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

[Jeff Kleist]

Great Escape is not in production, and I haven't heard anything specific about it moving forward other than it would probably get the same treatment Bond gets when that happens

I think Blu-ray would maybe be 20-30% over where it is now. Much of the format was was spent with a large percentage of purchasers who have to have the latest gear, have to have it now, and they bought both players. The number of genuine fencesitters in anything I've found is usually drastically overestimated, and it's price that'll drive the purchase more than anything else. I bet that if you could survey it, a very small percentage of those saying they were waiting for a clear choice went out and bought a deck in the 60 days following Toshiba's surrender. The rest waited for Christmas, a birthday, or another historical time for a big purchase, or are waiting for a decent deck at the $199 point.

It'll continue to take off (how about that Blu-ray cameo in Knowing) osmotically. People buy new TV, get good deal on Blu-ray player, friend sees it and wants it. Person buys PS3, or MS's Blu-ray 360 Elite if they ever actually put it out(yes it's real) and they grab some Blu-rays

There's a lot of great summer movies hitting for Blu-ray. Star Trek, Fast and the Furious, Transformers 2 etc, and like Dark Knight, they'll drive adoption pretty well.

[scrumptious]

Originally Posted by Bill Hunt

Believe me, I know enough independent and in-house special edition producers to know what I'm talking about. You have to understand, these are TENTATIVE lists of planned titles. Most of the time, the features are still in production or haven't even been started yet. Sometimes, transfers haven't been done yet. Approvals haven't been given, licensing deals haven't been finalized. Often, the talent (actors, the director) hasn't yet been approached to do interviews or participate in commentaries. So what can happen when word that the titles are planned leaks many months too early, is that someone who owns a particular piece of footage might decide to jack of the price when the studio comes asking to use it. Or agents and managers can catch wind of the project and insert themselves into the negotiations to jack up their principal's participation fees. Which can sometimes mean that the actor or director decides NOT to participate, or is too expensive so the studio doesn't even bother with them. It's even happened a couple times that a director has read comments about a planned title online (one that wasn't even in production yet, and so the studio hadn't even approached the director about being involved yet) and they get offended. They think, "You mean, my movie is being released on DVD/Blu-ray and the studio hasn't even told me about it? F--k them!" So they get pissed and decide to call the studio to kabosh the project all together. Look, I'm OFTEN given the tentative release slates for the entire year for the different studios. And there's a reason I don't go in The Rumor Mill and post the entire thing. I trickle out title info carefully, usually not more than a few months prior to official announcements, and then only after I've confirmed with appropriate sources that work on the title is mostly completed. It's easy for a website editor or member to eagerly post complete lists of titles online to get attention or traffic or to be able say they did it first. Unfortunately, it's also WAY too easy to screw up the actual release plans (or to see the title in question become less than it might have been) in the process. I have personally seen it happen many times. Those who run DVD/Blu-ray sites, or participate in online forums, need to be more careful with what they post. There are unintended consequences. I would MUCH rather have a DVD or Blu-ray special edition be just that much more awesome when it's finally released, and maybe not be the first to post news about it for being careful, than post news too early and screw things up for everyone.

So, I gather then you have inside info that there is a tentative plan to release SG-1 on blu-ray but since it's not near release or definite, you haven't chosen to tell us about it.

And the titles you said maybe be 10 years away or more are obviously not in the tentative list you have handy

Any new news on Highlander? Season 1 was announced but then delayed ... though I think you can still preorder it on the official site.

[scrumptious]

Wouldn't publicizing a tentative release list of lots of titles attract people to adopt blu-ray? I figure some people are waiting for their favorite titles to be announced for blu-ray before deciding to adopt blu-ray.

[Jeff Kleist]

So, I gather then you have inside info that there is a tentative plan to release SG-1 on blu-ray but since it's not near release or definite, you haven't chosen to tell us about it.

Zero plans. If you want to have Atlantis on Blu, buy the Best-of coming later this year, because sales of that will translate into a greenlight. They have the whole series in HD already. SG-1 requires extensive retransferring to make the first 5 seasons HD

Any new news on Highlander? Season 1 was announced but then delayed ... though I think you can still preorder it on the official site.

A year or so away.....at best.

Wouldn't publicizing a tentative release list of lots of titles attract people to adopt blu-ray? I figure some people are waiting for their favorite titles to be announced for blu-ray before deciding to adopt blu-ray.

The above stuff, and then people get mad when they can't deliver on some titles.

[scrumptious]

Originally Posted by Blu-News

So what does everyone suggest? Should I take the information down from my site, since it has already spread to the forum? Or should I just edit my post to clarify none of the information has been officially announced by the studio, and is subject to change?

