| Sky Warrior Bob |
08-21-2007 06:05 AM |
Paramount titles to be HD-Exclusive (SONNA OF A...)
Linky:
Quote:
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc said on Monday they will release their DVD titles exclusively on HD DVD, the high-definition digital movie format whose sales have lagged those of rival Blu-Ray so far this year.
ADVERTISEMENT
Paramount, which distributes DreamWorks Animation's DVDs, settled on HD DVD after determining that the format offers better quality and lower-cost players and lower manufacturing costs, the studios said in a statement.
Two competing technologies -- HD DVD and Blu-Ray -- are waging a battle to dominate the next generation of DVD players that promise crisper video, audio and in some cases more content in the multibillion-dollar home entertainment arena.
Paramount's first releases under the exclusive HD DVD program include "Blades of Glory" on August 28 and the summer blockbusters "Transformers" and "Shrek the Third," due for release later this fall.
The exclusive agreement does not include movies directed by Steven Spielberg for DreamWorks SKG, which is a Paramount unit. His films are not exclusive to either format, Paramount said.
The agreement does include all other movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films.
HD DVD was developed by Toshiba Corp and backed by Microsoft Corp and is supported by Warner Bros., Universal Studios, New Line Cinema, HBO and the Weinstein Co.
Blu-Ray discs use Sony Corp -backed technology and are supported by most of the major U.S. movie studios.
Both formats came on the market last year. Blu-Ray outsold HD DVD by 2 to 1 in the United States in the first half of 2007, according to Home Media Research.
An estimated 3.7 million high-definition discs have been sold, including 2.2 million in Blu-Ray and 1.5 million in HD DVD through the end of July, Home Media Research said last week.
|
Ugh, this means that the one Blue-Ray title I was going to buy, isn't going to be on Blue-Ray.
One bit of good news, Bay is out for Transformers 2 because of this. Not that I don't agree with Bay's sentiment, but honestly I think the sequel needs somebody who cares a bit more about Transformers, to the extent that they think its worthwhile to characterize them.
Not just have them reduced to a role call. And have their screen time wasted by a virus & hacker story that went nowhere. I mean, you could've totally gut that out & had Sector 7 go directly to the Secretary of Defense, not just sit it out until the last minute.
SWB
|
