Braveheart, Gladiator launch Blu-ray line for Paramount

PHYSICAL: First two arrive Sept. 1, Forrest Gump Nov. 3

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/22/2009

JUNE 22 | PHYSICAL: Paramount Home Entertainment is launching the new Blu-ray Disc catalog line ‘Sapphire Series,’ which kicks off with Sept. 1 releases Braveheart and Gladiator.

Also in the Sapphire pipeline is Forrest Gump, due Nov. 3.

All Sapphire titles will be released in two-disc sets and boast extensive amounts of exclusive bonus material.

Braveheart will feature more than two hours of new extras, including interactive timelines, fresh interviews with the cast and crew and two featurettes, “Smithfield: Medieval Killing Fields” and “Battlefields of the Scottish Rebellion.”

Gladiator, holding both the theatrical cut and extended version, will include more than four hours of bonus content. Viewers will be able to tag topics of interest within the film and gain immediate access to featurettes on those subjects. They also will be able to analyze the historical accuracy of scenes with an enhanced trivia track. The disc also will contain three documentaries on the movie, including HBO special "The Making of Gladiator" and The Learning Channel’s "Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport." Deleted scenes, storyboards and a visual effects featurette are among other highlights.

Forrest Gump will offer a new roundtable discussion, with further bonus material details to be announced later this year.

"It's absolutely fitting that we're presenting the best films in the Paramount library on the finest home entertainment format available," said Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount Pictures. "Because of Blu-ray's phenomenal capabilities, the Sapphire Series will deliver the best pictures in the best picture."

Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis said, "I'm delighted that Forrest Gump is going to be a part of Paramount's Sapphire Series so that fans can enjoy it at home with pristine picture and sound along with a wealth of special features to give the film context."

Paramount’s Sapphire line comes on the heels of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment bowing the Diamond Collection, which similarly gives select Blu-ray releases a sense of distinction. The Diamond Collection, which kicks off with the Oct. 6 Blu-ray release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is positioned as a step-up to the studio’s classic animated Platinum Edition line.