HD DVD Spring/Early Summer Releases

[McBain]

Press release:

HD DVD Studios Confirm Spring and Early Summer Schedules for New Releases, Catalog Titles and Concert Videos

Title line-up and strategic hardware price reductions reinforce strength of HD DVD format

LOS ANGELES, March 28 -- The top studios backing HD DVD, including Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Genius Products, and Eagle Rock Entertainment today announced more than 70 specific titles and release windows through July 2007. With movie titles like Smokin' Aces, The Complete Matrix Trilogy, and DreamGirls, HD DVD continues to deliver on promises made to fans of high definition. Additional titles for the remainder of 2007 will be announced this summer.

With attach rates that still far exceed other high definition formats, HD DVD movies continue to sell briskly at retail to a growing consumer base. The 2007 title line-up from the core HD DVD studios, combined with a strong HD DVD title and hardware presence in North America, Europe and Asia, showcases the format's global appeal and unmatched technology features. Effective April 1st, Toshiba is implementing strategic retail price reductions on its full line of HD DVD players for the U.S. market. The entry level HD-A2 will have a suggested retail price of $399.99; and the new HD-A20, with 1080p output, will be introduced at $499 (available in stores in April). The top of the line HD- XA2 was already repositioned to $799.99 on March 1st.

"The spring is ramping up well for HD DVD, with an incredible list of movies and the best priced hardware on the market," said Ken Graffeo, executive vice president, HD Strategic Marketing, Universal Studios Home Entertainment. "Our consumer base continues to buy movies at rates that outpace DVD in its early years, which shows the willingness of consumers to make the transition to high definition."

"HD DVD continues to perform exceptionally well for Warner Home Video, and we see this continuing as more titles from the HD DVD studios roll out and more hardware hits the market," said Steve Nickerson, senior vice president of market management for Warner Home Video. "Fans of high definition have a lot more to choose from with the release of long-awaited blockbusters like The Complete Matrix Trilogy on HD DVD."

"As hardware prices continue to fall, this is a great time to experience HD DVD," said Chris Saito, vice president, marketing, Paramount Home Entertainment. "Our HD DVD line-up for Spring and Summer 2007 has something for every audience, with hits ranging from Dreamgirls to Flags of Our Fathers."

From the six studios, the following schedules were released:

March

-- Children of Men
-- Happy Feet
-- March of the Penguins
-- National Geographic: Relentless Enemies

April

-- Good Shepherd (C) (day & date)
-- Smokin' Aces (C) (day & date)
-- Payback: Straight, The Director's Cut
-- A Scanner Darkly
-- Dog Day Afternoon
-- School for Scoundrels
-- The Game
-- The Jerk
-- Feast
-- Freedom Writers (day & date)
-- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
-- Nutty Professor
-- Failure to Launch

May

-- The Ultimate Matrix Collection
-- The Complete Matrix Trilogy
-- Dreamgirls (day & date)
-- 40-Year Old Virgin Unrated
-- Flags of Our Fathers: Special Collector's Edition
-- The Hitcher (C) (day & date)
-- Mission: Impossible
-- Mission: Impossible 2
-- Black Christmas (2006)
-- Harsh Times
-- The Battle of the Bulge
-- The Road Warrior
-- The Fountain
-- Smokey & the Bandit
-- Alpha Dog (C) (day & date)
-- The Skeleton Key
-- The River
-- Midnight Run
-- The Frighteners
-- Dragonheart
-- The Big Lebowski
-- Lost in Translation

June

-- Bruce Almighty
-- Liar Liar
-- Coming To America
-- Born on the 4th of July
-- Daylight
-- The Meaning of Life
-- Freedom: Vol.1
-- Yes Live in Montreux
-- Santana: Hymns for Peace
-- Deep Purple: They all Came Down to Montreux
-- Sneakers
-- Trading Places
-- Meet Joe Black
-- Being John Malkovich
-- Mystery Men
-- American Me
-- The Watcher
-- Bulletproof
-- Mallrats
-- July
-- Shaun of the Dead
-- Billy Madison
-- Cat in the Hat
-- The Untouchables
-- The Warriors
-- Dante's Peak
-- The War
-- The Wedding Date
-- The Bourne Identity
-- In Good Company
-- Streets of Fire
-- Nutty Professor 2
-- Scent of a Woman
-- Darkman
-- Sea of Love
-- Deliver Us From Eva

