Feature Films Include Recent Blockbusters 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' and 'The Bourne Supremacy'

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Signaling its continued support of the next generation hi-definition DVD disc format (HD DVD), Universal Pictures today announced its slate of flagship titles to be released in HD DVD. The announcement was made at the Consumer Electronics Show by Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Universal will release 10 titles timed to coincide to the format's March launch, with plans to continue issuing new and catalog films throughout the year. The first wave of titles include, "Jarhead," "Doom," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Cinderella Man," "Serenity," "The Bourne Supremacy," "The Chronicles of Riddick," "U-571," "Van Helsing," and "Apollo 13."

"The launch of HD DVD marks a new era in the evolution of home entertainment," commented Mr. Kornblau. "With its superior image quality, greater storage capacity and unparalleled movie offerings, the format promises to exceed consumers' highest expectations and deliver the ultimate experience in visual entertainment."

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

In announcements late Wednesday night at CES in Las Vegas, Warner revealed that the studio also would release upcoming summer theatrical movies Superman Returns and Poseidon on HD DVD simultaneously with the DVD release of those movies later this year.

HBO Video, which is distributed by sister company Warner, will release Deadwood and The Sopranos on HD DVD sometime this year.

In a nifty nod to precedence, Warner is releasing Twister as one of its first titles on March 28, nearly nine years to the day that the movie became the first major DVD release.

Other titles planned include such recent DVD and theatrical releases as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dukes of Hazzard, Rumor Has It and Syriana.

Among the catalog titles from Warner will be Unforgiven (April 11), Goodfellas and The Matrix (April 25), Blazing Saddles (May 9) and The Green Mile Special Edition (May 16).

Warner Home Video continued to trumpet its support for HD DVD Monday with the announcement of a number of simultaneous HD DVD and standard DVD releases.

Baker said that all Warner catalog releases set for HD DVD also will roll out on Blu-ray once that competing format officially bows in the U.S.

A 14-disc Ultimate Collectors Edition of the Superman franchise will be another Warner two-format disc launch. Its bow will be tied to the June 30 U.S. theatrical debut of Superman Returns.

Other planned 2006 day and date HD DVD and standard DVD releases are two-disc special editions of Forbidden Planet and four Stanley Kubrick directed classics: The Shining, Clockwork Orange, 2001: Space Odyssey and an uncut version of Eyes Wide Shut.

Further films set for two-disc special editions in 2006 include What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Mutiny on the Bounty and The Maltese Falcon. New to DVD films include The Gay Divorcee, Footlight Parade, Grand Prix and Knute Rockne All American.