After backing HD DVD, the loser in the next-gen home video battle, Paramount Home Entertainment has unveiled its first Blu-ray Disc releases, according to Daily Variety. The company’s slate of high-definition debuts will kick off on May 20 with the release of DreamWorks Animation’s Bee Movie. The film was reportedly packaged on HD DVD but never released on the defeated format. Blu-ray versions of Cloverfield and There Will Be Blood will follow on June 3.
Paramount’s first day-and-date Blu-ray release will be The Spiderwick Chronicles. The studio’s CG-heavy adaptation of the best-selling series of books by Holly Black and Tony Diterlizzi will make its debut on June 24 after earning nearly $152 million at the worldwide box office. Catalog titles coming to Blu-ray in the coming months include the Nicolas Cage thrillers Face/Off and Next.
While the battle between Blue-ray and HD DVD raged, Paramount hedged its bets by supporting both formats while other studios chose sides. The majority picked Blu-ray, and the winner was decided earlier this year when Toshiba announced plans to manufacture Blu-ray players exclusively. Paramount put out its last set of HD DVDs on March 4.
