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Hi-Def Media Lovefest: The war is over and we can all go home.

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J

jjasper

Member
So wait Blades of Glory (which was releasing next week on both) is the first to go exculsive?

:lol Well that was a waste of some man hours.
 
B

BobLoblaw

Banned
thaivo said:
Isn't Transformers a Paramount / Dreamworks production? That would be a great boon to HDVD if it is exclusive?
Click to expand...

That's what makes this an ULTRAMEGATON annoucement. I've got both Blu-ray and HD DVD because I'm a movie fan first and foremost. May want to rename this thread to HD DVD takeover watch.
 
D

DarkJediKnight

Member
I don't think the Megaton is over. With Paramount announcing exclusivity, I think the next announcement might be Warner going HD DVD Exclusive as well.

If that's the case then this war will be LONG!
 
T

thaivo

Member
MechDX said:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-20-2007/0004648398&EDATE=




Transformers is HD DVD ONLY!:lol
Click to expand...

WOW

Paramount and DreamWorks Animation Each Declare Exclusive Support for HD DVD

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Paramount Pictures, a
unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) and DreamWorks Animation SKG
(NYSE: DWA), each announced today that they will exclusively support the
next-generation HD DVD format on a worldwide basis...
The companies each said that the decision to distribute exclusively in
the HD DVD format resulted from an extensive evaluation of current market
offerings, which confirmed the clear benefits of HD DVD, particularly its
market-ready technology and lower manufacturing costs. Paramount Home
Entertainment will launch its exclusive HD DVD program with the release of
the blockbuster comedy hit "Blades of Glory" on August 28th and follow with
two of the biggest grossing movies of the year "Transformers" and "Shrek
the Third". These three titles alone represent more than $1.5 billion in
box office ticket sales worldwide. "The combination of Paramount and DreamWorks "We decided to release "Shrek the Third" and other DreamWorks Animation titles exclusively on HD DVD because we believe it is the best format to
bring high quality home entertainment to a key segment of our audience --
families," stated DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg.
 
J

jjasper

Member
DarkJediKnight said:
I don't think the Megaton is over. With Paramount announcing exclusivity, I think the next announcement might be Warner going HD DVD Exclusive as well.

If that's the case then this war will be LONG!
Click to expand...

Yeah I find it odd that Paramount would go first when you know that Warner never wanted to release on Blu Ray in the first place but decided they wanted more money.
 
D

DarkJediKnight

Member
BobLoblaw said:
That's what makes this an ULTRAMEGATON annoucement. I've got both Blu-ray and HD DVD before I'm a movie fan first and foremost. May want to rename this thread to HD DVD takeover watch.
Click to expand...

"Blu-ray/HD DVD: Takeover Watch"

Now seems more accurate. Paramount is HUGE! They have lots of popular movies and their exclusivity is massive.
 
T

thaivo

Member
DarkJediKnight said:
I don't think the Megaton is over. With Paramount announcing exclusivity, I think the next announcement might be Warner going HD DVD Exclusive as well.

If that's the case then this war will be LONG!
Click to expand...

Warner going exclusive also would definitely be the turning of the tide. :D
 
L

Laurent

Member
CԗLISSE...

Shouldn't we change the title of this thread? I suddently don't feel has confident with my small Blu-ray collection...
 
J

jjasper

Member
So if Paramount was bought out I wonder how much bidding is going on for Warner right now, and how much BDA is going to give Fox to rush out titles.

djkimothy said:
So who paid the $100 million?

This is huge news.
Click to expand...

My guess is MS.
 
H

heavy liquid

Member
Press release:

PARAMOUNT AND DREAMWORKS ANIMATION EACH DECLARE EXCLUSIVE SUPPORT FOR HD DVD

Movies Distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment Including Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films to be Released Exclusively in HD DVD

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.

Los Angeles, CA, August 20, 2007 – Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) and DreamWorks Animation SKG (NYSEWA), each announced today that they will exclusively support the next-generation HD DVD format on a worldwide basis. The exclusive HD DVD commitment will include 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.

The companies each said that the decision to distribute exclusively in the HD DVD format resulted from an extensive evaluation of current market offerings, which confirmed the clear benefits of HD DVD, particularly its market-ready technology and lower manufacturing costs. Paramount Home Entertainment will launch its exclusive HD DVD program with the release of the blockbuster comedy hit “Blades of Glory” on August 28th and follow with two of the biggest grossing movies of the year “Transformers” and “Shrek the Third”. These three titles alone represent more than $1.5 billion in box office ticket sales worldwide.

