Concerned about future home releases

[LordSummerIsle]

Amazon emailed me about some of my preorders probably not being available on release day.

[jFug]

Oh and for those saying "there's more important things to think about"... no sh**.

I realize people's health comes first, but being that this is a Blu-ray forum, I thought it would make sense to discuss how this would affect upcoming home releases.

[Vilya]

I ordered two 4K disc titles that are in stock from Amazon today; one with an estimated delivery date of April 4th and the other delayed until April 22nd due to the pandemic. However, Amazon has charged my credit card for both titles, so apparently I will be getting both of them pretty promptly.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by jFug

Oh and for those saying "there's more important things to think about"... no sh**.

I realize people's health comes first, but being that this is a Blu-ray forum, I thought it would make sense to discuss how this would affect upcoming home releases.

Does someone need a ?

Upcoming disc releases will either be delayed or they won't; a delay will be at most an inconvenience.

If this pandemic proves to be the death blow for discs, how does worrying about it help? I will keep buying what I can for as long as I can and that is the extent of my influence.

[BluOneTwo]

These are the least of the worlds worries right now.

But no new content is in production anything now. When does streaming and TV start to run out new content?

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Vilya

If sufficient demand for discs still exist, they will continue to be offered. If not, I can finally and fully embrace my inner psycho and maniacally at all within earshot; I have been practicing here for years.

It's the sufficient demand thing that bothers me. Not that there still wouldn't be one normally, we've gone over that a bajillion times in various physical vs streaming discussions, but with everyone locked down and glued to Netflix or D+ or whatever - and more to the point, getting used to it if they haven't done so already - then it makes me wonder if we collectors are going to be an even rarer breed when humanity finally emerges from its social isolation. If it's over sooner rather than later then okay, fine, but if this carries on for many more months then people will adapt to their new normal, it's one of our defining traits as a species. Maybe even the collective cinema experience itself will be killed off?

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It's the sufficient demand thing that bothers me. Not that there still wouldn't be one normally, we've gone over that a bajillion times in various physical vs streaming discussions, but with everyone locked down and glued to Netflix or D+ or whatever - and more to the point, getting used to it if they haven't done so already - then it makes me wonder if we collectors are going to be an even rarer breed when humanity finally emerges from its social isolation. If it's over sooner rather than later then okay, fine, but if this carries on for many more months then people will adapt to their new normal, it's one of our defining traits as a species. Maybe even the collective cinema experience itself will be killed off?

Humanity has overcome many trials before and afterwards people resumed doing what they enjoy. I believe that people very much like going to the cinema, and many other public events, and they will do so again.

[Geoff D]

Other public events, sure, I mean people would much rather be at a music festival in person than watching a livestreaming event of it. But when studios have shattered the release date windows - themselves arbitrary constructs, to be sure - to get some movies out to people early then I wonder if that genie can be put back in the bottle.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Other public events, sure, I mean people would much rather be at a music festival in person than watching a livestreaming event of it. But when studios have shattered the release date windows - themselves arbitrary constructs, to be sure - to get some movies out to people early then I wonder if that genie can be put back in the bottle.

While many of us have nice home theaters, I know that my humble one can not replicate the experience of seeing a movie at a good theater. I can't match the gigantic screen or the vastly more immersive surround sound system of a commercial cinema. Some films were meant to be seen on that legendary silver screen and my 85" TV, as much as I love it, can not hold a candle to a well appointed movie theater.

[FelixFlankin]

Things will eventually get back to normal in terms of physical media. When? Who knows. The delay is there and will continue as productions get delayed or shut down. After the current slate of releases, it will be a bit.

Not to mention all the production facilities being shut down.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Tony208

It'll be bad for a while if you're looking for new releases. Maybe they make more catalog 4k releases to make up for it.

or, a thought, maybe they could actually go back an release all of the RECENT titles that ahd a theatrical 4k DCP and were utterly screwed over by only getting pathetic 1080p home releases, here is looking for UHDs for:
Little Women 2019
Downton Abbey (some of the best, natural looking indoor HDR I've seen)
Blinded By The Light
Last Christmas (THE sharpest, most detailed 4k DCP in the history of movies)

and then, of course, all the catalog stuff that they have recently remasted in 4k to once again only give the 4k versions to the crappiest quality of all formats, streaming:
Lawrence Of Arabia
Carousel
South Pacific
West Side Story
The Sound Of Music
Beetlejuice
Beverly Hills Cop trilogy
Little Women 1994
The Princess Bride
etc. I think there are bunch more probably Edward Scissorhands, etc.

I think they have also re-masted stuff like these but maybe never given any 4k home release:
Home Alone
actually many of the John Hughes movies
etc.

Ironic that so many of the movies that could actually show true 4k detail are the ones they simply refuse to release on UHD! Meanwhile every other 2k DCP upscale they release.

[WBMakeVMarsMovieNOW]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It's the sufficient demand thing that bothers me. Not that there still wouldn't be one normally, we've gone over that a bajillion times in various physical vs streaming discussions, but with everyone locked down and glued to Netflix or D+ or whatever - and more to the point, getting used to it if they haven't done so already - then it makes me wonder if we collectors are going to be an even rarer breed when humanity finally emerges from its social isolation. If it's over sooner rather than later then okay, fine, but if this carries on for many more months then people will adapt to their new normal, it's one of our defining traits as a species. Maybe even the collective cinema experience itself will be killed off?

