Pirates Hitting DVD and Blu-ray Dec. 4

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment presents Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End like you’ve never experienced it before on Disney DVD and stunning high-definition Blu-ray Disc® loaded with an armada of bonus materials. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Nightly and Geoffrey Rush lead a stellar cast in the biggest, most thrilling installment of the blockbuster franchise, filled with spectacular visual effects, exotic locales and breathtaking action. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End arrives in time for the holidays on multiple platforms including 2-disc DVD and 2-disc 75GB Blu-ray sets featuring hours of extra material highlighted by bloopers and extensive behind-the-scenes content – plus the Bluray exclusive Enter the Maelstrom: a BD-Java feature that takes Blu-ray interactivity to an astounding new level! Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Directed by Gore Verbinski and with global box office to date of over $946 million, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski catapulted to become the #1 global box office hit of 2007 to date with over $946 million generated at the box office, arrives December 4 on multiple platforms, including a 2-disc DVD for the SRP of $34.99, 2-disc 75GB Blu-ray for the SRP of $35.99, and single-disc DVD for the SRP of $29.99.

Captain Jack Sparrow returns in a massively entertaining epic adventure beyond the very ends of the earth in the #1 worldwide box office phenomenon of 2007. Join Elizabeth, Will, and Captain Barbossa as they navigate through treacherous lands, mysterious lore, and supernatural wonders of the Pirate world. Meet the legendary pirate lords as they prepare for a titanic clash with the ruthless Lord Beckett and Davy Jones’ fearsome Flying Dutchman.

The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End 2-disc Disney DVD set immerses users in hours of behind-the-scenes content and pirate lore from the four corners of the earth. Features include a behind-the-scenes documentary, Keith & the Captain; Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom; The Tale of the Multiple Jacks; Hoist the Colors; Masters of Design; Inside the Brethren Court; The Pirate Code: Revealed; The World of Chow Yun Fat; The Pirate Maestro: The Music of Hans Zimmer; Bloopers of the Caribbean; and much, much more!

Relive the breathtaking action and mind-boggling special effects in glorious high-definition detail with the Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Blu-ray 2-disc release. The Blu-ray Disc high-definition feature film presentation was created from the original digital source files, delivering an unequaled, demo-worthy home viewing experience. Marvel at the wondrous 1080p detail of Davy Jones’ slimy, barnacle-encrusted crew and tremble at the ground-shaking cannonade of ship to ship battles with 7.1 channels surround, 48 kHz, 24-bit uncompressed audio – you’ll swear you smell the gun powder and feel the salty sea-spray splash across your face! The Blu-ray Disc release includes all of the standard DVD bonus content re-mastered in high-definition, plus exclusive BD-Java enhanced features including Enter the Maelstrom, an extensive interactive look at the climactic sequence of “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and the return of the Jolly Roger host, who navigates users through animated menus with state-of-the-art BD-Java enabled artificial intelligence. This scurvy scallywag entertainingly guides you through the pirate waters of your Blu-ray experience, responding to your actions (and inactions) with humorous commentary.

Enter the Maelstrom, the exclusive showpiece of the Blu-ray Disc, takes you deep into the perilous whirlpool of the Maelstrom, a sequence of unimaginable scale. The colossal battle between the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman stands as one of the most impressive action set pieces in cinema history with its photorealistic blend of live-action footage and computer-aided FX wizardry. Jerry Bruckheimer hosts the BD-Java feature – a one-hour immersive, interactive tour that explores the sequence from stem to stern, covering everything you would want to know and more about this awe-inspiring cinematic achievement. Explore the Palmdale hanger that housed the sets from floor to ceiling seamlessly through an interactive, time-lapse footage interface. In-feature pop-ups and selectable icons appear throughout the time-lapse footage over different areas of the massive set; navigating to each of these reveals multimedia content about how the Maelstrom was created, from set construction to special effects. Discover the Maelstrom on your own, or take a tour of the highlights of the set with Jerry Bruckheimer, who also provides optional commentary throughout the feature.

Enter the Maelstrom is a BD-Java interactive feature that was developed and produced by Disney and programmed by Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory. Panasonic is a key technology provider for BD-Java or Blu-ray Disc Java, which is the interactive platform supporting advanced content for Blu-ray Disc. BD-Java allows bonus content on Blu-ray Disc titles to be far more sophisticated then bonus content provided by standard definition DVD. Panasonic also handled the film’s AVC video compression (Advanced Video Coding; a digital video codec standard that is noted for achieving very high data compression) direct from digital intermediates as well as menu authoring for Disc 1 of the Blu-ray 2-disc set.

Just when he’s needed most, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), that witty and wily charmer of a pirate, is trapped on a sea of sand in Davy Jones’ Locker. In an increasingly shaky alliance, Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) begin a desperate quest to find and rescue him. Captain Jack’s the last of the nine Pirate Lords of the Brethren Court who must come together united in one last stand to preserve the freedom-loving pirates’ way of life. From exotic Singapore, to World’s End and beyond, from Shipwreck Island, to a titanic battle, this adventure’s filled with over-the-edge action, irreverent humor and seafaring myth and magic. Everything has led to this twisting, turning, wild swashbuckling ride in this final chapter of the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy.

2-Disc Disney DVD Bonus Materials

DISC 1

• Feature Film Presentation

• Bloopers of the Caribbean – hilarious outtakes of cast and crew

DISC 2

• Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom – a detailed breakdown of one of cinema’s most complex and impressive action set pieces

• Keith & the Captain– A revealing look at the dynamic relationship between living legends Keith Richards and Johnny Depp

• Tale of the Multiple Jacks – an in-depth look at the mind-blowing FX that went into creating multiple Captain Jacks

• Hoist the Colors – reveals the inspiration for the “Hoist the Colors” original composition

• Masters of Design – five individual documentaries highlighting the talented design teams behind this immense production

o #1: Jim Byrkit and The Map

o #2: Crash McCreary and the Krusty Pirates

o #3: Rick Heinrichs and the Singapore Set

o #4: Penny Rose and the Captain Teague Costumes

o #5: Chris Peck and the Pirate Code Book

• Inside the Brethren Court – a closer look at the legendary Pirate Lords and theircostume designs, origins and unique personalities

• The Pirate Code: Revealed – explores the pirate code and the history of piracy

• The World of Chow Yun Fat – a look at the man behind devious Captain Sao Feng, international sensation Chow Yun Fat, and his meteoric rise to fame

• The Pirate Maestro: The Music of Hans Zimmer – meet the renowned composer who created the film’s rousing score

Blu-ray 2-Disc Bonus Materials

DISC 1

• Feature Film Presentation

• Jolly Roger Host – BD-Java Exclusive

DISC 2

• Enter the Maelstrom – BD-Java Exclusive

• All Standard DVD Bonus Content – available in high-definition

Single Disc Disney DVD Bonus Materials

DISC 1

• Feature Film Presentation

• Feature Audio Commentary

• Bloopers of the Caribbean

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