Bethesda Softworks® announced today that actress Keira Knightley
will narrate the thrilling role playing video game, Pirates of
the Caribbean. Knightley stars in Disney’s upcoming feature film, “Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” which opens in theaters
nationwide on July 9th. Slated for a June 2003 release for the Xboxâ„¢ video
game system from Microsoft and PC CD-ROM, the Pirates of the Caribbean game offers
players the most realistic pirating action to date.

“We are thrilled to have Keira Knightley join the project,”
says Todd Vaughn, executive producer of the Pirates of the Caribbean video game.
“Adding her talent and voice to the game greatly enhances this deep,
rich gameplay experience.”. . . . .

In addition to her role as the female lead in “Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Curse of the Black Pearl”, being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer,
Keira Knightley can also be seen in the current box office hit, “Bend
It Like Beckham” for which she won the Best Newcomer Award from the
London Film Critics. Knightley was recently cast as Guinevere in the upcoming
Bruckheimer action film, “King Arthur.”

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work on this exciting project,”
said Knightley. “The Pirates game will be a wonderful extension of
the film and I’m sure the gaming public will enjoy it immensely.“

Developed by Akella and Bethesda Softworks, the Pirates of the Caribbean video
game is a unique role-playing experience with an intriguing storyline, which
gives players the ability to explore everything the world has to offer. Deciding
to become a cold-hearted mercenary for hire, a peaceful and profitable merchant
or a swashbuckling pirate will influence future interactions. Gaining wealth
and experience gives players the opportunity to hire crewmembers, sail larger
ships, and uncover priceless treasures.

For more information on the game visit pirates.bethsoft.com.

About the Film: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

From producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes the thrilling live-action adventure “Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” starring
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley, and directed
by Gore Verbinski. For the roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow (JOHNNY
DEPP), the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, like the high seas the
world over, present a vast playground where adventure and mystery abound. But
Jack’s idyllic life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (GEOFFREY
RUSH), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of
Port Royal, kidnapping the Governor’s (JONATHAN PRYCE) beautiful daughter,
Elizabeth Swann (KEIRA KNIGHTLEY).

Elizabeth’s childhood friend, Will Turner (ORLANDO BLOOM), joins forces
with Jack to commandeer the fastest ship in the British fleet, the HMS Interceptor,
in a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl. The duo and
their motley crew are pursued by Elizabeth’s betrothed, the debonair, ambitious
Commodore Norrington (JACK DAVENPORT), aboard the HMS Dauntless. Unbeknownst
to Will, there is a curse that has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever
as the undead, where each moonlight, they are transformed into living skeletons.
The curse they carry can be broken only if a once-plundered treasure is restored.
Stunning visual effects bring these formidable foes to life as our valiant heroes
clash mightily with Barbossa and his invincible pirates of the Caribbean.

For more information on the film, visit www.pirates.movies.com.

About Bethesda Softworks®
Headquartered in Rockville, MD, Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company,
is a developer and publisher of entertainment software and has produced numerous
award-winning titles, most recently the 2002 PC and Xbox Game of the Year and
RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®. Among Bethesda’s more
popular franchises are The Elder Scrolls® series, The Terminator series,
and the IHRA Drag Racing series. Its product line spans the sports, racing,
RPG, strategy and action genres. For more information on Bethesda Softworks’
products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

About Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive is the award-winning publishing label of Buena Vista Games,
Inc. The label is committed to producing quality interactive video games and
CD-ROMS based on Disney properties. Buena Vista Games, Inc. is the interactive
entertainment arm of The Walt Disney Company’s Consumer Products business unit.
For more information on Disney Interactive’s products, visit www.disneyinteractive.com.

About Akella
Headquartered in Moscow, Akella was founded in 1995 and is one of the leading
Russian developers and publishers of PC multimedia products. Akella is involved
in numerous multimedia and game projects in a variety of ways, including development,
publishing, and localization. For more information on Akella and its products,
visit www.akella.com.

About Xbox
Xbox (www.xbox.com) is Microsoft’s
future-generation video game system that delivers the most powerful games experiences
ever. Xbox empowers game artists by giving them the technology to fulfill their
creative visions as never before, creating games that blur the lines between
fantasy and reality. Xbox is now available in the continents of North America,
Europe, Asia and Australia.