(C) Denotes combo disc format with an HD version and a standard DVD version on the same disc

About HD DVD
HD DVD is the next generation, post-DVD standard for high capacity, high definition optical discs, approved by the DVD Forum, which develops and defines DVD formats. Its more than 220 strong membership brings together leaders in movies and entertainment, computing, consumer electronics and software. HD DVD is fast becoming the primary visual medium for the age of high-definition TV. The North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc. is an organization established to promote the HD DVD format and educate consumers in North America. For more information and a complete listing of HD DVD launch titles please visit http://www.TheLookAndSoundOfPerfect.com.

[Spankey]

With the exception of The Matrix, there is hardly anything "incredible" on that list. Some good catalog titles, but nothing I would run out and buy. Yawnnn..It'll be summer soon. There will be enough theatrical releases to keep me busy till fall. Most of which will be available on Blu-ray.

[The Don]

I'd only buy The Good Shepherd, The Matrix, The Big Lebowski and The Jerk....

[Nismobeach]

I'll buy A Scanner Darkly...

























on Blu-ray.

[goodstuff]

After looking at that list I don't want to hear any HD-DVD people saying the BD has crappy release titles. Of the Universal titles I'd pick up The Bourne Identity, Scent of A Woman and Mallrats, but stuff like The Watcher, The War, Mystery Men etc.???

[Ascended_Saiyan]

Poor things...they're really trying aren't they?

[theknub]

there are a few there i'd like/enjoy. however, if you're going to win a format war with deliver us from eva, darkman, and cat in the hat, things need to be rethought here. yeah, there are some titles i'd like, but nothing except the matrix (which we'll eventually get) that im jealous of. now, i'm not going out and buying everyone of our titles either, but simply by a bigger catalog there is more that i like. combine that with we have more day and date releases of new titles (as stated in another thread, offer more money and sales to the studios).

[GoldenRedux]

Being John Malkovich, Lost in Translation, and The Matrix are really the only titles on there I would want, and we know that The Matrix, at least, is supposed to make its way to Blu-ray as well at a later date, so....

[GoldenRedux]

Originally Posted by theknub

there are a few there i'd like/enjoy. however, if you're going to win a format war with deliver us from eva, darkman, and cat in the hat, things need to be rethought here. yeah, there are some titles i'd like, but nothing except the matrix (which we'll eventually get) that im jealous of. now, i'm not going out and buying everyone of our titles either, but simply by a bigger catalog there is more that i like. combine that with we have more day and date releases of new titles (as stated in another thread, offer more money and sales to the studios).

Now, wait a second, wasn't The Cat in the Hat a pretty big title? I know all the kids in my family loved it.

[powerSURG]

Originally Posted by Nismobeach

I'll buy A Scanner Darkly...

...
on Blu-ray.

AHAHHAHAHA

I will have to wait for Smokin Aces to come out on BD

[JTK]

Both formats are essentially doing the same thing DVD and laserdisc did in their first year or so: Put out some nice releases and puff it out with a lot of mediocrity or garbage outright.

As much as I love BD and love HD, I don't know how some folks around here have bought 80-90+ BD's, but more power to 'em certainly.

But this isn't how you win format wars. Quit inching along. Bring out the nukes and finish it. BD has all of these assets and allies: Use them. Prove it. Make even the most die hard of HD-DVD zealots blink.

It frustrates me that the studios are largely treating this with the same slow timdity that they did in the early goings for DVD and laserdisc.

That being said: There's nothing coming out on that HD-DVD list that makes me blink for a moment. I have 90 percent studio support right now and I can easily wait a little bit longer for the nonsense and MS's attempt to keep the market deliberately split up to come to an end.

