This summer, when the long-awaited next installment of the groundbreaking Jurassic Park series, Jurassic World, arrives in theaters, an entire fleet of Mercedes-Benz vehicles will share the spotlight. Alongside the iconic G-Class, Unimog, Sprinter models and the all-new GLE Coupé will play a leading role in the epic action-adventure. Mercedes-Benz will accompany the release of the film with a comprehensive co-promotional package that includes a television commercial, print and online advertising, dedicated microsites and social-media activities. The commercial, starring the Mercedes-Benz vehicles from the film, launches today in the U.S. and Europe. Additionally, a custom key visual was developed for all communication in which the all-new GLE Coupé is seen eye-to-eye with the film’s fearsome Indominus rex.

Alpha Car – Watch the new Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé in Jurassic World. In theaters June 12th.

“In 1997 the Mercedes-Benz M-Class made its first official appearance in the Hollywood Blockbuster ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park’. Today, 18 years later, another Mercedes-Benz car will debut in a significant role in the latest installment of the groundbreaking Jurassic Park series named Jurassic World: the new GLE Coupé” says Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We are delighted to continue our partnership with a multitude of Mercedes-Benz vehicles and will promote the film and our cars with many exciting global marketing activities.”

The Mercedes-Benz Unimog on location at the set of Jurassic World.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Coupé makes its film debut as the official car of Jurassic World operations manager Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. When Claire must confront a crisis well beyond what she can handle alone, she takes the new Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé (showcasing its off-road capabilities) and joins behavioral researcher Owen (Chris Pratt) on a mission in the lush jungle of Isla Nublar.

Chris Pratt and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class on the set of Jurassic World.

In addition we see Owen piloting the G-Class, the patriarch of all Mercedes-Benz SUVs. The film also features the Unimog, cast as a dinosaur ambulance, as well as a G 63 AMG 6×6 and various Sprinter models. “The fleet of Mercedes Benz vehicles fit perfectly into Jurassic World. They are classy, sophisticated, and sexy — exactly what would exist in a modern international theme park”, says producer Frank Marshall.

If you’re a movie buff, you’ve no doubt seen plenty of Mercedes making guest appearances in movies over the years.  We decided to take a moment to compile 10 of the coolest Mercedes cameos – not a comprehensive list by any means, but a fun way to pass the Friday workday.  Check out the 10 Mercedes cameos in the gallery below, along with an added, fictional Mercedes from the ’80’s.

A couple weeks ago we told you about The Walking Dead designed Mercedes C-Class, an incredibly detailed tribute to everyone’s favorite zombie TV series.  In keeping with the Hollywood theme, today we have a Batman themed Mercedes… specifically, an R-Class featuring The Dark Knight imagery.

On the driver’s side, an image looking upwards at Gotham’s skyscrapers join to form a subliminal Dark Knight symbol, while the passenger side notes a gritty view of an empty Dark Knight mask.  The most notable artwork, however, is up front on the hood, where a ghostly image of Heath Ledger’s Joker spells out the question “Why so serious?” in blood red.

If you’re a Dark Knight fan, it’s very cool, to say the least.  You can check out The Dark Knight themed Mercedes in the gallery below.  HT: György

We’re all huge fans of The Walking Dead here at eMercedesBenz, so when we saw this incredibly detailed Mercedes CLC covered in a stunning Walking Dead paint job, we had to bring it to you.  There’s not much to tell you about the CLC – it’s an older model that’s relatively unspectacular in its own right.  But when you add in the man hours it takes to paint such a detailed post-apocalyptic scene, you’ve got what’s without question one of the most unique CLC’s on the planet.  Check out The Walking Dead Mercedes CLC in all its glory in the photo gallery below.

Premiering in Berlin this past Monday, “A Good Day to Die Hard” lit the city with a red carpet full of stars and star-studded vehicles.

Unfamiliar with the new Die Hard movie or the franchise itself?  Instead of asking where you’ve been for the last twenty years, I will simply give you a quick run down.

