CULVER CITY, CALIF. (February 27, 2006) – 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 insure 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 21," 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."