Will the Paramount deal cause Universal to go neutral?

[Sylin]

Just brainstorming here. I apologize if someone has already posted this thought, but let's be honest: a Search for "Universal" and "Paramount" on this site right now brings up thousands of results. So here it is...

If I was Universal, I'd be PISSED right now at the HD-DVD camp. I've loved you. I've blindly followed you. And I've supported you (sometimes to the detriment of my image) to the public and the press. And this is how you repay my loyalty? By tossing $150,000,000 at my competitor? Where's my $150,000,000? I'd want that, and MORE, considering.

If I were a Universal exec, I'd be looking at ways to leverage myself to Blu-ray right now and tell HD-DVD they can kiss their exclusivity goodbye. Considering Universal's abysmal box office performance this year, they'll need to release their movies on DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray, UMD, VHS, iTunes, and daguerreotype flip books just to make a profit.

Now, that aside, this is all business and businesses exist for one reason: to make money. So it's a shrewd move on Paramount's part. They get $150,000,000 in their war chest. They make their Q4 numbers. They'll release "Transformers" and "Shrek the Third" on HD-DVD and DVD and make millions of dollars. And then in 18 months, when the deal expires (or if HD-DVD dies before then) Paramount will release those same 2 films on Blu-ray and make even MORE millions. The only thing they are "guilty" of is eroding public confidence in either format. But they have $150M reasons not to care about that right now, since the public has such a short-term memory and will forgive them next year anyhow.

[cruzzer cruz]

I don't know, maybe they're just happy to have a someone else go exclusive. It might make them feel a little less lonely over on that grim, ill-fated side of the war.

[monkyman]

I'm sure they have recieved plenty to stay exclusive.

[CptGreedle]

Having Paramount with them might give them confidence to stay HD-DUD.
But it is true, they want money and sooner or later will see that Blu-ray MAKES MORE.
Unless the HD-DVD camp is going to pay off all their supporters and pay-off all the neutral studios, I don't think they are going to stay that way. In fact, if they did, HD-DVD would surely go bankrupt.

[grip24]

Originally Posted by ikcizokm

Just brainstorming here. I apologize if someone has already posted this thought, but let's be honest: a Search for "Universal" and "Paramount" on this site right now brings up thousands of results. So here it is...

If I was Universal, I'd be PISSED right now at the HD-DVD camp. I've loved you. I've blindly followed you. And I've supported you (sometimes to the detriment of my image) to the public and the press. And this is how you repay my loyalty? By tossing $150,000,000 at my competitor? Where's my $150,000,000? I'd want that, and MORE, considering.

If I were a Universal exec, I'd be looking at ways to leverage myself to Blu-ray right now and tell HD-DVD they can kiss their exclusivity goodbye. Considering Universal's abysmal box office performance this year, they'll need to release their movies on DVD, HD-DVD, Blu-ray, UMD, VHS, iTunes, and daguerreotype flip books just to make a profit.

Now, that aside, this is all business and businesses exist for one reason: to make money. So it's a shrewd move on Paramount's part. They get $150,000,000 in their war chest. They make their Q4 numbers. They'll release "Transformers" and "Shrek the Third" on HD-DVD and DVD and make millions of dollars. And then in 18 months, when the deal expires (or if HD-DVD dies before then) Paramount will release those same 2 films on Blu-ray and make even MORE millions. The only thing they are "guilty" of is eroding public confidence in either format. But they have $150M reasons not to care about that right now, since the public has such a short-term memory and will forgive them next year anyhow.

Whos to say they havent been getting pay also..

[Chris Gerhard]

The answer to the question posed is no.

Chris

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

The answer to the question posed is no.

Chris

I disagree. I believe that the bribing of Paramount was in response to the inevitable Universal switch over.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

I disagree. I believe that the bribing of Paramount was in response to the inevitable Universal switch over.

The answer would still be no, it wouldn't be because Paramount became HD DVD exclusive. I do hope you are right however, although I have no reason to believe you are.

Chris

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

The answer would still be no, it wouldn't be because Paramount became HD DVD exclusive. I do hope you are right however, although I have no reason to believe you are.

Chris

Universal has said it before. They don’t give a damn about HD-DVD.

They are in it for the $$$. M$ know that Universals contract is running out in OCT and there is a good chance that Universal will go neutral. That would have left HD-DVD with Zero HD-DVD exclusives. HD-DVD would die and that would kill any hopes of M$’s Internet Download service becoming a reality in the next 10 years.

Universal will go wherever the money is.

Universal knows that they have done everything that it can for HD-DVD and now its time to rake in the Blu-ray $$$.

[spam.curitiba]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

Universal has said it before. They don’t give a damn about HD-DVD.

They are in it for the $$$. M$ know that Universals contract is running out in OCT and there is a good chance that Universal will go neutral. That would have left HD-DVD with Zero HD-DVD exclusives. HD-DVD would die and that would kill any hopes of M$’s Internet Download service becoming a reality in the next 10 years.

Universal will go wherever the money is.

Universal knows that they have done everything that it can for HD-DVD and now its time to rake in the Blu-ray $$$.

I hope this is right....cause I like more universal movies than paramount

[Wet1]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

Universal has said it before. They don’t give a damn about HD-DVD.

