HDTV Heads-Up: Titanic Movie Week Looms

Titanic will have its maiden HD voyage on free-to-air TV when TV3 screens it in 1080i for the first time, on September 15.

It will help to launch a new look for Thursday nights on the channel that will see it become the home of Simon Cowell’s X-Factor USA and Rove LA that will screen only hours after their US broadcasts.

James Cameron’s historic blockbuster has yet to be released on Blu-ray but expect it to follow Titanic’s theatrical 3D showcasing in April, to mark the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.

It’s scheduled to open here at Easter.

The week of September 10-16 also will see TV2’s free-to-air HD premiere of The Hangover (8.30pm Saturday), opposite HD re-runs of Piece of My Heart, on TV One, and Panic Room on TV3.

TV One also will repeat Casino Royale in HD, at 8.30pm Sunday.

That week’s only HD series premiere is the golden gals comedy, Hot in Cleveland, which TV2 will air 8pm Wednesdays, but TV3 will resume NCIS: Los Angeles 9.30pm Tuesdays, on a double-bill with the original NCIS.

And TV One will continue to risk exhausting Criminal Minds’ mileage by repeating season five from 9.30pm Mondays while continuing with its midnight Thursday re-runs of season four.