Warner Home Video (WHV), which previously has its first HD DVD titles scheduled for March 28, will now launch the new format on April 18 with Million Dollar Baby, The Last Samurai and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera. Each of these titles will be available for $28.99 SRP.
“Warner Home Video has been working closely with our CE, IT and retail partners to design an optimal product launch for consumers and we’re pleased to announce the launch dates for these initial titles,” said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video. “We have always been a leader in home entertainment experiences and are thrilled to be the first studio to deliver movies on high definition discs. Research shows consumers are rapidly moving towards high definition home entertainment experiences, and Warner is uniquely positioned at the forefront of the industry to meet the market’s demands.”
17 additional titles will be released in the coming weeks including Batman Begins, Constantine, Training Day and The Matrix.
Warner Home Video HD DVDs will offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color in addition to beautifully crisp sound (with up to 7.1 audio). HD DVD also introduces instant access to extra features with the debut of a seamless menu-bar that allows viewers to enjoy features and settings without leaving or interrupting the film.
Interest in this next-generation medium continues to increase. Research shows 50 percent of consumers will make HDTV their next television purchase; 16 million HDTVs were purchased last year and that number is expected to double this year.