They are in it for the $$$. M$ know that Universals contract is running out in OCT and there is a good chance that Universal will go neutral. That would have left HD-DVD with Zero HD-DVD exclusives. HD-DVD would die and that would kill any hopes of M$’s Internet Download service becoming a reality in the next 10 years.

Universal will go wherever the money is.

Universal knows that they have done everything that it can for HD-DVD and now its time to rake in the Blu-ray $$$.

Where did you hear that?


Furthermore, if that is true, why wouldn't they accept another payoff to stay exclusive to HD-DVD when the contract expired? I'm certain they would happily take $200 mil of MS money to remain exclusive for another year or two... They won't make that much on BR during this time period, staying exclusive (with payola) makes more sense now that Paramount and DW have joined the HD-DVD team.

I certainly don't expect to see Uni picking up for the blu side anytime soon.

[blu-rayfan101]

so uni might might go neutral in october when there contract runs out. if that happens doesnt that basicly mean blu-ray wins cause then we would have like a the great movies and every studio might follow

[Croweyes1121]

Of course this is strictly my opinion here, but I fully believe that if Universal were to go neutral before the holiday season, it would effectively be the end of the format war. Looking over the list of Paramount titles that have been released thus far, they haven't exactly been huge Blu-Ray contributers as it is. Universal, on the other hand...they have tons of great titles that would do very well on Blu-Ray, especially considering that many of us here have had plenty of time to let their inaccessibility sink in fully to the point that we would snatch them up the first chance we had to do so (Serenity and King Kong are two such titles for me). Also, from a PR standpoint, think about it: Universal goes neutral right before the holiday season at a time when most people thought this war was about to be over (they've been able to ride their agreement with Microsoft this long, but they've taken their licks recently for being the ones who've actually admitted to wanting the war to continue). Now, with Paramount putting themselves in the bad-guy position by being exclusive, Universal's contract expires, they open up their catalog to Blu-Ray, enabling themselves simultaneously to release those money-making Spielberg titles just in time for Christmas, essentially end the format war single-handedly, and nullify what Paramount has done to muddy the Blu-Ray-decisive waters. Effectively, Universal emerges as the surrogate saviors of HD optical disc media. Not to mention, all is forgiven over in the Blu-Ray camp. And none of this, of course, is even taking into account the extra money they'd be making by being neutral in the first place. I'd sure as hell be thinking about all this if I were Universal...but I'm not Universal.

[Mikeesracing]

I agree with Blubaru, I think either Universal didn't get a HD DVD exclusive $$ offer, or they turned the offer down because they are loosing too much money.

I get the feeling that the next six months is going to be huge for Blu-ray. I also think the next six months is going to big for HD DVD, but not on the same level as Blu-ray.

People are going HD, and HDTV's are getting cheaper.

[Esox50]

I'm Blu thu and thru, but I don't think this is going to happen. Time to move on...

[JTK]

Past wishful thinking, I really don't see where, or how, people are getting the idea that HD-DVD stalwarts like Universal and Warner would ever switch over to Blu. Maybe Universal goes neutral, at best, at some point.

You can see what Universal's people say in the press: They've drunk the red Kool Aid and they're there strong.

Esox is right: I don't think it's going to happen, either.

If anything, it's probably going to make Universal feel vindicated in their stance somewhat and I'd honestly brace people for the concept that Warner might dump Blu outright, since they were an HD-DVD supporter originally and have clearly favored the format all along anyways.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

Universal has said it before. They don’t give a damn about HD-DVD.

They are in it for the $$$. M$ know that Universals contract is running out in OCT and there is a good chance that Universal will go neutral. That would have left HD-DVD with Zero HD-DVD exclusives. HD-DVD would die and that would kill any hopes of M$’s Internet Download service becoming a reality in the next 10 years.

Universal will go wherever the money is.

Universal knows that they have done everything that it can for HD-DVD and now its time to rake in the Blu-ray $$$.

i am sorry although what you are saying is what should happen, but i disagree with you. Paramount/Dreamworks joining the exclusivity dept. with HD DUD will only strengthen Universal stand and that is to stand by HDDUD. after all what the stupid execs at Universal said, with Kornblau being the head of the snake they have said it and repeated it that they will stay with HDDUD. isn't possible that maybe, and that is a maybe the HD DUD's group have discussed the situation with Universal and decided to go for Paramount. I don't think Universal was in the dark about this.

[Blubaru]

Originally Posted by blu-rayfan101

so uni might might go neutral in october when there contract runs out. if that happens doesnt that basicly mean blu-ray wins cause then we would have like a the great movies and every studio might follow

HD-DVD would still have Paramount. It’s where M$ bribed Paramount in the first place.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Blubaru

HD-DVD would still have Paramount. It’s where M$ bribed Paramount in the first place.

Don't you think they can bribe a studio that's been more favorable to them all along, like Warner?

Remember: Paramount was spouting some pretty good pro Blu stuff not too long ago. And yet this happened.

[Chris Gerhard]

Originally Posted by blu-rayfan101

so uni might might go neutral in october when there contract runs out. if that happens doesnt that basicly mean blu-ray wins cause then we would have like a the great movies and every studio might follow

This would offset the Paramount move to some degree and yes Blu-ray should prevail if that happens and no other bombshells are dropped. I just don't know how long it would take. I don't believe it for a second unfortunately.

Chris