Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) and Buena Vista International(BVI) have formed a joint venture to distribute their pictures and localproduct in South Korea, effective Nov 30.

The set-up allows the companies to streamline their operations inone office, and reflects similar arrangements between SPRI and BVI in Mexico,Brazil, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Switzerland, India and Taiwan.

Upcoming titles include Casino Royale, Open Season, The PursuitOf Happyness, Spider-Man 3, Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End, Deja Vu,Meet The Robinsons, and GhostRider.

Last summer SPRI enlisted BVI to distribute its pictures inNorway, Finland and Denmark in a deal that will begin in January 2007.

"We have enjoyed a strong working relationship with the BVI distributionteam for many years," Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group president ofworldwide operations Paul Smith said. "This new joint venture willcontinue our solid international partnership."

"We are thrilled to be expanding our partnership with Sonyand know our combined slate of films will bring us to new box office highs in Korea,"president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group Mark Zoradi said.