Sony Pictures reveals first quarter Blu-ray release schedule

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has revealed its first quarter Blu-ray lineup, and the studio is putting the new Bond front and center right away. A Blu-ray player was featured in the movie as a result of the close ties so we're not very surprised, but new Bond Daniel Craig is actually hitting Blu-ray twice in one day. The studio is releasing another film of his, the previously delayed Layer Cake, the same day. Both are on dual-layer 50GB discs and feature uncompressed soundtracks, which make up a large part of SPHE's early 2007 lineup, while Casino Royale is encoded in MPEG-4 AVC. Also of note is Resident Evil: Apocalypse, the second Blu-ray movie featuring Blu-Wizard technology to custom select special features that can then play during the movie. Hopefully this combination of high profile movie and 50GB disc works out better than on the universally panned transfer of Talladega Nights. Check the press release for complete special features details or after the break for a list of movies and release dates.

Sony Pictures First Quarter Release Schedule:

• Gridiron Gang: January 16

• Resident Evil: Apocalypse: January 16

• Open Season: January 30

• Running with Scissors: February 6

• The Tailor of Panama: February 6

• Vertical Limit: February 20

• Stranger Than Fiction: February 27

• Casino Royale: March 13

• Layer Cake: March 13