investor Relations for Cineplex Entertainment. “The cat and mouse supernatural crime mystery that made the original film such a hit with audiences continues in this exciting concluding chapter and we look forward to giving our guests this rare opportunity to see the film on our big screens in High-Definition and digital surround sound.”

“Empire Theatres is excited to be following up on the success of DEATH NOTE in September. Canadian fans of the DEATH NOTE manga and animated properties are clamoring to see this 2nd installment of the franchise,” says Dean Leland, Vice President of Media and Studio Relations for Empire Theatres. “We are looking forward to continuing to bringing great products to this community of fans.” The DEATH NOTE manga and animated series have become extremely popular domestically. The 37-episode animated series is seen by millions each week on cable broadcast and the series is also distributed on DVD by VIZ Media (rated T+ for Older Teens). On the print side, Death Note 13: How to Read, a companion volume to the successful manga series, also published domestically by VIZ Media, was recently ranked in USA Today`s Top 150 list of America`s best-selling books. About Cineplex Entertainment LP As the largest motion picture exhibitor in Canada, Cineplex Entertainment LP owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 129 theatres with 1,317 screens serving approximately 61 million guests annually. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex Entertainment operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec and is the largest exhibitor of digital, 3D and IMAX projection technologies in the country. Proudly Canadian and with a workforce of more than 8,000, the company operates the following top tier brands: Cineplex Odeon, Galaxy and Famous Players including Colossus, Coliseum and SilverCity, in addition to Cinema City and Scotiabank Theatres. The units of Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund, which owns approximately 76% of Cineplex Entertainment LP, are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol CGX.UN). For more information, visit cineplex.com.

About Empire Theatres Limited Empire Theatres Limited is a 100% owned subsidiary of Empire Company Limited with its corporate headquarters in Stellarton, NS and regional offices in Halifax, NS, Toronto, ON and Calgary, AB. Empire Theatres owns and operates 52 theatres with 386 screens across Canada from Newfoundland to British Columbia. Empire Theatres is Canada`s second largest and fastest growing film exhibition company providing an exciting out-of-home entertainment experience including traditional film exhibition as well as other content using its digital and satellite capabilities. 2008 marks Empire Theatres’ 30th year in the motion picture exhibition business. With approximately 3,000 employees, Empire Theatres provides excellent employment opportunities for the youth of Canada in an exciting and energetic industry. About VIZ Pictures, Inc. Based in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Pictures, Inc. distributes Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with particular focus on Japanese "kawaii (cute) and cool" pop culture. VIZ Pictures approaches each release from a J-pop fan`s point of view to serve manga and anime generation in North America. VIZ Pictures titles include TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO, LINDA LINDA LINDA, THE TASTE OF TEA, and PING PONG. The company will continue to offer the hottest visual entertainment straight from the "Kingdom of Pop" for audiences of all ages in North America. VIZ Pictures, Inc. is an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC, the San Francisco-based leading U.S. publisher of Japanese manga (comics) and merchandise licensor of Japanese animation such as the popular NARUTO animated TV series. For more information please visit viz-pictures.com.

About VIZ Media, LLC Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; and web site at VIZ.com. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For more information on DEATH NOTE and DEATH NOTE II: THE LAST NAME please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: