FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Corporate Communications 214/854-3190   BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO® TO OPEN IN POLAND More International Growth Ahead for Company in 1998 DALLAS, April 8, 1998 -Blockbuster International today signed a joint-venture agreement with Gemini Holdings, a Polish-based real estate and retail group, to develop 65 stores in the Polish Republic over the next five years. The first stores are expected to open later this year in Warsaw. "We are excited to be working with Blockbuster, the world's leading entertainment company, in one of Europe's fastest growing markets. We intend to develop the premier chain of video rental stores in Poland, " said Dina Rousset, president of Gemini Holdings. "I believe we have an excellent opportunity to capitalize on the synergies with our existing businesses and on the Polish consumer's increasing level of spending on entertainment." According to Nigel Travis, president Blockbuster International, the joint venture, in which Blockbuster has a minority interest, offers the video rental chain the opportunity to develop in central Europe. "We see enormous potential for video rental in this part of the world, especially in Poland," said Travis. "We are especially delighted to be working with Gemini. Their retail and real estate knowledge complements the video-rental expertise that we bring to this business." Already operating in 25 international markets and the U.S. where its worldwide headquarters is located, Blockbuster plans to open approximately 300 stores abroad this year. The majority of the stores will be in existing markets, but several joint-venture and franchised agreements in new territories are currently being explored. Blockbuster recently announced that it acquired the Australian-based Video Flicks brand and will rebrand all 39 of the chain's retail stores -- all which are franchised. "We see tremendous opportunity for Blockbuster in the international marketplace," commented Travis. "We will have much more focused, concentrated growth than in the past and will be expanding more through franchising opportunities as opposed to owning the store." Blockbuster operates approximately 6,000 video and music neighborhood entertainment stores in the United States, its territories and 25 countries and may be accessed internationally at www.blockbuster.com. Blockbuster is a unit of Viacom Inc., one of the world's largest entertainment and publishing companies and a leading force in nearly every segment of the international media marketplace. ### |  Current Releases   |  Archives   | BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster Entertainment Inc. © 1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.