According to The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Home Video has "officially joined" the Blu-ray Disc Assn., becoming the fifth of the six major studios to back the Sony-developed next-generation optical disc format.

The Blu-ray Disc Assn.'s board Wednesday night formally approved Warner's admission. Thursday afternoon, Warner promised to release films and other content -- beginning with "a large selection of catalog favorites and contemporary hits," according to president Jim Cardwell -- on Blu-ray, along with selections from New Line Home Entertainment and HBO Video. Like Paramount Home Entertainment, however, Warner has yet to repudiate the competing HD-DVD format, developed by Toshiba, its partner in standard DVD.