LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10      Universal Studios Home Entertainment

From Universal Studios Home Entertainment: Starring Action Hero Vin Diesel, The Chronicles of Riddick and Pitch Black



AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF



MARCH 31, 2009



ALSO AVAILABLE IN A 2-PACK ON BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF



LOS ANGELES, Feb. 10/PRNewswire/ -- Coming to Blu-ray(TM) Hi-Def for the first time and loaded with pulse-pounding non-stop action, spectacular special effects and brand new features, The Chronicles of Riddick and Pitch Black are a must have for all action fans! Both feature perfect picture, the purest digital sound and are BD-Live(TM) ready to get connected so you can download trailers and more!



THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK



SYNOPSIS:



Vin Diesel (xXx, The Fast and the Furious) stars in this electrifying special-effects-fueled action spectacular! After years of outrunning ruthless bounty hunters, escaped convict Riddick suddenly finds himself caught between opposing forces in a fight for the future of the human race. Now, waging incredible battles on fantastic and deadly worlds, this lone, reluctant hero will emerge as humanity's champion - and the last hope for a universe on the edge of annihilation. Powered by groundbreaking visual effects and pulse-pounding, thrill-a-minute action, The Chronicles of Riddick is "a roller coaster ride that leaves you kicking and screaming for more!" (Hollywood Hotwire)



EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF:



    --  U-CONTROL:  Universal's exclusive signature feature, U-Control puts

        viewers one click away from going deeper into the making of the film

        without ever leaving the movie.

        --  PICTURE IN PICTURE:  Access interactive cast and crew interviews and

            behind-the-scenes footage, all while you watch the movie.

        --  COMPLETE CHRONICLES: Explore the history and mythology of Riddick.

        --  CHRONICLES COMPENDIUM: Multi-tiered, dossier on characters, races,

            planets, religions, weapons and spacecrafts.

        --  ANATOMY OF A FIGHT: Investigate select fight scenes to demonstrate

            the real-life science of Riddick's hand-to-hand combat skills.

    --  BD-LIVE(TM): Access the BD-Live(TM) Center through your

        Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest

        trailers, and more!

        --  MY SCENES:  Pick your favorite scenes from the film and share with

            your BD-Live(TM) buddies.



BONUS FEATURES:



    --  INTRODUCTION BY DAVID TWOHY

    --  DELETED SCENES WITH COMMENTARY BY DAVID TWOHY

    --  VIRTUAL GUIDE TO THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK: Immerse yourself into the

        world of The Chronicles of Riddick from the perspectives of the

        characters.

    --  TOOMBS' CHASE LOG: Track the hunt for Riddick from bounty hunter

        Toombs' perspective.

    --  VISUAL EFFECTS REVEALED: A play-by-play breakdown of the most complex

        and compelling visual FX in The Chronicles of Riddick.

    --  CREATION OF NEW MECCA: Visit New Mecca on Helion Prime and explore this

        futuristic world from concept to completion.

    --  RIDDICK RISES: Learn about Riddick's past, present and future

        including and in-depth view of his training, weapons and more.

    --  KEEP WHAT YOU KILL: Discover how the Necromonger Empire has mastered the

        art of war, learn their dark secrets, their strategies and witness their

        powers and fighting prowess.

    --  FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH WRITER-DIRECTOR DAVID TWOHY AND ACTORS KARL

        URBAN AND ALEXA DAVALO



PITCH BLACK



SYNOPSIS:



When their ship crash-lands on a remote planet, the marooned passengers soon learn that escaped convict Riddick (Vin Diesel) isn't the only thing they have to fear. Deadly creatures lurk in the shadows, waiting to attack in the dark, and the planet is rapidly plunging into the utter blackness of a total eclipse. With the body count rising, the doomed survivors are forced to turn to Riddick with his eerie eyes to guide them through the darkness to safety. With time running out, there's only one rule: Stay in the light.



Pitch Black is the original sci-fi hit that introduced the world to the character of Riddick, the ultimate anti-hero. Take a ride on the pulse-pounding adrenaline rush that USA Today calls "the best excuse to root for the bad guy since Arnold in the original Terminator."



EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAY(TM) HI-DEF:



    --  U-CONTROL:  Universal's exclusive signature feature, U-Control puts

        viewers one click away from going deeper into the making of the film

        without ever leaving the movie.

        --  PICTURE IN PICTURE:  Access interactive cast and crew interviews and

            behind-the-scenes footage, all while you watch the movie.

        --  PITCH BLACK RAW: Explore the making of a special-effects fueled

            action epic through side-by-side comparisons of raw CGI to finished

            sequences, and raw dailies to final scenes.

    --  BD-LIVE(TM): Access the BD-Live(TM) Center through your

        Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest

        trailers, and more!

        --  MY SCENES:  Pick your favorite scenes from the film to create your

            own video montage.



BONUS FEATURES:



    --  AN INTRODUCTION BY DAVID TWOHY

    --  THE GAME IS ON: Utilizing animatics and concept art created during the

        development of the game, this feature summarizes the events preceding

        Pitch Black.

    --  JOHNS' CHASE LOG: A visual, animated and interactive day-by-day

        diary of the merc Johns' pursuit of Riddick.  Viewers will gain a

        broader understanding of how Johns' was almost killed by Riddick,

        but also how he eventually tracked and captured Riddick. Voice-over by

        Cole Hauser.

    --  THE MAKING OF PITCH BLACK

    --  DARK FURY: ADVANCING THE ARC: A tantalizing first look THE CHRONICLES OF

        RIDDICK: DARK FURY, the animated prequel to RIDDICK.

    --  THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA: Using an interactive

        interface coupled with production art and drawings, the consumer can

        familiarize themselves with the complex worlds, language and terminology

        from THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK. Voice-over by Cole Hauser.

    --  A VIEW INTO THE DARK: An early look into the THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK,

        featuring new interviews with Vin Diesel and director David Twohy.

    --  FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH VIN DIESEL, COLE HAUSER AND DIRECTOR DAVID TWOHY

    --  FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR DAVID TWOHY, PRODUCER TOM ENGELMAN AND

        VISUAL EFFECTS SUPERVISOR PETER CHIANG