And the magic date is May 23.

Sony plans to release the first batch of high-definition movies on its Blu-ray format in retail stores on May 23, to coincide with the introduction of the first Blu-ray disc player from Samsung ($1.000), the company said late Monday. Soon after, Blu-ray disc players will be released by Sony and Pioneer.

This also mean the rival HD-DVD format will have a head start of about two months when it launches in late March. Toshiba, which backs the HD-DVD standard, is scheduled to start selling the first HD-DVD players at end of March along with about 40 movie titles.

The Blu-ray titles released by Sony Pictures and MGM will include 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight’s Tale, and XXX, Legends of the Fall, Robocop, Stealth, SWAT, and Terminator.

Independent film studio Lions Gate also announced that it will release 10 movie titles on May 23 that will include Crash and Lord of War, priced at $39.99, and The Punisher, Saw, and Terminator 2: Judgment Day at $29.99.

http://www.redherring.com/Article.as...o+Shine+In+May