John McClane, One of the most iconic movie cops of all time, is, for the first time in a Die Hard movie, on foreign soil after traveling to Moscow to help who he thought was his wayward son Jack. McClane and his son team-up against the Russian underworld and battle a countdown to war.  A plot line we’ve seen in all the other Die Hard movies, trusty sidekick, nut job villain dead set on maximum destruction, but it never gets old.

The real stars of the new Die Hard film, in my opinion, are the Mercedes-Benz models, the G-Class, the Unimog, the Sprinter and the Zetros, the C-Class, Vito, E-Class Saloon as well as the new G 63 AMG, a GL-Class and a Maybach 57.  If the cars aren’t enough though, “A Good Day to Die Hard” also stars Bruce Willis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jai Courtney, Patrick Stewart, Sebastian Koch and Anne Vyalitsyna (Russian Supermodel).

“A Good Day to Die Hard” will be in theaters around the world on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013.

Take a look at the pictures from the Berlin premiere below and see what cars the A-List Celebrities chose for themselves or watch the trailer / making of the movie below for a glimpse of the Mercedes and Bruce in action.

The fast-paced action thriller “Unknown”, playing in the U.S. and now showing in German cinemas beginning today, offers movie-goers a blockbuster cast and a fleet of cars displaying the Mercedes star. In total, six Mercedes-Benz models are featured alongside leading actors Liam Neeson and German beauty Diane Kruger, in some scenes taking on major roles in the breakneck race against time. Throughout the movie you will see four E-Class taxis from three decades, a SLS AMG Gullwing and a fuel cell car in the guise of the B-Class F-Cell. The film was made by director Jaume Collet-Serra and producer Joel Silver in Berlin, Brandenburg, Leipzig and the Babelsberg studios in Potsdam.

“End of the 19th century the automobile and the cinema have been invented. Thanks to their fascination, Mercedes-Benz vehicles have a long tradition as heroes of the silver screen. They have written cinematic history above all in the role of taxis and attractive sports cars,” says Anders Sundt Jensen, Vice President Brand Communication Mercedes-Benz Cars. “We are delighted that our 125th anniversary is being marked with no less than six Mercedes-Benz models appearing in an international blockbuster.”

About the film “Unknown”

Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakens after a car accident in Berlin to discover that his wife (January Jones) suddenly doesn’t recognize him and another man (Aidan Quinn) has assumed his identity. Ignored by disbelieving authorities and hunted by assassins, he finds himself alone, tired, and on the run.

On his own in a strange country, Martin seeks aid from an unlikely and reluctant source (Diane Kruger) as he plunges headlong into a deadly mystery that will force him to question his sanity, his identity, and just how far he’s willing to go to uncover the truth.

“Unknown” was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (“Orphan”), from a screenplay by Oliver Butcher & Stephen Cornwell, based on the novel by Didier van Cauwelaert.

The contemporary thriller stars Oscar® nominee Liam Neeson (“Schindler’s List”), Diane Kruger (“Inglorious Basterds”), January Jones (TV’s “Mad Men”) and Aidan Quinn (TV’s “The Book of Daniel”), with Bruno Ganz (“The Reader”) and Oscar® nominee Frank Langella (“Frost/Nixon”).

“Unknown” was produced by Joel Silver (“Sherlock Holmes”), Leonard Goldberg (“Charlie’s Angels” franchise) and Andrew Rona (upcoming “The Apparition”). Susan Downey, Steve Richards, Sarah Meyer and Peter McAleese served as executive producers.

Collet-Serra’s behind-the-scenes collaborators included director of photography Flavio Labiano, production designer Richard Bridgland, editor Tim Alverson, and two-time Oscar®-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (“Emma,” “The Addams Family”). The music is by John Ottman and Alexander Rudd.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with Dark Castle Entertainment, a Panda Production, “Unknown.” The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

“Unknown” has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some intense sequences of violence and action, and brief sexual content.

