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July 11, 2016

The Sun launches what it claims will be UK’s biggest circulation film magazine

By Amaka Opara

The Sun is to launch a free film magazine and website.

Popcorn, a 28-page monthly publication, will feature in the Saturday edition of the newspaper starting from 16 July.

Jamie East, The Sun’s film editor, said the decision to produce Popcorn was borne out of a desire “…to create a brand new free film franchise for all Sun readers that could also sit online as a dedicated film channel”.

The Popcorn website will release daily videos.

Sky Cinema, the rebranded version of Sky Movies in the UK and Ireland, is set to be Popcorn’s leading sponsor.

The magazine will feature a section called Microwave Popcorn in the centre, a guide to watching movies at home with Sky Cinema.

James Hawker, the director of entertainment, telecommunications & broadcast, at News UK said: “The partnership with Sky could not have been better timed with the rebrand of Sky Movies as Sky Cinema.

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“Popcorn will help to position Sky Cinema as ‘the home of cinematic viewing’ while helping News UK bring quality, but accessible film content to our readers.”

The magazine will be distributed throughout the UK and is expected to have a circulation of 2.4 million copies, making it the UK’s most widely circulated film magazine.

Popcorn has been produced by the same team that created Fabulous, The Sun’s lifestyle magazine.

The Sun’s ultimate parent company News Corp also owns 39 per cent of Sky.

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