Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG 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.
Continue reading Paramount, DreamWorks Choose HD DVD
Consumers will finally have a chance to purchase the first two Spider-Man films in the high-definition Blu-ray format as part of a three-pack set from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The set will also be available in a standard-definition version, the company announced.
Spider-Man 3 will be available separately on DVD and Blu-ray in both single-disc and two-disc editions beginning on Oct. 30. The single disc comes with bloopers, photo galleries, a Snow Patrol music video and two audio commentaries.
The two-disc DVD comes with an entire disc of extras, including theatrical TV spots from around the world and 11 featurettes exploring everything from the creation of Venom and Sandman to filming locations in Cleveland and New York.
During his panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, Kevin Smith confirmed that a supplementary DVD will be released next year for his 1997 Spirit Award winning Chasing Amy. To keep the style of special edition versions of his movie going, Smith’s opus will get a special edition treatment, but rather than being packaged into a new “collectors edition” DVD set, a single disc will be released that is set to include a slew of extras to act as a counterpart to the Criterion Collection DVD released in 2000.
Set to be included with the new disc is a Chasing Amy documentary found on the web, a post-screening Q and A from a film festival as well as interviews and reflections from the cast and crew of the film.
Smith said to expect this new disc to be available sometime next summer.
TVShowsonDVD.com is reporting that Paramount Home Entertainment will release The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – Volume 1 on DVD October 23. There will be a total of three volumes. The 1992-1993 series, executive produced by George Lucas, starred Sean Patrick Flanery as Indiana Jones and George Hall as Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones, Jr.
Fox has announced a director’s cut of Commando which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger. The disc will be available to own on September 18th, and should retail at around $19.98. Featuring the original theatrical cut (90 minutes), the set will include an all-new seamlessly branched unrated version (95 minutes) as envisioned by director Mark L. Lester. Each version of the film will be presented in 1.85:1 anamoprhic widescreen, along with an English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. Extras will include an audio commentary on the theatrical cut by director Mark Lester, deleted scenes, a Pure Action featurette, a Let Off Some Steam featurette, and 4 photo galleries with over 150 images (Creating Commando, Domestic Bliss with John and Jenny, Kill Arnold, Kill!, and Trashing the Galleria).
