Harry Potter BD box set and Blade Runner coming in 4th quarter

[goodstuff]

http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6461120.html



Harry Potter, others coming in Q4
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 7/17/2007


JULY 17 | LAS VEGAS—Summer blockbusters get a lot of the buzz in the fourth quarter on DVD, but Warner Home Video believes retail also will find deluxe box sets particularly valuable because of their relatively richer profit margins—and at the studio’s Monday night reception here, retailers agreed.

At the event for key retailers, Warner showed off 14 such DVD collections that the studio will make available for retail this fourth quarter. Since many of these multiple-disc sets are lavishly packaged and include exclusive add-ons, they carry pricing of $100 to $200 or more. Sets will include Harry Potter Years 1-5 Limited Edition Gift Set and The Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series.

“There are opportunities in the marketplace at a time when there is erosion in pricing,” said Jeff Baker, Warner senior VP and general manager of theatrical catalog and sales. “We are moving upwards in price" with the upcoming collections.

The high-end collections fit a new merchandising scheme rolled out in Circuit City stores in April this year.

“We re-merchandised the highest margin product into the highest trafficked areas of the stores,” said Leigh Ann Moore, Circuit City merchandise manager. “There are great margin opportunities when you put your best foot forward [with deluxe product offerings]. We have sold Troy as low as $6.99. And now this is another way to invest" in that title.

A Target buyer also praised Warner’s premium pricing initiative, explaining, “DVD collections are a great part of the overall business.”

Such DVD collector sets represented more than $500 million in consumer purchases last year, according to Warner research. Year-to-date, the category is 7% higher in sales than the same 2006 frame, the studio believes.

Baker also singled out Warner’s upcoming 25th anniversary Blade Runner releases, which include four-disc and five-disc configurations, as especially critical for the studio.

Taking Blade Runner and Harry together, “this will mean $40 million in consumer sales,” estimated Baker.

Title details

The Harry Potter set, priced at $119.97 standard-definition and $149.99 Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD, will hold the first five films including the most recent theatrical installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It represents the first time Warner has enhanced a Potter collection with exclusive memorabilia, which includes bookmarks and collectible trading cards.

The five-disc Blade Runner set is $78.92 and four-disc is $34.99. Blu-ray and HD DVD versions of the five-disc configuration also will be available day and date.

At $258.82, Gilmore Girls carries all seven seasons of the show packed into a collectible retro doll case. It features a 60-page booklet, among other items.

Exact street dates for Potter, Blade Runner and Gilmore Girls sets haven’t yet been specified.

Warner also is touting upcoming new versions of catalog releases, including the Sept. 18 bow of Troy Ultimate Collector’s Edition Director’s Cut, not yet seen in theaters, for $39.92.

Other top-line Warner collections heading to shelves during the holidays include The O.C.: The Complete Series (street date not set), featuring all 92 episodes across 28 discs held in a keepsake box for $179.92; Full House: The Complete Series, Nov. 6, spanning 192 episodes across 32 DVDs, $169.72; Planet Earth/Blue Planet Box Set, Oct. 2, carrying 15 hours of programming on 10 discs for $119.99; and America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions (street date not set), holding 40 episodes of the NFL TV series across 40 discs; pricing still to be determined.

[Genocide316]

thats what I'm talking about!

[aacosta]

Very nice I can't wait for both to come out I just hope WB doesn't skimp us on the PQ and AQ

[patrick99]

Originally Posted by aacosta

Very nice I can't wait for both to come out I just hope WB doesn't skimp us on the PQ and AQ

Considering that it's Warner, I expect the usual mediocre Warner PQ.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by aacosta

Very nice I can't wait for both to come out I just hope WB doesn't skimp us on the PQ and AQ

I can assure you we won't get skimped on the audio. I believe it should be TrueHD and PCM on all 5 discs.

Terminator 3 should be hitting Blu-ray this Q4 (maybe even in September) as well with lossless PCM and TrueHD tracks.

[HDJK]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

I can assure you we won't get skimped on the audio. I believe it should be TrueHD and PCM on all 5 discs.

Terminator 3 should be hitting Blu-ray this Q4 (maybe even in September) as well with lossless PCM and TrueHD tracks.

Good news

[radagast]

Originally Posted by aacosta

Very nice I can't wait for both to come out I just hope WB doesn't skimp us on the PQ and AQ

Yes, I posted the news about Blade Runner yesterday. The upcoming box set is supposed to have the "Final" edition, which is Scott's version (apparently the Director's Cut wasn't it), the original theatrical version, and the International Cut.

[goku3]

aren't two more movies still left to be made for Harry? I would rather buy a boxset when it is complete.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by goku3

aren't two more movies still left to be made for Harry? I would rather buy a boxset when it is complete.

Yep and agreed. But oh the temptation! :-)

[MasterXeus]

I hope they just release a basic Box set of the Harry Potter movies too. I like the movies but I don't need all the extras.

$149.99 Harry Potter Box set, so that should cost about 104.99 on Amazon.

[KenO]

Originally Posted by MasterXeus

I hope they just release a basic Box set of the Harry Potter movies too. I like the movies but I don't need all the extras.

$149.99 Harry Potter Box set, so that should cost about 104.99 on Amazon.

Blu-ray Discs can be expensive so Amazon (and the occasional sale at other stores) is the best way to go if you don't want to rent them - at least 30% off.

[Manco]

Originally Posted by Genocide316

thats what I'm talking about!

AMEN brotha.

According to Ken Graffeo at Uni, there's no money on the table for this kind of thinking. What a fool. Other studios are making HD work for their bottom line.

I think the Uni Board and Shareholders will start having second thoughts on going Blu soon.

[Blu Tiger]

Just saw Order of the Phoenix yesterday. Great movie! I want all these on blu-ray.

[zombieking]

http://www.highdefdigest.com/news/sh...ade_Runner/779

Here's some Blade Runner news

[dgator783]

i better start saving....with this and Rock Band (199.99 plus tax) coming out within a month of each other...im gonna be poor come the holidays....hopefully nobody cares that I dont buy them anything...sounds kinda selfish but hell, least Ill have a whole lot to do...

[Mr. Joshua]

Any release date on the Harry Potter movies? I thought all the movies were going to be released this fall. Anyone know what is going on?

[WickyWoo]

The move has only been out a month, calm down

[Mr. Joshua]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

The move has only been out a month, calm down

Okey Dokey... Just curious if a release date had been set for the new movie on DVD as the reports on here were saying that all the movies will be released on blu-ray to coincide with the release of the Order Of The Phoenix on dvd...

[Esox50]

Warner Bros. announced at the VSDA show in July that Harry Potter 1-5 were coming to Blu-Ray and HD DVD in November. I believe the only detail was the MSRP for the boxed set @ $150. Give it another month or so, and I'm sure WB will release all of the details.

[BluDrew]

Whenever they do come out they'll look great. Apparently the HD DVD looks fantastic.