EWAN McGREGOR AND CHARLEY BOORMAN’S ULTIMATE MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURE, LONG WAY DOWN, RIDES ONTO THE BIG SCREEN JULY 31

One-Night-Only Event is Prelude to 10-part TV series, Airing August 2, on Fox Reality Channel

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – July 24, 2008… Two BMW motorcycles, two best friends and 15,000 miles add up to one epic adventure. Join Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they embark on a motorcycle expedition of a lifetime, riding 15,000 miles on BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycles through 20 countries from Scotland to South Africa in Long Way Down. Created from more than 1,200 hours of footage for a one-night-only event shown in select movie theaters nationwide, Long Way Down delivers a unique movie-going experience, following McGregor and Boorman as they face challenges from unknown and unforgiving terrain, which tests their endurance, driving skills and their friendship.

“There is something liberating about just having what you need, on your bike,” said McGregor. “A tent, a roll mat, a little bit of food, a bit of petrol in your tank and a vague idea of where you’re going and that’s all you need. There is something beautiful about that.”

Exclusively edited by directors David Alexanian and Russ Malkin for this one-night special event, the Elixir Films and Big Earth production of Long Way Down is presented in High Definition by NCM Fathom and Wasserman Media Group, in association with Fox Reality Channel, BMW and the American Motorcycle Association on Thursday, July 31 st at 7:30 p.m. local time. Long Way Down can be seen in more than 430 participating AMC , Celebration! Cinema, Cinemark USA Inc., Clearview Cinemas, Goodrich Quality Theaters, Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theatres, as well as the Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA) through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network – North America’s largest cinema broadcast network. For ticket information and a complete listing of presenting theaters, visit www.FathomEvents.com (theaters are subject to change).

Directed and produced by Alexanian and Malkin, Long Way Down takes viewers along for the 15,000 mile ride across two continents starting at John O’Groats in Scotland, through Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Botswana and finishing at the most southern post of South Africa – Cape Agulhas. Riding BMW R 1200 GS Adventure motorcycles, the friends experience some of the most incredible natural and cultural wonders the world has to offer, including the African wildlife. In addition, the duo partnered with UNICEF by assisting the organization in bringing health care and mine awareness to children in Northern Uganda and Ethiopia , as well as child care to orphans in Malawi .

“It was truly a privilege for our team to travel through 15 African countries and shoot 1,200 hours of High Definition footage,” said Alexanian, Long Way Down director. “Not a day went by when we weren’t thinking how breathtaking it would be to blow it up for the big screen and give audiences a unique uninterrupted version of Ewan and Charley’s adventure.”

Long Way Down is the highly anticipated follow-up to Long Way Round, the duo’s 2004 epic journey, in which they circumnavigated the world from London to New York , riding East, via Eurasia and North America . It became an instant television series hit in Europe and the United States and has since sold over one million DVDs and 900,000 books worldwide. Inspired by their first experience, McGregor and Boorman returned to the open road in May 2007 for Long Way Down.

Stay Tuned. Fox Reality Channel’s Newest Original Series Long Way Down Premiers August 2 at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT)

 Those who miss the feature film will have another opportunity to see Long Way Down – in the comfort of their homes. Fox Reality Channel, the only all-reality, 24-hour cable and satellite network, will present Long Way Down in a 10-part television series beginning Saturday, August 2 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. The series is directed and executive produced by David Alexanian (Elixir Films) and Russ Malkin (Big Earth), who also served in the same capacities on the original series Long Way Round.

The series follows best friends, McGregor and Boorman, as they travel through numerous countries including Egypt , Kenya , Tanzania , Ethiopia and Namibia , exploring the various cultures and natural wonders they encounter along the way. Their course stretches 85 days, crosses two continents and is filled with innumerable adventures and challenges. McGregor’s wife, Eve Mavrakis, joins the show for the first time, and introduces an all- new dynamic to the team as she rides along with them for a leg of the journey. In addition to lending a personal hand to projects for UNICEF, McGregor and Boorman also raised over $1 million for Children’s Hospice Association and Riders for Health through the show.

 “Ewan and Charley’s journey from Scotland to South Africa is even more demanding, more riveting and more real than their previous journey,” said David Lyle , President, Fox Reality Channel.

Fox Reality Channel is bringing the popular series to American audiences for the first time after its successful run as the #2 program on the BBC 2 (UK) where it aired last fall. Fulfilling its brand promise, Fox Reality Channel is also going to extend the consumer experience by producing a comprehensive microsite, which will include exclusive video content, an interactive map and the exclusive “Long Way Down Explore! Sweeptakes,” sending a lucky viewer on his or her own African adventure. Additionally, a hardcover book titled Long Way Down, chronicling McGregor and Boorman’s journey, was released by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, on July 15. EMI America Records will release the series’ soundtrack on CD and digitally, August 5. In October, upon conclusion of the series run on Fox Reality Channel, EMI America Records will release Long Way Down on DVD .

 BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California ; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant
for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport Activity
Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America , is located in Woodcliff Lake , New Jersey .

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com

www.bmwusa.com

www.bmwmotorcycles.com

www.miniusa.com

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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