Sony Takes Blu-ray to China

CULVER CITY, November 19:
Sony Pictures Entertainment is the first studio to launch high-definition
Blu-ray discs in the Chinese market, with an initial slate of 30 titles
beginning to roll out this week.

The launch of Sony's
Blu-ray features in China coincides with the introduction of the BDP-S350 model player on
November 21. Excel Media (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. is handling the distribution of
the 30 Sony Picture Home Entertainment releases over the next few months. The slate
of current and library fare includes Hancock,
Kung Fu Hustle, Open Season, the Spider-Man trilogy, S.W.A.T., Men in Black, Into the Blue, Hitch, The Pursuit of
Happyness, 50 First Dates and Big Fish. Consumers will be able to
purchase many of these titles at participating retailers, including Sony Style
and Joyo.com, for around 205 RMB ($30).

Initial
shipments will be manufactured and imported from outside China, with plans to
begin local production of Blu-ray discs within the year.

—By
Mansha Daswani