Ask questions to The Digital Bits team (Bill Hunt, Jeff Kleist et.al.)

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Tron 2.0 is coming in 2011, the rest of the Treks this year

Thanks! I am sure that the Trek movies will be released at the same time as Trek 2009. At this point, the new Trek will be one of the top selling Blu-ray titles for 2009.

[MerrickG]

How the heck does the budget for Pixar films keep skyrocketing?

How does a complex film such as The Incredibles cost $92 million to make, while WallE and UP both cost $175 Mill +?

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Speaking of Michael Bay

Know how everyone wished Stan Bush/The Touch was in the last movie?

Be careful what you wish for (drink heavily before viewing)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3_EXxwDpq0

I like this better.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYHGlWZjDLs

[Jeff Kleist]

How does a complex film such as The Incredibles cost $92 million to make, while WallE and UP both cost $175 Mill +?

I won't know about UP for another couple hours, but WALL-E is incredibly complex in terms of detail, which Incredibles was not. German tax loopholes closed and the depreciation of the dollar probably didn't help either

[Indyjones]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

The Scott/Cameron thing was contingent on them not doing Alien vs Predator

That's what I remember reading, but didn't know if what was true or not.

[WMAangel]

Originally Posted by captveg

Buena Vista

The Greatest Game Ever Played
High School Musical
Jackie Brown
Miracle
Pretty Woman
Pulp Fiction
The Waterboy

You left out Sling Blade.....and Sin City....
Good Will Hunting was also announced for later this year....and maybe Rounders will make it out later this year after it was pulled earlier....

[Constitution 101]

OK bits guys-here's a tuff one for ya. Any ETA on Seinfeld?

[Blu Titan]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I won't know about UP for another couple hours, but WALL-E is incredibly complex in terms of detail, which Incredibles was not. German tax loopholes closed and the depreciation of the dollar probably didn't help either

Jeff, what is the relationship between Germany and Pixar's production budget?

[Jeff Kleist]

Jeff, what is the relationship between Germany and Pixar's production budget?

German tax shelters, a loophole that was recently closed

They had a way to encourage multinational companies to make movies with German companies, the way it would work (simplified) is that the studio would sell the movie to the German company before production started with a buyback clause. The movie is made with the Germans owning it, and it's bought back a week before release.So the movie is "german" for tax purposes, thereby saving a bundle. In the meantime, the studio hocks the international rights, merchandising, and everything else so their actual out of pocket is quite low. I think someone once made the comparison that Sideways cost more than Tomb Raider because of the much more limited international market for the film, and therefore the scheme didn't work as well.

[captveg]

Originally Posted by WMAangel

You left out Sling Blade.....and Sin City....
Good Will Hunting was also announced for later this year....and maybe Rounders will make it out later this year after it was pulled earlier....

Thanks.

That would put them at 11 each. Criterion should have 1-2 catalog titles a month Sep-Dec, which would be 4-8 more titles. Will Buena Vista be able to match?

[Jeff Kleist]

We're not even halfway through the year yet, I really wouldn't worry about it

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by Blu Titan

At this point, the new Trek will be one of the top selling Blu-ray titles for 2009.

On what are you basing this assumption? Amazon pre-order rankings?

[Doctorossi]

Originally Posted by merrick97

How the heck does the budget for Pixar films keep skyrocketing?

This is utter speculation, but Pixar has been executing radical-expansion plans over the last couple years (new staff, new facilities, etc.). Perhaps some of those costs have been written into individual production budgets.

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

This is utter speculation, but Pixar has been executing radical-expansion plans over the last couple years (new staff, new facilities, etc.). Perhaps some of those costs have been written into individual production budgets.

Well, I also realized that they now put out one movie a year, which means that they need to work quicker and have a bigger staff to get the films out that quickly.

[racerx1965]

Amazon indicates this title (due out this Tuesday) has been discontinued? Is this true? I hope not since I have this on pre-order...


Thanks!

[blu2]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

On what are you basing this assumption? Amazon pre-order rankings?

Top grossing movie so far this year, perfect fit for Blu Ray demographic, critical and popular success... This is an easy bet for one of the top selling Blu Ray titles this year (I'd say in top 5).

[Jeff Kleist]

OK bits guys-here's a tuff one for ya. Any ETA on Seinfeld?

Sony is not hot on TV on Blu right now, because the category isn't doing so hot overall.

I expect them to wait at least another year, but the mastering is done

[Objectivity]

Back in January 2007, there were "insider reports" about a Last of the Mohicans Blu-Ray being prepped for release. Any word on how or whether that's progressing?

If that were to make it, I'll have to find more movies to dream about seeing on Blu.

[Jeff Kleist]

Lots of Sony catalog was delayed because of various reasons, some because of less than optimal masters

It'll come out sooner or later

[Esox50]

Originally Posted by Objectivity

Back in January 2007, there were "insider reports" about a Last of the Mohicans Blu-Ray being prepped for release. Any word on how or whether that's progressing?

If that were to make it, I'll have to find more movies to dream about seeing on Blu.

I remember that. I think I also remembered reading later that a few of the Michael Mann movies were in need of some work, and that they were waiting for Michael Mann to "free up" to be involved with it. I suspect that probably has something to do with the wait.