Well, here it comes. The first round of Blu-Ray discs have been announced. Not surprisingly, most of the titles are a mix of dazzling audio-video pieces and slightly older films to test drive the new format (anyone remember the first round of DVDs? Babe and Cutthroat Island ring a bell?)>

Sony will start with Hitch, The Fifth Element, Legends of the Fall and House of Flying Daggers.

Fox kicks off with Fantastic Four, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Behind Enemy Lines, Kiss of the Dragon and Ice Age.

Lions Gate’s lineup includes Lord of War, The Punisher, The Devil’s Rejects and Saw.

Paramount will launch with Four Brothers, Sahara, Aeon Flux and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.

Many other films are also on the way in the months after the initial launch including Bridge on the River Kwai, 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, S.W.A.T., XXX, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Dune, Rambo: First Blood, Mission Impossible I,II and III, The Italian Job, Tomb Raider, U2: Rattle and Hum, Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, We Were Soldiers and The Manchurian Candidate (2004).

Whew. An interesting line-up to be sure. Dates and prices will start popping up soon.