Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is driving excitement for the upcoming release of The Amazing Spider-Man movie on Blu-ray with a second-screen mobile application containing behind-the-scenes content fans can access now.

Sony is looking to leverage the growing popularity of second-screen apps that enhance TV or tablet viewing by making the experience interactive and providing additional content. The Amazing Spider-Man Second Screen App is in support of the release of film on Blu-ray on Nov. 9.

?The Amazing Spider-Man is our biggest movie of the year and we were very lucky to have access to a wealth of really engaging behind-the-scenes content and a very engaged director, Marc Webb,? said Tracey Garvin, senior vice president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Culver City, CA.

?The app is a really great way for fans to explore this rich content and increases the value proposition of the Blu-ray through syncing,? she said.

?Because it has been released before the Blu-ray, it also serves to help keep fans engaged and excited about the release.?

At the movies
While the most recent Spider-Man film has not yet been released on Blu-ray, fans can still download the app to start exploring its content. New content will be added to the app weekly leading up to the November Blu-ray release.

When the film becomes available in November, users will be able to access additional features and sync the app with their Blu-ray.

This is Sony Pictures Home Entertainment?s second app designed to enhance the home viewing experience. The studio previously created a second screen app for last year?s "The Smurfs" film.

?We learned that consumers like options and content-exploring movie related apps and we expect given the success of the film and the large fan base of the property to have an even greater response,? Ms. Garvin said.

The content included in the new Spider-Man app consists of trivia, additional featurettes, storyboards and interviews.

In sync
The app features two interactive modes ? Timeline and Production ? both offering content from the set. In Timeline Mode, the app syncs with the Blu-ray Disc so that content scrolls across their tablet in time with the movie.

In Production Mode, users can explore more content about the making of the film. When the app syncs with the Blu-ray Disc through a connected player, users can also ?sling? select content from the Sony Tablet or iPad to the television screen to watch it in full HD.

Additionally, users can also update their Facebook and Twitter pages and share their viewing experience by posting trivia and facts directly from the app.

The app is available for free for the iPad, Sony Tablet S and Sony Xperia Tablet S.

?We hope to really engage The Amazing Spider-Man fans and get them excited for the Blu-ray release by exploring the wealth of material that will be released in the coming weeks,? Ms. Garvin said. "The app has a lot of really compelling, unique content and when synced with the Blu-ray will give fans hours of additional entertainment.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York