HD DVD 2005 Movie Titles Announced

Heralding the beginning of the high-definition home entertainment era, major consumer electronics and IT companies, disc replicators and Hollywood studios each announced plans at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to produce, market and sell HD DVD hardware and content beginning in Q4 2005.

Toshiba Corporation was joined in the announcement by representatives from companies who have pledged to support HD DVD including NEC and SANYO as well as Hollywood's HBO Video, New Line Home Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Warner Home Video.

Disc replicator Memory-Tech announced that it has been operating six HD DVD-DVD compatible mass production lines since May 2004 and currently stands ready to produce up to 50 million HD DVD discs per year.

Additionally, leading disc replicator Cinram International Inc. announced the company will offer a single optical disc -- HD/DVD 9 -- capable of storing data in both DVD and HD DVD formats.

A representative from Microsoft Corporation also discussed the company's contribution to this advanced medium.

In addition, Thomson representatives joined the event to express the company's support for the HD DVD platform. In December, the company announced it would provide HD DVD players under the Thomson and RCA brands and HD DVD disc replication by Technicolor.

Hardware Set for Q4 2005
Several companies announced plans to release HD DVD hardware and content by the end of 2005. Toshiba told attendees that it would begin delivering HD DVD players and notebook PCs with HD DVD drives in the fourth quarter of this year. NEC announced that it would deliver HD DVD ROM drives in September 2005. SANYO also announced that it would deliver HD DVD players in Q4 2005.

HD DVD Titles Announced at the Show
The event was highlighted by an HD DVD demonstration featuring a montage of theatrical HD DVD titles expected to be released from major Hollywood studios.

Several Hollywood Studios individually announced today plans to issue a broad range of new hit releases and catalog titles on HD DVD beginning in Q4 2005. A selection of titles to be released includes: Paramount Picture's "The Manchurian Candidate," "Mission Impossible II" and "Forrest Gump"; Universal Pictures' "The Chronicles of Riddick," "Van Helsing" and "The Bourne Supremacy"; and Warner Bros.' "The Polar Express" and "Ocean's Twelve" as well as the upcoming "Batman Begins" and "Constantine" (please visit http://www.hddvdprg.com/press for a complete listing of expected HD DVD titles).

An abbreviated list of Universal Pictures films includes:

• Van Helsing
• The Bourne Supremacy
• The Chronicles of Riddick
• Apollo 13
• U-571
• 12 Monkeys
• Dune
• The Thing
• End of Days
• Backdraft
• Waterworld
• The Bone Collector
• Spy Game
• Pitch Black
• Conan the Barbarian
• Dante's Peak

An abbreviated list of Warner Home Video includes:

• Batman Begins
• Constantine
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
• Ocean's Twelve
• The Polar Express
• The Phantom of the Opera
• Matrix (the trilogy)
• Harry Potter movies

An abbreviated list of Paramount Home Entertainment includes:

• Braveheart
• Forest Gump
• The Manchurian Candidate
• Elizabethtown
• Spongebob Squarepants (thank goodness for this one!)
• Italian Job
• School of Rock
• Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
• Ghost
• Grease

This depth and diversity of content is expected to be a major advantage to the HD DVD format as consumers seek out compelling titles to enjoy on the next generation digital video format.