Universal Studios Home Entertainment lists the upcoming superhero epics The Incredible Hulk and Hellboy II: The Golden Army among its initial lineup of film and television properties arriving later this year on Blu-ray Disc. The pics will be released on the high-definition disc format on the same day they become available on standard DVD.
Leading the raft of high-profile Universal properties coming to Blue-ray is the second season of the hit NBC superhero series Heroes, which debuts on August 26. Hulk and Hellboy are scheduled to arrive at retail in time for the winter holidays, along with Blu-ray editions of the CG-laden trillers Wanted (starring Morgan Freeman, James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie) and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford and John Hannah).
‘We’re thrilled that our preliminary slate of Blu-ray offerings comprises such a brilliant collection of high-def centric fare,’ says Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms. ‘As awareness for Blu-ray continues to grow, consumers will learn to rely on the superior quality picture, sound, interactivity and connectivity that only high-definition home entertainment delivers.’
The studio’s first slate of global Blu-ray releases will kick off with the July 22 re-issues of The Mummy, The Mummy Returns and the spin-off The Scorpion King. The first of Universal’s new theatrical Blu-ray releases will be led by the summer release of director Neil Marshall’s post-apocalyptic thrill ride Doomsday, starring Rhona Mitra, Malcolm McDowell and Bob Hoskins. Other titles on deck for 2008 include American Gangster, Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Miami Vice, End of Days, U-571 and George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead.