“The combination of Paramount and DreamWorks Animation brings a critical mass of current box office hits to consumers with a line-up of live action and animated films that are perfect for HD DVD,” stated Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, which is currently the leading studio in domestic box office. “Part of our vision is to aggressively extend our movies beyond the theater, and deliver the quality and features that appeal to our audience. I believe HD DVD is not only the affordable high quality choice for consumers, but also the smart choice for Paramount.

“We decided to release “Shrek the Third” and other DreamWorks Animation titles exclusively on HD DVD because we believe it is the best format to bring high quality home entertainment to a key segment of our audience – families,” stated DreamWorks Animation CEO, Jeffrey Katzenberg. “We believe the combination of this year’s low- priced HD DVD players and the commitment to release a significant number of hit titles in the fall makes HD DVD the best way to view movies at home.”

With the rapid increase of HD TV screens in households, and audiences wanting to enjoy the total entertainment experience, HD DVD has emerged as the most affordable way for consumers to watch their movies in high definition. In addition to pristine quality, HD DVD also offers consumers the chance to personalize the movie-watching experience, to interact with their movies and even to connect with a community of other fans.

Paramount Home Entertainment will issue new releases day and date as well as catalog titles exclusively on HD DVD. Today’s announcement does not include films directed by Steven Spielberg as his films are not exclusive to either format.
Click to expand...
 
Y

yacobod

Banned
which has better exclusives now that you consider catalog releases?

universal + paramount/dreamworks vs. Sony + Disney + Fox

if warner goes exclusive, i'd say hd dvd would have a serious advantage there, if someone would have announced that paramount was going exclusive in this thread last week, they would have been laughed out of here
 
ManaByte

ManaByte

Member
gkrykewy said:
I'm very glad about Shrek 3; hopefully some Star Trek announcements are forthcoming. Blu player purchase delayed.
Click to expand...

They already announced the Original Series.

I would imagine they'll do the movies next year right before the new one comes out in December.

Wrath of Khan in HD....OMG
 
C

Chemo

Member
Payoff has to be the reason, there's absolutely no fucking way Transformers on HD DVD would have outsold Transformers on Blu-ray. It would've lost by 2:1 margin at the very least, more likely 3:1 since there'll be a lot more PS3s selling during the holiday season than HD DVD players.
 
T

thaivo

Member
djkimothy said:
So who paid the $100 million?

This is huge news.
Click to expand...

I think the $100 million was just speculation so far. Perhaps Paramount doesn't like the idea of Sony controlling a format, when it has so many studios itself.
 
OverHeat

OverHeat

« generous god »
Good thing I own a player for each format!!!
67peo7m.jpg

:lol :lol :lol
 
D

djkimothy

Member
thaivo said:
I think the $100 million was just speculation so far. Perhaps Paramount doesn't like the idea of Sony controlling a format, when it has so many studios itself.
Click to expand...

Go here.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

SUNDAY PM: I've learned there will be two new developments announced later this week today in the ongoing Blu-ray vs HD-DVD format war: separate HD-DVD deals with Paramount and DreamWorks Animation that involve major millions of dollars. I've got a confidential analyst's report that recently alluded to the deals (see below), spinning them as "the format war is now set to intensify". But sources have given me updated details which show the HD-DVD side is paying through the nose -- I'm told $50 million to Paramount, and $100 million to DreamWorks Animation -- to try to show the strength of what we all know is a dying format. Sources are telling me these moves are "really out of desperation" and "a callous cash grab". After all, the consumer is already making a decision between formats: even though Toshiba-backed and Microsoft-backed HD-DVD players are far cheaper right now, Sony-backed Blu-ray prices are rapidly coming down.

...

Sources tell me that Paramount, which has been publishing on both Blu-ray and HD DVD, will receive $50 million to continue publishing in HD. "The deal is that anything they release on Blu-ray, they'll have to release in HD," a source told me. In addition, the studio will give the HD format exclusivity for some older titles in its catalogue.

But the $100 million from HD-DVD for DreamWorks Animation is a huge $$$ infusion for that Shrek-dependent public company. Sources tell me the money is for "promotional consideration" on future titles beginning with Shrek The Third. "Exactly what 'promotional consideration' means is that if there's an ad running for the Shrek The Third DVD, it'll mention that the pic is available on HD as well Blu-ray," an insider told me. The deal also applies to 3 or 4 future DWA titles. The HD/DreamWorks Animation deal is especially interesting because earlier this year, Jeff Katzenberg told a Bank of America conference that he expected "neither" high-def DVD format to win the war "because they're not going to become the next platform."
Click to expand...

