Universal celebrates its centennial anniversary with a yearlong tribute to its movie memories

Universal will mark its 100th anniversary in 2012, and will commemorate its centennial with a yearlong celebration honouring the studio's rich film history and cultural legacy. The campaign draws its inspiration from Universal's extraordinary and diverse library of films, many of which will be highlighted throughout the year, and is designed to engage fans of all ages in the art of moviemaking.

A significant element of the centennial includes the extensive restoration of 13 of the studio's most beloved titles such as, To Kill a Mockingbird, All Quiet on the Western Front, Jaws, The Sting, Out of Africa, Frankenstein and Schindler's List.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment will kick off the celebration in January with a special 50th anniversary release of To Kill a Mockingbird, debuting on Blu-ray for the first time ever. Throughout the year, Universal will pay tribute to other influential films in the Universal library with special events and Blu-ray releases of such iconic classics as Jaws and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, which celebrates its 30th anniversary.

Moreover, Universal will reveal an updated animated logo tied to the centennial. The animated logo will make its first appearance in front of Dr. Seuss' The Lorax at its premiere in February, and for that film's U.S. theatrical release on March 2nd. Other activities surrounding the studio's 100th anniversary include a vibrant social media campaign, special events, theme park activities, promotions and many surprises to engage fans throughout the yearlong celebration.

Fans and film enthusiasts can start celebrating online today at the official Universal Centennial website, http://Universal100th.com, a one-stop destination dedicated to Universal's 100 years. The site, as well as a number of social media platforms, will bring the centennial to life online. Universal will be sharing archival content on its brand new Tumblr (http://universal100.tumblr.com/) and Universal Pictures International Spain will echo all the activities linked to the centenary both on Facebook (www.facebook.com / universalpicturesspain) as well as Twitter (@ Universal_Spain) and YouTube (www.youtube.com / Universalspain).

In addition to this, for those who are followers of fashion, Universal's Pinterest account (www.pinterest.com/universal) will be drawing inspiration from favourite films for everyone's Pinboards, starting with 10 inaugural titles of pop-culture classics such as The Breakfast Club, Scarface, Sixteen Candles, Bridget Jones's Diary and Bridesmaids. These online initiatives will roll out throughout various times of the year and will tie back to the Universal Centennial official site.

On April 30th, 1912, Universal Film Manufacturing Company filed its certificate of incorporation with the state of New York. In 1915, Carl Laemmle officially opened Universal City, the largest film production facility in the world.

Throughout Universal's 100 years, the studio has served as a home for many of the most talented filmmakers of all time such as Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Peter Jackson, Spike Lee, John Hughes and Judd Apatow.