OTOH, maybe people will be so sick of being isolated that the cinema experience will make a roaring comeback and people will even long more for going to stores and buying physical goods?

[meremortal]

If anything, the pandemic has made me realize how little value my movie collection really brings in times of need. And I don't just mean on a monetary level. Perhaps it's just the timing of everything going on, but even with considerably more time than usual to sit around and watch movies I'm often more fascinated with the world around me and the neighborhood. I'm still watching movies and it's nice to be able to catch up on previous purchases. But it's also making me realize the value of a dollar and how valuable time is. Plenty of stuff I probably could've done without and some of them I'm probably only watching to justify an impulse buy. I'm starting to realize that a lot of previous purchases are probably movies I wouldn't have even watched if I ran across them on a streaming platform.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

If it's over sooner rather than later then okay, fine, but if this carries on for many more months then people will adapt to their new normal, it's one of our defining traits as a species. Maybe even the collective cinema experience itself will be killed off?

Originally Posted by Vilya

Humanity has overcome many trials before and afterwards people resumed doing what they enjoy. I believe that people very much like going to the cinema, and many other public events, and they will do so again.

People have gone through it before, but the current crisis is a different entity. There were terrible hardships in the past, but people still had the opportunities to do normal everyday things. It's quite possible certain facets of the way we live may be changed irrevocably, but hopefully we will regain some normalcy.

As to physical media, who knows, thankfully there are enough third-party distributors (that don't create their own content) out there and I'm sure if the majors decide to dial releases back they'll see opportunities to licence. I don't think the desire for physical will ever go away, but it will lessen. We may see smaller companies merge to handle larger territories.

All we can do is hope for the best, for our hobby and everything else.

[DiccalfEgnaro]

This will be the beginning of the end of physical media. And we were already in a downswing but this will kill it off. Because every movie up until like...September has been delayed we won't be getting any new releases until the end of the year. Collectors will be ready to buy new 4k's, as will this forum, but the casual consumer that buys blu-rays will have grown comfortable with streaming. With much disc manufacturing in China, companies will want to move that in-house or in a controlled environment and they will view mass production of physical media as unnecessary now that a pandemic beyond their control will **** them up. This will also kill physical media for games.

Animal Crossing and Doom came out on schedule, but they're going to have supply constraints for discs of Final Fantasy Remake or last of us II. Because most people won't be able to get their copies, this will push people to digital even further, and as I said, when the factories re-open, not only will demand have cratered, manufacturing discs may be seen as an unneeded risk.

This is just a small industry being ****ed over by the virus, I think we're already amidst an '08-styled recession. We'll be feeling the knock on effects for a decade.

[FelixFlankin]

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Are the production facilities being shut down? Production of physical media is mostly automated so the facilities can easily run with very little staff. It's not a high risk environment.

I just saw companies like Second Sight mention production delays and DiabolikDVD mention distribution issues. Figured that meant some had already shut down temporarily. Didn't mean to spread misinformation if it's not accurate.

[Bn43]

Originally Posted by meremortal

If anything, the pandemic has made me realize how little value my movie collection really brings in times of need. And I don't just mean on a monetary level. Perhaps it's just the timing of everything going on, but even with considerably more time than usual to sit around and watch movies I'm often more fascinated with the world around me and the neighborhood. I'm still watching movies and it's nice to be able to catch up on previous purchases. But it's also making me realize the value of a dollar and how valuable time is. Plenty of stuff I probably could've done without and some of them I'm probably only watching to justify an impulse buy. I'm starting to realize that a lot of previous purchases are probably movies I wouldn't have even watched if I ran across them on a streaming platform.

I feel the opposite about money. I feel like all the money I've saved will be worthless if this destroys the economy.

[Mobe1969]

It'd be awesome if they went gangbusters releasing fantastic back catalog titles they have sitting there!!! Lionsgate is honestly putting most studios to shame!

[kevin87]

Originally Posted by DanTheMan

Let’s just say that Black Friday is probably gonna be underwhelming compared to other years.

Well.....if we have a Black Friday.

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

If you think the pandemic will be "on it's way out" by the end of April, I really don't know what to tell you.

Maybe it isn't a bad time to a) catching up with stuff you haven't watched yet or b) pick up some good books

Dr. Fauci said something about it could be a cyclical virus and come back in the cold months... so that could knock out Black Friday.

Originally Posted by PenguinInfinity

Are the production facilities being shut down? Production of physical media is mostly automated so the facilities can easily run with very little staff. It's not a high risk environment.

If a company is considered non-essential, they get closed down. Pretty much all that's open in my state are gas stations and places that sell food/meds/"essentials." That's why shows have been cut short, like Supernatural for example, they filmed 18 or 19 episodes, but only got post production finished up to the most recent episode.

[50strat54]

The release of movies and physical product may be the least of our worries the way this pandemic is playing out.

There is so much unknown and the govt can only do so many stimulus packages before everything goes south.

I'd enjoy the movies and titles you can get now and stay safe and healthy.