AMD announced today that in addition to being the computer processing force behind the making of Star Wars: Episode III, it is also the technology sponsor of the Star Wars: Episode III "Celebration Day" event taking place Monday, May 16 in London's Leicester Square. The all-day affair will feature the world's first marathon screening of all six Star Wars movies, and provide a day's worth of intergalactic events that culminate in the UK premiere of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.

London, UK, May 10, 2005 -- Celebration Day activities, hosted by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox, will be filled with never-to-be-repeated activities open to the public including free performances of unforgettable Star Wars music performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the 501st UK Garrison of Stormtroopers patrolling Leicester Square. Also planned are red carpet appearances by George Lucas, producer Rick McCallum, stars Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) plus other surprise activities.

The leading-edge reliability and unprecedented power of AMD64 technology-based computer systems allowed George Lucas to invent an entirely new and more efficient way of movie making on Revenge of the Sith. Working with the digital artists at production company JAK Films, Lucas used AMD64-powered systems to direct real-time 3-D assets in an uninterrupted creative flow in everything from designing galaxies and futuristic cities to choreographing action sequences that take place at hyper-speed. With AMD64 technology, the JAK Films team was able to complete sequences during sessions with Lucas in a matter of hours that once went back and forth for weeks.

"The difference AMD has made to the production of the film has been immeasurable for both George and myself," said Episode III's producer, Rick McCallum. "Having AMD participate with us in this extraordinary celebration in London is a fitting tribute to their contribution to the movie."

"Revenge of the Sith is a masterpiece of storytelling and vision," said Charlie Boswell, director of Digital Media and Entertainment at AMD. "By removing traditional technology barriers to creativity, AMD64 technology allows the creator, in this case George Lucas, to balance his artistic vision with the appropriate amount of production power leaving only the imagination as the outer limit."

The same AMD64 technology used to help create Star Wars: Episode III is widely available in PCs throughout the galaxy. Alienware Aurora: Star Wars Edition PCs powered by AMD Athlon(TM) 64 FX processors are available now from Alienware in North America and in Europe. Desktop PC systems based on the upcoming AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor will help computer enthusiasts make the jump to hyper-speed later this quarter.

For more information on the use of AMD64 technology in the making of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, please click here (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ComputingSolutions/ 0,,30_288_7146_12835,00.html). (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field. You may also need to remove an extra space in the URL if one exists.)

For more information on the Alienware Aurora: Star Wars Edition PCs please visit www.alienware.com/swpr2.

About AMD64:
AMD64 evolves the industry-standard 32-bit x86 architecture to support the demanding 64-bit environment that will enable future generations of computer functionality and productivity. AMD designed the AMD64 platform to allow end users to enjoy reliable, best-in-class performance on the 32-bit software they own today while preparing for a seamless transition to high-performance 64-bit applications. The AMD64 architecture is also designed to enhance the security of your computing environment by integrating Enhanced Virus Protection technology enabled by advanced anti-virus features in Windows(R) XP Service Pack 2 and the upcoming Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1.

Since the introduction of the AMD64 architecture in 2003, the AMD Opteron(TM) processor for servers and workstations and the AMD Athlon(TM) 64 processors for desktop and notebook computers have earned more than 60 awards for innovation and performance and the support of more than 2,000 OEMs, hardware and software developers, system builders, and distributors.

About AMD: (NYSE:AMD)
AMD designs and produces innovative microprocessors, Flash memory devices and low-power processor solutions for the computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD is dedicated to delivering standards-based, customer-focused solutions for technology users, ranging from enterprises and governments to individual consumers. For more information visit www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, AMD Opteron and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and/or other jurisdictions. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact:
AMD Public Relations
Scott Carroll, 512-426-9917 (U.S.A. Contact)
scott.carroll @ amd.com
or
Theresa Zimmer, +44 (1276) 803247 (U.K. Contact)
Theresa.zimmer @ amd.com

News Source: BusinessWire India