"Warner Bros has given a timely boost to Blu-ray by announcing that it will release films on the next-generation high-definition DVD discs next year.

Warner had previously committed to making movies available on the rival format HD DVD and explained that the decision to hedge its bet was made after the two camps failed to reach agreement on a unified format.

Warner's decision follows a similar commitment by Paramount to back Blu-ray and was welcomed by Blu-ray backers including Twentieth Century Fox and Buena Vista Home Entertainment.

'These latest developments are the categorical shift needed to avoid a format war and insure the successful launch of Blu-ray and secure the future of high-definition pre-recorded media,' said Mike Dunn, president, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. 'The real winner in all of this will be the consumer as a single format comes to market with the dominant support of both the hardware and software industries.'

Bob Chapek, president, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, added: 'This news further illustrates the potent combination of Blu-ray Disc's superior consumer proposition and the undeniable market support demonstrated by the huge consortium of companies supporting Blu-ray. The continued dramatic momentum towards Blu-ray makes us more optimistic than ever that a "format war" can be avoided.'" [more]