Featured Mercedes-Benz vehicles:

• E-Class taxis
• W 124 (built from 1984 to 1997), W 210 (built from 1995 to 2002),
• W 211 (built from 2002 to 2009), W 212 (built since 2009)
• SLS AMG super sports car (built since 2009)
• B-Class F-CELL (built in 2010)

As evident from the early presales of the film, there is huge buzz for New Line Cinema’s Sex and the City 2, due from Warner Bros. Pictures on May 27th. Sex and the City style icons Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda are back and the four friends remain true to their exclusive lifestyle as they escape from the city and find themselves embarking on adventures in the ultra-luxurious Maybach and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. Back home in New York City, Mr. Big. keeps his S-Class, but moves to the new eco-friendly S400 Hybrid, and Carrie and Mr. Big embrace summer chic by heading to Connecticut behind the wheel of their all-new 2011 E-Class Cabriolet, which makes its own retail debut June 2010.

“Based on the success of the first movie and its ability to attract trendsetters and style-makers, Sex and the City 2 is a natural fit for Mercedes-Benz,” says Steve Cannon, Vice President of Marketing, Mercedes-Benz USA. “The movie provides a great stage for us; it showcases our new eco-friendly flagship S-Class, ruggedly sophisticated G-Class and ultra luxury Maybach line in their natural elements. It also perfectly positions the new E-Class Convertible just as it arrives in showrooms.”

About the “Sex and the City 2” featured vehicles

In Sex and the City 2, four very different vehicles appear in numerous scenes: the all-new E-Class Convertible, the S400 Hybrid Sedan, the G-Class SUV and the ultra-luxury Maybach sedan.

While Mr Big still tours New York City in his Black S-Class, he’s now being driven in a new Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid. Carrie and Mr. Big then jaunt off for the weekend in their silver E-Class Cabriolet. The debut of the all-new E-Class Cabriolet previews the chic, elegant, and versatile four seat, three-layer soft top convertible that can go up or down in 20 seconds at speeds up to 25 miles per hour, AIRCAP (a new system that significantly reduces airflow and wind noise for all four passengers), AIRSCARF (outlets that blow warm air on the necks of front passengers) and the latest in luxury and safety technology, it’s the vehicle of choice for those who want to enjoy open-top driving without sacrificing style, sophistication and comfort.
When the four ladies head for an exotic “girls-only” trip, they are chauffeured through their adventures in the exclusive comfort of luxurious Maybach sedans.

Mercedes-Benz USA E-Class Cabriolet commercial support

In addition to its appearance in the movie and further highlighting the universal appeal of the 2011 E-Class Cabriolet, Mercedes-Benz will debut a humorous print advertisement based on the familiar four ‘girls’ personalities.

The Sex and the City 2-based print ad for the E-Class Cabriolet features the same Quartz Blue E-Class Cabriolet that arrives for a Connecticut wedding scene in the movie. Set on a spotlighted stage with its top down, the E-Class Cabriolet perches beneath sparkling lights that are arranged to say, “Stylish Enough for Carrie, Luxurious enough for Charlotte, Smart enough for Miranda and fast enough for Samantha.” Near the Sex and the City 2 movie logo at the far right continues the tag, “The stunning. The talented. The New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet.”

Supporting the exclusive print ad, a customized TV spot which features the use of AIRCAP will use the closing tagline, “The New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. See its debut in Sex and the City 2, opening in theatres May 27.” The ad will run on in entertainment areas via national cable and syndication, via Spot TV in 17 of the top Mercedes-Benz markets for two weeks leading up to the movie’s premier. The top channels include Bravo, E! Entertainment TV, USA, TNT and HGTV, and the top entertainment shows are ET, Extra, The Insider and Access Hollywood. The print complement will appear in Entertainment Weekly,The Hollywood Reporter and Variety magazines.

Later this month, fans will flock to theaters for the long awaited return of their four favorite New Yorkers in the soon-to-be blockbuster “Sex and the City 2”.  Making its big screen debut along side Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis) is the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet.  Commenting on the choice to feature Mercedes in “Sex and the City”, Steve Cannon, Vice President of Marketing, Mercedes-Benz USA, notes :  “The Mercedes-Benz brand has always attracted trendsetters and style-makers and the partnership with New Line Cinema’s ‘Sex and the City,’ which personifies these attributes, is a very natural fit.”

