Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has signed a DVD distribution deal for Vietnam with that country's Galaxy Studio.

The deal marks the first time a US major will release its titles on DVD in the South-East Asian market and will kick off on May 9 with 15 films including Casino Royale, the Spider-Man franchise and Surf's Up.

Future plans call for the release of approximately five to ten DVD titles per month and the eventual launch of high definition Blu-ray Disc releases.

SPHE's senior vice president of international T Paul Miller and Galaxy Studio president Tran Vu Hoai made the announcement.