Tuesday June 20, 7:32 pm Eastern Time

Company Press Release

ADVISORY/The World Premiere of Columbia Pictures' `The Patriot'

Tuesday, June 27 - 7 p.m.

Loews Century Plaza

2040 Avenue of the Stars, Century City

with a party immediately following in the parking lot behind

the Century Plaza Hotel

Attending from the film will be Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Tom Wilkinson, Chris Cooper, Tcheky Karyo, Jason Isaacs and Lisa Brenner. Director Roland Emmerich, screenwriter Robert Rodat, producers Dean Devlin, Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn, executive producers Ute Emmerich and William Fay, director of photography Caleb Deschanel, and composer John Williams will also attend.

Other celebrities expected to attend:

Hank Azaria               Dennis Franz             Victoria Principal
Martin Campbell           James Gandolfini         Bill Pullman
Tia Carrere               Peter Horton             Doug Savant
Sean Connery              Djimon Hounsou           Rob Schneider
Michael Clark Duncan      Helen Hunt               Rick Schroeder
John Corbett              Val Kilmer               Harry Shearer
Alan Cumming              Jon Landau               Tom Sizemore
Jan de Bont               Eric LaSalle             Mena Suvari
Kim Delany                Matt LeBlanc             Charlize Theron
Lou Diamond Phillips      Jane Leeves              Janine Turner
Aaron Eckhart             Camryn Manheim           Noah Wyle
Mike Figgis               Bill Paxton

In the emotionally charged adventure ``The Patriot,'' Academy Award® winner Mel Gibson stars as Benjamin Martin, a reluctant hero who is swept into the American Revolution when the war reaches his home and threatens his family.

A hero of the French and Indian conflict, Martin had renounced fighting forever to raise his family in peace. But when the British arrive at his South Carolina home and endanger what he holds most dear, Martin takes up arms alongside his idealistic patriot son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger of ``10 Things I Hate About You''), and leads a brave rebel Militia into battle against a relentless and overwhelming English army. In the process, he discovers the only way to protect his family is to fight for a young nation's freedom.

Shot on location in South Carolina near historic Revolutionary War battle sites, Columbia Pictures presents ``The Patriot,'' a Mutual Film Company/Centropolis Entertainment production directed by Roland Emmerich. Dean Devlin, Mark Gordon and Gary Levinsohn produce, while Ute Emmerich, Roland Emmerich and William Fay serve as executive producers.

The screenplay is written by Robert Rodat, who received a 1998 Oscar® nomination for Best Original Screenplay for ``Saving Private Ryan.'' Peter Winther is the film's co-producer. Dionne McNeff and Michael Dahan are associate producers. The creative team includes three-time Academy Award®-nominated director of photography Caleb Deschanel, production designer Kirk M. Petruccelli, Oscar®-winning editor David Brenner, and Academy Award®-winning costume designer Deborah L. Scott. The music is composed by Oscar® winner John Williams.

The film stars Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Jason Isaacs, Chris Cooper, Tcheky Karyo, Rene Auberjonois, Lisa Brenner and Tom Wilkinson.

In theaters Wednesday, June 28

Columbia Pictures Worldwide Marketing
Tammy Sandler, 310/244-8099, Domestic Media
Amy Tesser, 310/244-5495, International Media