[Petra]

75GB, BD-J, bonus features, etc

Disney 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Booty to Include Two Discs, BD-Java Features
Tue Feb 20, 2007 at 02:32 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, BD-50, Exclusive HD Content, Disney (all tags)

In two Blu-ray firsts for Disney, the studio will unleash their premiere two-disc and BD-Java-enhanced titles when it brings the blockbuster 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films to the format this spring.

As first announced late last month, the studio is set to debut 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' on Blu-ray on May 22, just in time for the theatrical premiere of the third film in the trilogy, 'At World's End.'

With expectations high for both releases to be a "trojan horse" for Blu-ray -- meaning the kind of huge A-list titles that will entice new consumers to finally dive into the format -- Disney appears to be pulling out all the stops to ensure fans are not disappointed.

Each title will be a "75GB" release, meaning a BD-50 dual-layer disc for the movie, and an extra BD-25 single-layer disc with additional extras.

Tech specs include the usual 1080p video transfers and uncompressed PCM 5.1 surround tracks. Extras will replicate the existing, feature-packed standard-def DVD versions.

And exclusive to the Blu-ray releases will be two BD-Java bonuses. 'The Curse of the Black Pearl' will include "Scoundrels of the Sea," an interactive in-movie feature that presents facts on-screen about the legends and lore of pirates. 'Dead Man's Chest' will include an "exciting" new Java feature called "Liar's Dice," a single-player game shot in live-action HD video.

Disney has set a $34.95 suggested list price for each of the 'Pirates' flicks.

Full specs for both titles have now been added to our Blu-ray Release Schedule

.We've also set up dedicated threads for both titles in our Forums area -- click the following links to discuss 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' Blu-ray release and 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' Blu-ray release.