AVS › AVS Forum › Blu-ray & HD DVD › Blu-ray Software › Universal joining Blu-ray bandwagon this summer
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Universal joining Blu-ray bandwagon this summer

post #1 of 350
4/17/08 at 12:28am
Thread Starter 
http://uk.reuters.com/article/intern...40482320080417

Quote:


The studio is set to announce Thursday that the program will kick off in the summer with the recent box office flop "Doomsday."

Universal's Blu-ray strategy includes plans to release about 40 titles in the second half of the year.

Among them are the studio's five big feature films of the summer, including "The Incredible Hulk," with Edward Norton, William Hurt and Liv Tyler; "Wanted," an action thriller starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie; "Hellboy II: The Golden Army"; "Mamma Mia," the adaptation of the musical starring Meryl Streep; and the sequel "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," with Brendan Fraser and Jet Li.

Universal officially will enter the Blu-ray market July 22 with a trio of films from its "Mummy" action-adventure franchise: "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns," both starring Fraser, and the spinoff "The Scorpion King," with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Also planned for domestic Blu-ray before the year is up are the catalog titles "American Gangster," "Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Miami Vice," "End of Days," "U-571" and "Land of the Dead," among others.
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 350
4/17/08 at 12:40am
Once again Paramount/Dreamworks are the losers. This is becoming quite the status quo these days. On the one hand, they got $120 million to do basically nothing, but on the other hand, they have lost so much respect in Hollywood circles one really wonders if the money was worth it in the long run.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 350
4/17/08 at 12:42am
Thread Starter 
Though I am format neutral it's a welcome news for me as I can mentally prepare myself to dispose my HD DVD collection.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 350
4/17/08 at 1:02am
Well, if Warner keeps recycling their HD DVD transfers for their Blu-ray releases such as with Batman Begins, I see no reason to dispose of my current Batman Begins HD DVD and replace with an identical Blu-ray. That's just a waste of money.

I notice that so far Universal's announced catalog titles are all some of their higher quality HD DVD releases. I wonder if they will also be recycling transfers for their BD re-releases and only creating new transfers for new releases. If this is the case, I won't be rebuying any Universal HD DVDs on Blu-ray either.

If Universal doesn't create a new transfer for Serenity, I will be pissed.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 350
4/17/08 at 1:04am
Thread Starter 
You are correct. But what to do. We have to put up with these kind of situations. I don't want my HD DVD collection to accumulate dust once my player dies.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 350
4/17/08 at 1:07am
By the time your player has died, it will be years from now and all these old BD releases will be $9.99 anyways just like most catalog DVD titles.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 350
4/17/08 at 1:14am
Quote:


Universal's Blu-ray strategy includes plans to release about 40 titles in the second half of the year.

Well I guess since Universal has 148 HD DVD titles now, I might as well go out and buy firesale HD DVDs to feed my HD XA2 since 108 or so of those HD DVD releases won't show up on Blu-ray until 2009.

http://www.hddvdstats.com/index.php
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 350
4/17/08 at 1:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by lgans316 View Post

You are correct. But what to do. We have to put up with these kind of situations. I don't want my HD DVD collection to accumulate dust once my player dies.


Then go buy a back-up player for $50 or so. Better yet wait a couple of years and HD DVD playback will probably be a value added feature in the same way SACD and DVD-Audio are for current DVD Players.

I expect that any Universal releases on BD will be essentially the same as they are on HD DVD. There may be a few releases where Universal opts for PCM on releases that were only DD+ on HD DVD. I would only consider upgrading my Universal HD DVDs if the BD was actually an upgrade. So if a film has a better video or audio transfer on BD I'll probably nab it. If it is essentially the same I'll be happy to keep watching the $10 HD DVD I already have instead of forking over $25 to get a Blue case.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 350
4/17/08 at 2:31am
Great news!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosty View Post

Well I guess since Universal has 148 HD DVD titles now, I might as well go out and buy firesale HD DVDs to feed my HD XA2 since 108 or so of those HD DVD releases won't show up on Blu-ray until 2009.

http://www.hddvdstats.com/index.php

I don't know what you expected.
During the second half of 2006, Universal released 43 HD DVD titles. During the second half of 2007, it released 45 titles.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 350
4/17/08 at 3:06am
Universal looks to have a good release schedule for Blu-ray this year and I am happy to see that The Mummy will be one of the first titles they release on Blu-ray. Also just a trip down memory lane but this is a post I made just over a year ago that looks good in retrospect.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 350
4/17/08 at 3:47am
Quote:


The studio is set to announce Thursday that the program will kick off in the summer with the recent box office flop "Doomsday."

Another flop on high def, what else do we need...
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 350
4/17/08 at 3:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Faceless Rebel View Post

Does this mean there will be no more whining from certain former HD DVD format warriors about how the evil BDA is preventing Universal from releasing on Blu-ray disc?

