Universal Studios Home Entertainment today delivered the first of its much anticipated next generation High Definition DVD (HD DVD) titles, marking the official arrival of the superior-quality offerings in stores nationwide.

Futuristic action-adventure Serenity is the first in the progressive rollout of flagship titles available in the new format. Doom and Apollo 13 are slated to follow on April 25, 2006, with Cinderella Man, Jarhead and Assault on Precinct 13 hitting shelves on May 9, 2006. A fourth wave of releases on May 23, 2006 includes The Chronicles of Riddick, Van Helsing, U-571 and The Bourne Supremacy. Each of the ten releases is priced at $34.98 SRP. Looking ahead, Universal will continue its rolling introduction of HD DVD titles on a monthly basis.

Capitalizing on HD DVD's robust technology, The Bourne Supremacy DVD will be the first title from Universal to introduce an all-new interactive feature called "Bourne Instant Access," a feature-length picture-in-picture presentation that simultaneously transports viewers behind-the-scenes with the cast and filmmakers, all without leaving the movie experience. Additionally, all Universal HD DVDs will showcase enhanced interactive menus that allow viewers to easily navigate and access any menu option at any time while the movie is playing.

"Home entertainment has reached a new pinnacle with the arrival of HD DVD technology," said Craig Kornblau, President, Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "With best-in-class picture, sound quality, and interactivity, consumers can now experience on a very tangible level the unprecedented and unparalleled advantages that only HD DVD offers."

FEATURE TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Serenity HD DVD

Street Date: April 18, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $34.98 SRP
Selection Number: 27849
Running Time: 1 Hour 59 Minutes
Layers: HD-30
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Widescreen)
Rating: PG-13 for sequences of intense violence and action, and some sexual references
Technical Info: English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound; English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles

Apollo 13 and Doom (Unrated) HD DVD

Street Date: April 25, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $34.98 SRP
Selection Number: 27778 (Apollo 13); 26453 (Doom)
Running Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes (Apollo 13); 1 Hour 53 Minutes (Doom)
Layers: HD-30
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Rating: PG for language and emotional intensity (Apollo 13); Not Rated (Doom)
Technical Info: English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound; English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles

Cinderella Man, Jarhead and Assault on Precinct 13 HD DVD

Street Date: May 9, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $34.98 SRP
Selection Number: 27845 (Cinderella Man); 27847 (Jarhead); 30016 (Assault on Precinct 13)
Running Time: 2 Hours 25 Minutes (Cinderella Man); 2 Hours 3 Minutes (Jarhead); 1 Hour 49 Minutes (Assault on Precinct 13)
Layers: HD-30
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Cinderella Man and Jarhead); 2.40:1 (Assault on Precinct 13)
Rating: PG-13 for intense boxing violence and some language (Cinderella Man); R for pervasive language, some violent images and strong sexual content (Jarhead); R for strong violence and language throughout, and for some drug content (Assault on Precinct 13)
Technical Info: English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound; English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles

The Chronicles of Riddick(Unrated), Van Helsing, U-571 and The Bourne Supremacy HD DVD

Street Date: May 23, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $34.98 SRP
Selection Number: 27777 (The Chronicles of Riddick - Unrated); 26514 (Van Helsing);
27779 (U-571); 25167 (The Bourne Supremacy)
Running Time: 2 Hours 15 Minutes (The Chronicles of Riddick - Unrated); 2 Hours 12 Minutes (Van Helsing); 1 Hour 57 Minutes (U-571); 1 Hour 49 Minutes (The Bourne Supremacy)
Layers: HD-30
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 (The Chronicles of Riddick - Unrated); 1.85:1 (Van Helsing); 2.35:1 (U-571); 2.35:1 (The Bourne Supremacy)
Rating: Not Rated (The Chronicles of Riddick); PG-13 for nonstop creature action violence and frightening images, and for sensuality (Van Helsing); PG-13 for war violence (U-571); PG-13 for violence and intense action, and for brief language (The Bourne Supremacy)
Technical Info: English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound; English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles

Dont't forget to also check out: Serenity, Doom, Apollo 13

Serenity was released September 30th, 2005 and stars Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Sean Maher, Summer Glau. The film is directed by Joss Whedon.

Doom was released October 21st, 2005 and stars Dwayne Johnson, Karl Urban, Rosamund Pike, Ben Daniels, Razaaq Adoti, Richard Brake, Al Weaver, Dexter Fletcher. The film is directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak.

Apollo 13 was released June 30th, 1995 and stars Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Emily Ann Lloyd. The film is directed by Ron Howard.