Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just announced two major developments that are designed to make Blu-Ray more attractive while also giving viewers more bang for their buck. Starting in the first quarter of 2010, Warner Home Video will be releasing its entire Theatrical New Release slate as Blu-Ray Combo Packs, containing a Blu-ray Disc of the film with exclusive special features and exciting BD-Live interactivity, a standard-definition DVD and a Digital Copy of the film.  For you this means that for the same price as before, you will now own three versions of a film, giving you the option to view it in any format you wish.

In addition to this step, Warner Bros. has also announced the release of a series of Double Feature Blu-Ray titles. For the low price of $24.98 you will have the chance to get two matched films in one package, making this an incredibly attractive buy. Starting February 23 look for double feature releases of “Dirty Harry” and “Magnum Force” starring Clint Eastwood; “Analyze This” and “Analyze That” starring Billy Crystal and Robert De Niro; “Presumed Innocent” and “Frantic” starring Harrison Ford; “Miss Congeniality” and “Miss Congeniality 2” starring Sandra Bullock; and Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon.

I guess the overused argument that Blu-Ray is too expensive no longer has any validity. At these prices and at the way the hardware prices have developed, Blu-Ray is well on its way to replace DVD as the leading home video format – and deservedly so.