Once again Paramount/Dreamworks are the losers. This is becoming quite the status quo these days. On the one hand, they got $120 million to do basically nothing, but on the other hand, they have lost so much respect in Hollywood circles one really wonders if the money was worth it in the long run.

This post is so PRE Warner swtich.

War is over dude.

As far as respect, they did not lose any. Format war was a blip in that business, but if making a mountain out of a mole hill makes you feel better, by all means.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 350
4/17/08 at 4:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tteich View Post

Another flop on high def, what else do we need...

Just because it flops on the boxoffice doesnt make it a bad. There are many movies that would be good, but people just rent instead.

And if its doomsday by the creator of Dog Soldiers and Descent, im gonna pick this up.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 350
4/17/08 at 4:15am
Serenity and BSG please.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 350
4/17/08 at 4:18am
Universal - remove the EE you placed on 'The 40 Year Old' HD DVD before you release it on BR please, thank you.

edit: maybe the high and mighty one, Spielberg, will give them a nod now to slip in at least one of his flicks, like ummm, friggin' JAWS. =)
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 350
4/17/08 at 4:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gai View Post

Serenity and BSG please.

Yes, let's get Season's 2 and 3 of BSG out... and Razor!
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:06am
Great news!!!!
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:07am
U571 I would pick up...the others....eh...
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:14am
Dune, please!
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:18am
I hope they release all of their catalog titles that were released on HD-DVD, as well. I think it's safe for me to sell off all HD-DVD hardware and software and have one HD media player.
Reply
Reply
post #21 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Urza View Post

This post is so PRE Warner swtich.

War is over dude.

As far as respect, they did not lose any. Format war was a blip in that business, but if making a mountain out of a mole hill makes you feel better, by all means.

+1 but loss of time, i think
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:23am
Finally...

I am looking forward to the American gangster release and am hoping they add the directors/ extended cut on the disc as I have held off buying the hd-dvd version for this very reason.
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rlindo View Post

Finally...

I am looking forward to the American gangster release and am hoping they add the directors/ extended cut on the disc as I have held off buying the hd-dvd version for this very reason.

Extended cut isnt the same as Directors cut. It could be, but nowdays its more for marketing when they add an extended cut.
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:31am
Bourne movies would be nice.

(it's about time I buy a PS3)
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Urza View Post

This post is so PRE Warner swtich.

War is over dude.

As far as respect, they did not lose any. Format war was a blip in that business, but if making a mountain out of a mole hill makes you feel better, by all means.

Your right and if any company lost public opinion it would be Warner since they drove Toshiba to complete HD-DVD, then went neutral and then after convincing companies like Paramount to go HD-DVD exclusive, they then got panties tied up in the dip in DVD sales and killed the format that claimed was their little baby. This is coming from a huge HD-DVD fan.

I don't mind Warner ending the war, but if they just either held to their guns (HD-DVD) or completely supported BD when they choose to go neutral in the eleventh hour this war probably would never have gotten off the ground. Its not going to stop me from buying Warner products but it does bug, what they did seems slimy.
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 350
4/17/08 at 5:48am
paramount is to busy trying to get 400 million from BDA to finance their next 5 year movie plans.

by the time paramount start releasing bluray. they actually have to pay us to buy them

anyway i am happy with Universal on board. maybe we can get Jaws this winter. or Conan the barbarian. or jurrasic park. or or or.........
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 350
4/17/08 at 6:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gai View Post

Serenity and BSG please.

With new transfers.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 350
4/17/08 at 6:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grubert View Post

Great news!

I don't know what you expected.
During the second half of 2006, Universal released 43 HD DVD titles. During the second half of 2007, it released 45 titles.

I agree it is good news for Blu-ray fans ( count me in that group now) and is consistent with Universal's prior HD DVD release schedules, but I was kinda holding out hope that more of the Universal current HD DVD exclusives would come to Blu-ray by the end of the year.

Since Universal has been pretty light on HDM releases in Jan -Mar for the last few years, that mean to me that over 100-110 Universal titles won't come to Blu-ray until next summer 2009.

Hence my comment that I probably will pick them up on HD DVD now.
Reply
Reply
post #29 of 350
4/17/08 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by En Sabur Nur View Post

I hope they release all of their catalog titles that were released on HD-DVD, as well. I think it's safe for me to sell off all HD-DVD hardware and software and have one HD media player.

I hope so, but I would not count on it.
Reply
Reply
post #30 of 350
4/17/08 at 6:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Topweasel View Post

then after convincing companies like Paramount to go HD-DVD exclusive, they then got panties tied up in the dip in DVD sales and killed the format that claimed was their little baby.

Haha, if thats true, then Paramount looks like real idiots. Where do these stories come from?

Warner: "Paramount, you should go HD-DVD Exclusive, even though that plan is not good enough for us at Warner"

Paramount: "That sounds like an awesome plan... why didnt we think of it?"
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Blu-ray Software

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Blu-ray & HD DVD › Blu-ray Software › Universal joining Blu-ray bandwagon this summer