Personally, as long as it's legal, I'd rather it stay up. I prefer having the information even if there is a small risk that it'd mean one of the titles gets delayed. I'm so glad one of my sig wish list titles was on that list

The kind of lists I am REALLY interested in though is lists of titles studios are planning on probably double-dipping on one day. I'm sure that someone somewhere has that list as part of their business planning. I wish that were leaked.

[Jeff Kleist]

The kind of lists I am REALLY interested in though is lists of titles studios are planning on probably double-dipping on one day. I'm sure that someone somewhere has that list as part of their business planning. I wish that were leaked.

Is it popular? Then it'll happen eventually, usually for an anniversary or a sequel/related film

There isn't any list

[Alan Gordon]

Originally Posted by JackBauer24

I read Fox is going to release Prison Break season 4 and the Final Break tv movie on blu this summer. With the series over this season, what exactly is the hold up for season 2?

Where did you read S4 is coming to Blu-ray?

So far, S4 has only been announced for DVD?

~Alan<~~~~~~~~~~~Who's been dealing with a virus since yesterday afternoon... and is why I didn't reply to Jeff's reply to me yesterday before the discussions ended....

[al cos.]

Sorry if this has been covered, do we know which version of Good Bad and The Ugly is on the upcoming disc? thanks

[Jeff Kleist]

People made assumptions based on past releases

I wouldn't preclude it showing up this year, but that's not a guarantee

Sorry if this has been covered, do we know which version of Good Bad and The Ugly is on the upcoming disc? thanks

I believe the 2003 ver, I'll have to check

[MerrickG]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

I keep telling him. I even gave him a "highlight reel" list of the episodes he could skip

Hopefully he'll give it another go at some point. If you can make it through the first 2 seasons of Voyager you can make it through anything

While Voyager was the least good of the big 3, it still it had PLENTY of enjoyable moments.

As for a highlight reel??

There arent too many episodes from season 3 and on that dont contain something important. How could u possibly form a highlight reel?

Ok, maybe Im giving DS9 too much credit, but it was great and anyone who says they didnt like it probably didnt watch it that much

[Doctorossi]

I've seen enough DS9 to vouch for its general quality, vaguely anti-semitic alien races notwithstanding.

The episode, "The Visitor", is certainly great stuff.

[Geoff Gibson]

Originally Posted by Jeff Kleist

Great Escape is not in production, and I haven't heard anything specific about it moving forward other than it would probably get the same treatment Bond gets when that happens

Which based on the quality of the Bond movies makes me exceedingly happy to wait for it! Its among my favorite movies and i am willing to wait for a quality release.

What of Moulin Rogue! it seems like a film that is tailor made to show off the visual and especially the audio capability of Blu-Ray. Any word when that may be on its way (I was kind of surprised it wasn't released with Australia)?

Thanks to you and Bill for the Bits -- along with this site its an every day stop online for me!

[benzgrl]

Originally Posted by Geoff Gibson

What of Moulin Rogue! it seems like a film that is tailor made to show off the visual and especially the audio capability of Blu-Ray. Any word when that may be on its way (I was kind of surprised it wasn't released with Australia)?

Thanks to you and Bill for the Bits -- along with this site its an every day stop online for me!

Wow - same thoughts, I was surprised Moulin Rouge as well as Romeo & Juliet (another Baz Luhrman film) was not released along w/ Australia. I've seen Baz Luhrman films as a boxset on DVD, so was hoping they might come as a pack on future Blu.

Speaking of war films like The Great Escape which I love, have you guys heard anything at all on Von Ryan's Express (1963 - Sinatra)? It's one of my favorites.

And a final question - anything on any Audrey Hepburn films? Thanks, I'm sure you get a zillion of these questions, but thanks again for any news.

[Uxi]

I've always liked Baz Luhrman's Romeo & Juliet. Hopefully it comes to Blu sooner rather than later. Beautiful guns in that one.

[DMC86X]

Hey guys any word of Cape Fear and Taxi Driver showing up on blu in the near future?? I am a huge Scorses fan. thanx

[Jeff Kleist]

Taxi Driver is in some kind of litigation, nothing until that's resolved

Which Cape Fear?

[DMC86X]

The one with deniro....

[iwanttobeabmoviestar]

Originally Posted by Doctorossi

Did your doctor prescribe for you to ask about this once a day and call him in the morning?

no its just my question was in the middle of a star trek bsg argue discussion fest with some batman thrown in so i figured it got missed has happened before thanks

[iwanttobeabmoviestar]

any watchmen news and any more news on that bsg complete series thing you had a pic on the bits ? thanks

[Grubert]

Originally Posted by Esox50

Jeff,

What odds would you put on Universal "breaking up" The Fast and the Furious Trilogy into individual releases later this year when the 4th movie hits Blu-Ray? The original is the only one that holds value for a lot of people, including myself.

Esox50,

Just order it from the UK. Problem solved.