This week the most influential adopters of?Blu-ray and HD DVD formats revealed their plans in regards of movie releases for the new high definition disc formats. So far the HD DVD camp wins in terms of cost, but the Blu-ray has more studios on its side. Furthermore, it is unclear how many movies in HD will be available by the end of the year.

HD DVD Backers Prep 200 Movies ?Report

Reports say that about 200 titles in HD DVD format will be available by late 2006.

Adopters of the HD DVD technology are Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, HBO Video, New Line Entertainment and Warner Home Video. According to reports, they would release about 200 HD DVD movies in 2006. The list of movies to be released includes ?Million Dollar Baby? ?Harry Potter 4: The Goblet of Fire? ?Blazing Saddles? ?Full Metal Jacket? ?Jarhead??Sahara?and ?Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow?

?It's too early too tell which will win. The ideal solution would be a universal player,?Matt Lasorsa, executive vice president of marketing at New Line Home Video, said in a brief conversation after the presentation with CNET News.com.

Blu-Ray Adopters Also Promise Titles

Those who believe in the Blu-ray format have not unveiled the number of titles to be released, nevertheless, provided a list of movies to be available in the HD format.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment and Lionsgate (formerly Lion's Gate) will implement Blu-ray disc format, it is reported.

Sony's initial offering is led by such high-profile theatrical films as ?Hitch? ?The Fifth Element,??Legends of the Fall? ?House of Flying Daggers? ?Bram Stoker's,?Dracula? ?Desperado? ?For a Few Dollars More? ?The Guns of Navarone? ?A Knight's Tale? ?Kung Fu Hustle? ?The Last Waltz? ?Resident Evil: Apocalypse? ?Robocop? ?Sense and Sensibility? ?Stealth? ?Species? ?SWAT?and ?XXX?

Sony said its initial slate will be released on single-layer, 25GB Blu-ray disc with the exception of ?Black Hawk Down?and ?The Bridge on the River Kwai? both of which will be issued on 50GB dual-layer discs in the summer.

Fox's first wave includes major releases ?Fantastic Four? ?The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? ?Behind Enemy Lines? ?Kiss of the Dragon?and ?Ice Age? among others.

Lionsgate's lineup includes ?Terminator 2: Judgment Day? ?Reservoir Dogs? ?Total Recall? ?Dune? ?Rambo: First Blood? ?Lord of War? ?The Punisher? ?The Devil's Rejects?and ?Saw?

Paramount's launch slate will have recent releases such as ?Mission Impossible? ?Mission Impossible II? ?Mission Impossible III? ?Four Brothers? ?Sahara? ?Aeon Flux? ?Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow? ?The Italian Job? ?Lara Croft: Tomb Raider? ?U2: Rattle and Hum? ?Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow? ?We Were Soldiers?and ?The Manchurian Candidate?

• CNET News.com: HD DVD Backers Promise 200 Movies.
• Reuters: Four Studios Unveil Blu-Ray Hi-Def Lineups.