“Sex and the City 2” hits theaters May 27th.

Forget “The Da Vinci Code”, “Cinderella Man”, “A Beautiful Mind”, and the three-and-a-half million other movies and television shows he’s played a part in, actor/producer/writer/director Ron Howard’s crowning achievement is “Apollo 13”, save for his work portraying the affable little Opie Tayler back in the ’60s.  Lucky for us, the 15 anniversary of “Apollo 13” is out today for the first time on Blu-ray, allowing us to relive every tension filled second of the fateful Apollo 13 mission (depicted by Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise and Ed Harris) in full 1080p clarity.  At $19 on Amazon, it’s money well spent.

If you haven’t figured it out, we’re pretty big geeks here at eMercedesBenz, which may explain in part why we’re bringing you another story related to the new Apple iPad.  But if you’re not into the iPad, don’t worry – this story is less about the iPad and more about the wondrous service is Netflix.

If you’re unfamiliar with Netflix, the service is pretty straightforward.  You pay a monthly fee, and in return you get to watch movies via one of two ways.  You can 1) watch movies via traditional means (i.e DVD or Blu-ray), or 2) watch movies via their instant-streaming service.  To watch DVD or Blu-ray movies, you select how many you’d like to watch at one time (1, 2, etc.), go to the Netflix website and pick the movies you want, and Netflix will mail them to you.  Pricing is $8.99 for one movie at a time, $13.99 for two movies at a time, and it goes up from there.  There’s also a $3.00 additional fee if you want Blu-ray movies.  Once you’ve watched the movie, you simply put it back in the prepaid Netflix envelope, pop it in your mailbox, and you’re done.  There’s no late fees, hidden charges, or anything else.  Once Netflix receives the movie you watched, they immediately send out the next movie on your list.  Based on my experience, if I send out a movie Monday, I receive the next movie Wednesday.

Your second viewing option, and the option that led me to become a member of Netflix, is the instant streaming option.  Included in the aforementioned pricing (starting at $8.99), you can watch an unlimited number of movies via the instant streaming Netflix service.  That doesn’t mean you can watch every Netflix movie – the instant streaming library is significantly smaller than the list of available DVD and Blu-rays – but there is plenty of content to keep you entertained – somewhere around 20,000 movies and television shows.  All you need is a high speed internet connection and a Netflix streaming device (I use a Sony PS3), and you have the full Netflix streaming library at your disposal.  Both the DVD/Blu-ray and streaming Netflix services work beautifully and exactly as advertised – I’ve never had a single problem with either.

Now that you’re familiar with Netflix, on to the Apple iPad.  Up until now, your options for streaming Netflix were limited to either your television (via Netflix compatible streaming device) or your computer (assuming your computer runs a compatible operating system).  While that’s fine for home use, out in public you can’t always pop open your laptop.  Thanks to the new Netflix iPad app, however, Netflix just got a whole lot more portable.  It works just as it does on your home devices, meaning you have access to some 20,000 movies and tv shows, but it’s the first truly portable version that will actually be easy to use in public. The best part: the Netflix iPad app is completely free, meaning all you need is one of the unlimited $8.99 or $13.99 packages to start using it.

If you were one of the first to grab an Apple iPad and want to either connect an existing Netflix account to it or test drive Netflix with a free trial, you can find the full details of the Netflix iPad app in the iTunes store.

If you’ve been watching “Mad Men” and want to add season 3 to your home Blu-ray collection or you’re like me and are too lazy to watch a television show weekly and instead prefer to cram it all into a weekend 10-hour viewing marathon, “Mad Men” season 3 is out tomorrow for your viewing entertainment.  Season 3 takes us back to 1963, where answers to season 2’s questions will be revealed.  What’s Don’s future at the agency?  What impact will Betty’s pregnancy have on her and her husband’s marriage?  Want an even better incentive to watch?  Check out these photos of the beautiful January Jones – need I say more?   You can pick up “Mad Men” season 3 on Blu-ray from Amazon for $33.