Universal Pictures International Entertainment announced plans to release 29 titles on Blu-ray for the first time, unveiling a line-up of the year's most anticipated film and television content to be made available on the next generation high definition disc.
This major international debut, part of Universal's global Blu-ray rollout, begins on August 26 with the release of the top-rated, critically acclaimed NBC phenomenon HEROES Season 2. The announcement was made today by Eddie Cunningham, President of Universal Pictures International Entertainment.
As part of NBC Universal's comprehensive global rollout strategy on Blu-ray, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, the company's domestic home entertainment division, concurrently announced today their similarly exciting lineup for the U.S. market.
Millions of HEROES fans worldwide can now enjoy the full cinematic experience on Blu-ray, experiencing razor sharp images and superior sound quality that characterizes the Blu-ray format. HEROES Season 1 will also make its Blu-ray debut simultaneously.
Later in the year, five of Universal Pictures' hottest feature films of 2008 will receive a Blu-ray and DVD release:
--THE INCREDIBLE HULK, the action-packed new chapter of one of the most popular superhero sagas of all time starring Edward Norton, William Hurt and Liv Tyler.
--WANTED, the action-thriller from stunning visualist director Timur Bekmambetov starring Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie.
--HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY, the epic vision of imagination from acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro.
--MAMMA MIA!, the musical romantic comedy in which Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in the adaptation of the beloved musical.
--THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR, the next installment in THE MUMMY franchise in which Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh and newcomer Luke Ford join returning Brendan Fraser and John Hannah for a supernatural adventure that shifts the series to the Far East.
Universal will also release key catalogue titles, such as THE MUMMY, GLADIATOR, AMERICAN GANGSTER, MIAMI VICE, CASINO and THE THING in the next generation high-definition format.
Universal's Blu-ray international line-up rolls out from the end of this year in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Japan.