The article/blog? in question makes it appear that Dreamworks animation is the only exlusive deal.
 
G

Grimmy

Banned
Well, that pretty much wraps it up for HD media. With both techs now in a stalemate, it ensures that neither will ever become mainstream, thus meaning that they will remain niche....until a new technology comes out that will signal the end of both.

I think within 3-5 years both Blu-ray and HD-DVD will become history, replaced by a new tech that everyone can agree upon. And all the studios will look back at this and realise how stupid they were.
 
The Elite

The Elite

BOSS
OverHeat said:
Good thing I own a player for each format!!!

:lol :lol :lol
Click to expand...

The problem is that the mainstream aren't going to buy into the idea of purchasing two players for two competing formats. If this "war" continues, both formats will annihilate each other. People don't like confusion in the marketplace.
 
L

Laurent

Member
So what about this list, releases planned for August-September-October?

Blades of Glory
Saturday Night Fever
Next
Top Gun
The Jack Ryan Collection
Face/Off
Flashdance
 
Y

yacobod

Banned
DarkJediKnight said:
It's going to be interesting to see if:

Fox was waiting to go HD DVD exclusive as well

Woah! Nothing would surprise me after today.
Click to expand...


please clarify?

would kinda explain why Fox hasnt released anything in a while
 
O

Oni Jazar

Member
Costanza said:
GOD DAMMIT.
Click to expand...

*sigh*

And the Band Played On.

I fucking hate this thread. I HATE that we have a group of movie lovers that have to BICKER CONSTANTLY about formats instead of just enjoying HD content. I hate that no matter the milesstones that break recently it's still just a booger on the mountain of DVD.

I DON'T GIVE A SHIT WHO WINS DAMNIT BUT I DO WANT ONE FORMAT. I just don't see Sony/Disney/(fox) budging and now we have Dreamworks/Paramount picking sides.
 
OverHeat

OverHeat

« generous god »
DoctorWho said:
The problem is that the mainstream aren't going to buy into the idea of purchasing two players for two competing formats. If this "war" continues, both formats will annihilate each other. People don't like confusion in the marketplace.
Click to expand...

I know, but at least I dont have the problem of missing some movies in High def.
 
L

Laurent

Member
So here's a list of Paramount Blu-rays that will get disctontinued soon...

Disturbia
Shooter
The Untouchables
The Warriors: Ultimate Director's Cut
Black Snake Moan
Hustle & Flow
Coming to America
Norbit
Trading Places
Freedom Writers
M:I-2
Mission: Impossible
Failure to Launch
Payback: Straight Up - The Director's Cut
Babel
Black Rain
The Manchurian Candidate
We Were Soldiers
World Trade Center
Nacho Libre
Reds
Mission: Impossible - Ultimate Missions Collection
Mission: Impossible III
The Italian Job (2003)
Sahara
Aeon Flux
U2: Rattle and Hum
Four Brothers
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Sleepy Hollow
 
Guy Legend

Guy Legend

Member
My God....Transformers exclusive. Here we go...


Looks like a regular hdmi upscale dvd player is the safe option to go for right now.
 
D

DarkJediKnight

Member
Grimmy said:
Well, that pretty much wraps it up for HD media. With both techs now in a stalemate, it ensures that neither will ever become mainstream, thus meaning that they will remain niche....until a new technology comes out that will signal the end of both.

I think within 3-5 years both Blu-ray and HD-DVD will become history, replaced by a new tech that everyone can agree upon. And all the studios will look back at this and realise how stupid they were.
Click to expand...

I think this is very likely. HD DVD won't stop Blu-ray and Blu-ray won't stop HD DVD now. Either a new unified format will emerge or MS will get its wish of digital downloads.
 
J

jjasper

Member
DarkJediKnight said:
I think this is very likely. HD DVD won't stop Blu-ray and Blu-ray won't stop HD DVD now. Either a new unified format will emerge or MS will get its wish of digital downloads.
Click to expand...

The Samsung and LG duel players become the best selling media players and the 2 companies became king and rule with an iron fist:lol
 
C

Chemo

Member
The only thing that could stop this from sending both formats to a watery grave at the bottom of a sea of HD supporters' tears is if Best Buy and/or other major retailers, for the good of next-gen format sales, dropped one of the formats in-store in order to make the decision for everyone so that people could start buying in already.
 
M

Midas

Member
This has the most stupid move I've ever seen. I almost feel sorry for Sony now, they almost had this war. But somehow they fucked it up too.
 
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