Paramount to unleash tons of HD DVD *exclusive* titles!

[Ruined]

Paramount/Dreamworks go HD DVD exclusive!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070820...dvd_formats;_ylt=Avyiq1znBvA61M311YWV25ms0NUE

Woohoo!

Paramount to offer movies in HD DVD

LOS ANGELES - Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG announced Monday that they will offer next-generation DVDs in the HD DVD format rather than Blu-ray, a move that further complicates the race between the competing technologies.

The move by the two studios will include the upcoming blockbuster "Shrek the Third" and all movies distributed by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films, as well as movies from DreamWorks Animation, which are distributed exclusively by Paramount Home Entertainment.

"Part of our vision is to aggressively extend our movies beyond the theater, and deliver the quality and features that appeal to our audience," said Brad Grey, chairman and chief executive of Paramount Pictures. "I believe HD DVD is not only the affordable high quality choice for consumers, but also the smart choice for Paramount."

The competition between Blu-ray and HD DVD has kept confused consumers from rushing to buy new DVD players until they can determine which format will dominate the market.

Studios and retailers have been choosing sides.

"Spider-Man 3" will only be available in the Blu-ray DVD format when it is released by Sony Pictures.

Likewise, people with Blu-ray players won't be able to enjoy the action-thriller "The Bourne Ultimatum," which Universal Pictures will release only in HD DVD.

 

[AlNom]

Thanks for the heads up. Wasn't Paramount multi-format previously

 

[silhouette]

Both of them were multi-format previously.. It seems two more studios now align themselves with one camp..

 

[avaya]

The total stupidity of this decision is unparalled.

 

[Ruined]

Word is that Transformers is now an HD DVD exclusive

 

[avaya]

HD optical is now dead. It will now join advanced audio in the failure leagues.

 

[AlphaWolf]

I wonder what prompted this decision. Did Sony piss them off or something?

 

[Dave Baumann]

The speculation is major wedge from the HD DVD camp - supposedly $50M to Paramount and $100M to Dreamworks.

 

[avaya]

I wonder what prompted this decision. Did Sony piss them off or something?

This is as much a failure on the BDA's part as it is short-sightedness and complete delusion on Katzenberg's end.

If the other side is so desperate as to pay, $150mn, which is a meagre amount of money when all things are taken into consideration, for exclusivity why didn't the BDA do this?

The collective resources they have are far greater than the other side. It makes no sense, unless they felt such action would lead to Fox and Disney asking for similar payouts, something that would become very expensive very quickly.

 

[Dave Baumann]

Word is that Transformers is now an HD DVD exclusive

Thats actually cited in the PR:

Exclusive Program To Begin with Release of "Blades of Glory," Followed by "Transformers" and "Shrek the Third," Films Representing More Than $1.5 Billion in Combined Worldwide Box Office

 

[RobertR1]

So much for the "war is over" crap eh?

 

[Geo]

Whee.

 

[Geo]

The speculation is major wedge from the HD DVD camp - supposedly $50M to Paramount and $100M to Dreamworks.

If MS is willing to drop that kind of change to keep HD DVD in the game, it's going to be hard to see them off. But I still don't predict B-r being "seen off" either. It likely means its just that much more a possibility we'll buy a cheap HD DVD player after Christmas to complement our B-r player.

 

[nelg]

I can feel the heat of the AVSForum meltdown from here.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

Sure, a few people will buy two players, or an expensive dual format player, but for the most part this will just extend the stalemate and the vast majority of people will continue to be in a holding pattern of "wait and see" while they stick with their standard DVD players.

 

[I.S.T.]

The shortsightedness of this desision astounds me.

 

[AlphaWolf]

The shortsightedness of this desision astounds me.

I dunno, seems like pretty good decision to me. Paramount and Dreamworks get a big payout now and if HD-DVD fails, they can just release all their movies on Blu-ray later. If blu-ray fails they are already on the right format.

 

[Geo]

Today's announcement does not include films directed by Steven Spielberg as his films are not exclusive to either format.

It's good to be King!

 

[Skrying]

Could one just die already? Anyone cheering this is biased, so heavily so that its not a joke. This is not good, it just keeps delaying the format switch. Meaning more and more people are going to wait.... sigh...

 

[Farid]

Sure, a few people will buy two players, or an expensive dual format player, but for the most part this will just extend the stalemate and the vast majority of people will continue to be in a holding pattern of "wait and see" while they stick with their standard DVD players.

I was going to write a long reply, but this post sums it up nicely. The only thing this deal might achieve is to slow down futhermore the HD optical discrete hardware adoption.