Universal enters the Blu-ray age in late July with the three contemporary "Mummy" movies. The studio was the strongest backer of the vanquished high-definition format HD DVD.
In late August, Universal plans a global release of "Heroes: Season Two." The first season of "Heroes" was one of the most successful HD DVD box sets.
The studio plans to release about 40 Blu-ray titles later in the year. They include the new "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" with Brendan Fraser (pictured) as well as "The Incredible Hulk," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" and "Mamma Mia!"
All of the new Blu-rays will go out day-and-date with the DVD versions, Universal said, taking a logical step the other studios need to follow.
Catalog releases in Blu-ray include "American Gangster," "Miami Vice," "Knocked Up," and "End of Days," all to be ported over from HD DVD.
Update: Fox, meanwhile, plans a Blu-ray salute to high-disposable-income dads with the releases of "The Longest Day," "Patton" and "The Sand Pebbles," all outstanding films. Extras for the new high definition discs are being ported over from Fox's spit-shined DVDs of 2006 and 2007.
Also hitting the Blu-ray beach on June 3 are the lesser "The Battle of Britain" and "A Bridge Too Far."
For anyone looking for some combat experience, I continue to recommend Sam Fuller's "The Big Red One," which was "reconstructed" a few years back. Warner holds the rights.
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