[u_nick]

Three must-buy's for me on the list. Enough to make me buy an HDDVD player? No. I'm fine with waiting for the end of the war for them to hit BRD.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by u_nick

Three must-buy's for me on the list. Enough to make me buy an HDDVD player? No. I'm fine with waiting for the end of the war for them to hit BRD.

exactly...I won't even purchase the add-on....even if I find the price slashed..

[Josh]

Look how many titles they have for June! No way they get all those out.

[theknub]

Originally Posted by GoldenRedux

Now, wait a second, wasn't The Cat in the Hat a pretty big title? I know all the kids in my family loved it.

in fairness, i guess it is. , but the kids aren't buying players and discs. yes, it will make a great addition but i never saw and had absolutely no desire to see it. maybe it was a bad example since open season (i think), ice age 2, and the like have done all right on BR. so we'll just say mystery men

[nhaase]

That's it. In July, I'm picking up a HD-DVD player and getting "Deliver Us From Eva." I was fine waiting for BD to take over, but I can't wait on this. I could hold off on Batman, V, and Matrix, but this and Barry Manilow Live are just too much for me. Sorry guys, but I'm only human.

[MatrixS2000]

-- Good Shepherd (C) (day & date)
-- The Ultimate Matrix Collection
-- The Complete Matrix Trilogy
-- The Road Warrior
-- Meet Joe Black

Are the only titles I am interested in....but only if they come out on BD. If not, I already own them on DVD and will not be replacing them as I have already seen them many times over already.....

[ra1024]

Originally Posted by u_nick

Three must-buy's for me on the list. Enough to make me buy an HDDVD player? No. I'm fine with waiting for the end of the war for them to hit BRD.

I feel the same way. There are a number of titles I'd like to get from Uni but there's nothing I can't wait a year for.

I saw some people on AVS arguing about whether they would get the 300 on thd. That's a must have for me but I can easily wait for HD to die out along with thd and then get it on a true blue disc. I'll rent it on thd but there's no way I'll put a bastard disc in my collection.

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by joshd2012

Look how many titles they have for June! No way they get all those out.

What happened is that on the list as posted the July titles are toguether with the June titles.

[mmmhome]

http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/03/hd_dvd_promotio_1.html


g>March

* Children of Men
* Happy Feet
* March of the Penguins
* National Geographic: Relentless Enemies

April

* Good Shepherd (C) (day & date)
* Smokin' Aces (C) (day & date)
* Payback: Straight, The Director’s Cut
* A Scanner Darkly
* Dog Day Afternoon
* School for Scoundrels
* The Game
* The Jerk
* Feast
* Freedom Writers (day & date)
* Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
* Nutty Professor
* Failure to Launch

May

* The Ultimate Matrix Collection
* The Complete Matrix Trilogy
* Dreamgirls (day & date)
* 40-Year Old Virgin Unrated
* Flags of Our Fathers: Special Collector’s Edition
* The Hitcher (C) (day & date)
* Mission: Impossible
* Mission: Impossible 2
* Black Christmas (2006)
* Harsh Times
* The Battle of the Bulge
* The Road Warrior
* The Fountain
* Smokey & the Bandit
* Alpha Dog (C) (day & date)
* The Skeleton Key
* The River
* Midnight Run
* The Frighteners
* Dragonheart
* The Big Lebowski
* Lost in Translation

June

* Bruce Almighty
* Liar Liar
* Coming To America
* Born on the 4th of July
* Daylight
* The Meaning of Life
* Freedom: Vol.1
* Yes Live in Montreux
* Santana: Hymns for Peace
* Deep Purple: They all Came Down to Montreux
* Sneakers
* Trading Places
* Meet Joe Black
* Being John Malkovich
* Mystery Men
* American Me
* The Watcher
* Bulletproof
* Mallrats

July

* Shaun of the Dead
* Billy Madison
* Cat in the Hat
* The Untouchables
* The Warriors
* Dante’s Peak
* The War
* The Wedding Date
* The Bourne Identity
* In Good Company
* Streets of Fire
* Nutty Professor 2
* Scent of a Woman
* Darkman
* Sea of Love
* Deliver Us From Eva