Paramount Cancels Future HDDVD releases?

pjc · 02-28-2008, 07:33 PM

from hi-def digest

Quote:

Ending weeks of speculation, Paramount says 'Into the Wild' and 'Things We Lost in the Fire' will be its last two HD DVD releases.

Although the studio has yet to issue a formal statement, when asked to confirm retail reports that it had canceled the majority of its upcoming HD DVD slate, a Paramount rep told us that following the next week's HD DVD releases of 'Into the Wild' and 'Things We Lost in the Fire,' the studio will no longer issue any further titles on the format.

According to a just-published article in The Hollywood Reporter, the studio is expected to release its first new Blu-ray titles this summer.

Paramount (and its subsidiary DreamWorks) had nearly a half-dozen HD DVD titles scheduled for release through early Spring. Here is a complete list of the studio's previously-announced titles that have now been cancelled:

March 25: 'The Jack Ryan Collection,' 'The Kite Runner'
April 1: 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'
April 15: 'There Will Be Blood '

Note that this confirmation from Paramount does not cover titles released by the independently-owned DreamWorks Animation. As we reported just yesterday, CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg says his company is still contractually committed to HD DVD, and is awaiting word from Toshiba on how to proceed. (The March 11 release of 'Bee Movie' is the only upcoming DreamWorks Animation title currently on the HD DVD schedule.)

As always, we'll keep you posted on further details of Paramount/DreamWorks transition to Blu-ray as they're announced.

loganhunter200 · 02-28-2008, 07:42 PM

Sonofa!!!!! Alright, so we have to wait a bit longer for the bluray release of Sweeny Todd and There will be Blood.

Stew4HD · 02-28-2008, 07:43 PM

Paramount, back stabbed BD and now doing the same to HD DVD, the one that paid them to go HD DVD exclusive... they are not very professional, to say the least.

Bravestime · 02-28-2008, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stew4HD

Paramount, back stabbed BD and now doing the same to HD DVD, the one that paid them to go HD DVD exclusive... they are not very professional, to say the least.

Are any of them consumer fieindly?

Stew4HD · 02-28-2008, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bravestime

Are any of them consumer fieindly?

Come to think of it.... NO!

KEEBS1984 · 02-28-2008, 07:56 PM

Backstabbed HD DVD?

I'm sorry but there is no HD DVD anymore. . . It sucks that we won't be getting these movies in HD for a while longer but I certainly can't blame them for discontinuing support for a format whose primary owner has abandoned.

Lee Stewart · 02-28-2008, 08:01 PM

A very abrupt end to HD DVD if you ask me.

crazyal · 02-28-2008, 08:07 PM

Has anyone seen anything official from Paramount saying they have plans to release on Blu-Ray? I hope I'm wrong but I got a feeling in my gut that they got a bad taste in their mouth from the BDA last year and are in no hurry (since profits from HDM right now really mean nothing).

**bruceames** · 02-28-2008, 08:12 PM

Well that sucks.

I wonder how much Jack Ryan Collection will ebay for now?

crazyal · 02-28-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

A very abrupt end to HD DVD if you ask me.

You keep seeing the statement that people were sitting on the sidelines waiting for the war to end. It seams to me that it wasn't J6P but the studios, lol. I worry that they will be as quick to jump ship if downloads or a newer format (maybe one that can hold enough to have uncompressed video) look to be the next way to make money.

**bruceames** · 02-28-2008, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

A very abrupt end to HD DVD if you ask me.

Tell me about it. A pretty sh!tty couple of months for HD DVD to be sure.

While Paramount is burning their Jack Ryan HD DVDs and who knows what else they got printed (and raising the bar of how to be a total dick), at least Universal is coming out with Atonement, which if it's the last, is a nice send-off movie.

Lee Stewart · 02-28-2008, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruceames

Tell me about it. A pretty sh!tty couple of months for HD DVD to be sure.

While Paramount is burning their Jack Ryan HD DVDs and who knows what else they got printed (and raising the bar of how to be a total dick), at least Universal is coming out with Atonement, which if it's the last, is a nice send-off movie.

IMO . . . they are in a rush to stop losing money. Notice that we keep hearing about "this summer" as the time for Paramount and Universal to start pressing BD's. It doesn't take THAT long to get a movie transfered, authored and pressed.

Bravestime · 02-28-2008, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruceames

Tell me about it. A pretty sh!tty couple of months for HD DVD to be sure.

While Paramount is burning their Jack Ryan HD DVDs and who knows what else they got printed (and raising the bar of how to be a total dick), at least Universal is coming out with Atonement, which if it's the last, is a nice send-off movie.

It hasn't hit the streets yet!

**bruceames** · 02-28-2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Stewart

IMO . . . they are in a rush to stop losing money. Notice that we keep hearing about "this summer" as the time for Paramount and Universal to start pressing BD's. It doesn't take THAT long to get a movie transfered, authored and pressed.

If they would lose money releasing what they canceled, then they were losing money on everything else they made in HD DVD and Blu-ray, because I believe those last three titles (Jack Ryan, Sweeney Todd and There Will Be Blood) would have sold 30-50k each, no problem. They at least should release what's been pressed, IMO, as they'd lose more throwing them away.

**bruceames** · 02-28-2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bravestime

It hasn't hit the streets yet!

Universal just reaffirmed today that it is indeed coming out as planned. They are not Paramount assholes.

http://highdefforum.com/showthread.php?t=66074

02-28-2008, 07:42 PM	#2
loganhunter200 99 is the magic number Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 472	Sonofa!!!!! Alright, so we have to wait a bit longer for the bluray release of Sweeny Todd and There will be Blood. __________________ F Uuuuuuuuu Toshiba!!!

02-28-2008, 07:43 PM	#3
Stew4HD High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 9,068	Paramount, back stabbed BD and now doing the same to HD DVD, the one that paid them to go HD DVD exclusive... they are not very professional, to say the least. __________________ ___________________________________

02-28-2008, 08:07 PM	#8
crazyal Smarter than the ave bear Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3,312	Has anyone seen anything official from Paramount saying they have plans to release on Blu-Ray? I hope I'm wrong but I got a feeling in my gut that they got a bad taste in their mouth from the BDA last year and are in no hurry (since profits from HDM right now really mean nothing). __________________ Please don't feed the Unicorns

02-28-2008, 08:12 PM	#9
bruceames Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Rafael, CA Posts: 10,170	Well that sucks. I wonder how much Jack Ryan Collection will ebay for now? __________________ Blu-rays: 55 Latest purchases: John Adams, Gone With the Wind, Up, Rocky: The Undisputed Collection

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02-28-2008, 07:56 PM	#6
KEEBS1984 Loves me some Blu-rays :) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Fullerton, CA Posts: 2,261	Backstabbed HD DVD? I'm sorry but there is no HD DVD anymore. . . It sucks that we won't be getting these movies in HD for a while longer but I certainly can't blame them for discontinuing support for a format whose primary owner has abandoned.

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Lee Stewart Behold - the future! Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Albuquerque, NM Age: 58 Posts: 25,193	A very abrupt end to HD DVD if you ask me.