Disney builds Blu features for Sleeping Beauty

Studio will expand Blu-ray mall tour to more cities

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 1/6/2008

JAN. 6 | Walt Disney Home Entertainment confirmed that its first Web-enabled Blu-ray Disc title will be Sleeping Beauty, one of several Platinum Edition titles the studio plans to street in the high-def format this year. Bowing in the fall, Sleeping Beauty will feature online shopping via broadband connection and a BD Live “Virtual Castle” feature.

Through 2007, there have been no BD players that have been certified with the ability to playback Web-enabled features. But PlayStation 3 is soon expected to be upgraded as such a BD Live player.

Also, Disney will launch its first picture-in-picture title with Finding Nemo, which will include visual commentary with directors and writers.

The studio also will press deeper with its BD slate outside the US, including Europe, Australia and Japan.

Underscoring its 2008 BD drive, Disney will be extending its Blu-ray mall tour to 8 additional cities, starting with Toronto on Jan. 25. Other stops will be Nashville, Denver, Dallas, Raleigh-Durham, Hartford and Chicago.

“This is an exciting time for Disney as we not only announce the release of our first Platinum Disney animated classic on Blu-ray with Sleeping Beauty, but also allow consumers to create an entirely new home entertainment experience with stunning new bonus features and amazing interactive capabilities like never before seen,” stated Bob Chapek, President of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.