Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Targets May 23 for Launch of First Blu-Ray Disc Titles

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Targets May 23 for Launch of First Blu-Ray Disc Titles

Underworld Evolution Set for Day and Date Release With DVD

- Variety of Content Will Be Available to Support Initial BD Products at Retail -

CULVER CITY, Calif., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is targeting May 23 to deliver the first wave of Blu-ray Disc (BD) titles at retail, it was announced today. Delivery will coincide with the launch that day of the first commercially available BD player from Samsung Electronics, which will be followed shortly by BD players from Pioneer and Sony along with a BD compatible VAIO PC from Sony.

SPHE and MGM Home Entertainment will first release eight BD titles, with another eight following shortly June 13. Benjamin S. Feingold, president, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, made the announcement.

The first Blu-ray Disc titles from SPHE and MGM Home Entertainment will include: 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight's Tale, The Last Waltz (MGM), Resident Evil Apocalypse and XXX.

BD titles streeting June 13 include: Kung Fu Hustle, Legends of the Fall, Robocop (MGM), Stealth, Species (MGM), SWAT and Terminator (MGM). Underworld Evolution will debut in early Summer day and date with the DVD.

"We are primed to ensure that a variety of Blu-ray Disc content is available at retail to support the introduction of the first BD players from Samsung Electronics and Pioneer, as well as the first BD player and compatible VAIO computer from Sony," said Mr. Feingold. "Sony Pictures further intends to provide additional titles to coincide with the launch of BD products from other manufacturers. We're thrilled that the Blu-ray Disc era is about to begin."

Outstanding CE products:

"As a charter member of the Blu-Ray Disc Association (BDA), Samsung Electronics is proud to introduce the first commercially available Blu-ray Disc player, BD-P1000, to Best Buy, Circuit City and electronic specialty store consumers on May 23," said Jim Sanduski, senior vice president of marketing for Samsung Electronics America. "We're extremely pleased to join Sony Pictures Home Entertainment in providing an outstanding high definition experience that features the next generation optical disc format."

"Pioneer is thrilled to offer the BDP-HD1, our first Blu-ray Disc player, which will allow consumers to purchase high definition content to watch in the comfort of their own homes," said Sam Ohdate, president of home entertainment for Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "With exciting new titles like these being released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and other studios, we're confident Blu-ray disc will become the next generation in home entertainment."

"Our BD enabled VAIO PCs incorporate the very best and latest technology to help consumers unleash their creativity and experience entertainment in new, exciting ways," said Mike Abary, vice president of VAIO product marketing in the U.S. "We're eagerly looking forward to having engaging Blu-ray content available that really takes advantage of the performance these PCs can achieve."

"The first Blu-ray Disc titles from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment mark a significant milestone in the BD revolution of home entertainment" said Philip Abram, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' Home Products Division. "We are excited about the upcoming launch of the BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player and with engaging content from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, consumers are in for a spectacular high-definition experience."

About Blu-ray Disc:

The Blu-ray Disc format provides nearly five times more data storage than DVD, with an unprecedented 25 GB (single-layer) and 50 GB (dual-layer) of capacity. Blu-ray Disc players are backward compatible with other disc formats and deliver the highest quality high-definition (HD) entertainment, while providing a secure playback environment through the use of the most advanced copy protection available.

Blu-ray Disc was created to support the accelerating convergence between consumer electronics and information technology. The platform can also support numerous film, music, computer and game applications. Sony Computer Entertainment recently announced plans to utilize BD-ROM technology in their next-generation PlayStation 3 system.

Blu-ray is supported by more than 170 leading hardware and software manufacturers, including the leading innovators in the CE and IT industries.

About Sony Pictures Home Entertainment:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. Sony Pictures Entertainment's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Information on Sony Pictures Entertainment and Blu-ray can be found on the World Wide Web at www.sonypictures.com/bluray.

Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Claire McKittrick of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment,
+1-310-244-4722, claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com; or Dave Migdal,
+1-201-930-7394, david.migdal@am.sony.com, or Jon Piazza, +1-858-942-3825,
Jon.piazza@am.sony.com, both of Sony Electronics; or Jose A. Cardona of
Samsung Electronics North American HQ, +1-201-229-4118, J.Cardona@Samsung.com;
or Christina Ramirez of Pioneer Electronics, USA, +1-310-952-2388,
christina.ramirez@pioneer-usa.com

Web site: http://www.sonypictures.com/bluray

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