Fox Home Entertainment. “Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray

[Tekman]

Of the high-definition discs consumers bought in the first quarter of this year, 70% were Blu-ray Discs and just 30% were HD DVDs, according to sales figures provided by Home Media Magazine’s market research department.

Blu-ray took the lead in February, and its percentage of total sales accelerated to the point that, in March, the format accounted for nearly three out of every four high-def discs sold.

What’s more, when given the choice, consumers are going with Blu-ray. Warner Home Video released The Departed the same day, Feb. 13, on both formats. Between then and March 31, consumers bought 53,640 copies of the film on Blu-ray Disc and 31,590 units on HD DVD, according to Home Media Magazine’s market research, based on studio estimates and Nielsen VideoScan point-of-sale data.

Research also shows that eight of the 10 top-selling high-definition titles in the first quarter of this year were on Blu-ray Disc. At the top of the list is Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Casino Royale, which, in the first three months ended March 31, sold through to consumers an estimated 59,680 units. The Blu-ray Disc edition of The Departed finished second, while the HD DVD version of the film placed third.

Between Jan. 1 and March 31, consumers bought nearly 1.2 million high-definition discs, 832,530 Blu-ray units and 359,300 HD DVDs, according to Home Media Magazine market research. Since inception (HD DVD launched in mid-April 2006, while Blu-ray got rolling two months later, in late June), more than 2.14 million high-definition discs have been purchased by consumers — 1.2 million Blu-ray Discs and about 937,500 HD DVDs.

In March, consumers bought 335,980 Blu-ray Discs and 119,570 HD DVDs.

“All this data points to the irrefutable facts that the consumers are voting with their dollars and adopting the revolutionary technology of the Blu-ray Disc,” said Bob Chapek, president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment. “With such beloved titles as Pirates of the Caribbean on the horizon, these numbers will only do one thing: grow.”

“Breaking the 1 million-unit mark is a significant milestone for Blu-ray because it represents rapidly growing consumer acceptance for this revolutionary platform,” added David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. “I am confident that the numbers will increase, and more critical benchmarks will be reached to ensure Blu-ray’s position as the leading high-definition format.”

“Practically, Blu-ray launched this past November, and in just over one business quarter has rocketed to a significant lead,” noted Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray as their high-def format of choice, and telling us so at retail cash registers.”

Observers aren’t surprised by the disparity, noting that Blu-ray Disc enjoys the support of five of the six major studios, while HD DVD is supported by only three of the six. Three studios — Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment — are exclusively in the Blu-ray camp, as is mini-major Lionsgate, while Paramount Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video support both formats. Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the only major studio to release titles only in the HD DVD format, which backers claim is easier and cheaper to produce.

All three HD DVD studios wielded weak release slates in the first quarter of the year; behind The Departed, the next-biggest-selling HD DVD was Batman Begins, which had been released in October 2006. Batman Begins sold 16,980 HD DVDs in the first quarter of this year, but factoring in its initial sales, the title stands at 44,590 units, not far behind Casino Royale.

Blu-ray supporters were quick to hail the widening gap between Blu-ray and HD DVD titles.

“It’s exactly what we’ve said all along would happen — the strong support for Blu-ray among movie studios and equipment manufacturers means that consumers have more choices when it comes to players and titles,” said Andy Parsons, chair of the Blu-ray Disc Association’s U.S. Promotion Committee. “And they’re choosing Blu-ray by an ever-increasing margin.”
http://www.homemediaretailing.com/ne...ticle_id=10559

[meyerste]

That's GREAT NEWS. I hope Universal is listening / reading this. Some of our $$$$ can be theirs too if they start releasing the great titles on Blu-ray.

For Example:
The Deer Hunter
Scarface
Born on the Fourth of July
Hollywoodland
Casino
Spartacus
The Thing
Backdraft
Cinderella Man
Apollo 13
The Interpreter
The Bourne Supremacy
Smokin Aces
The Mummy
The Mummy Returns
The Sting
Land Of The Dead
Peter Jackson's King Kong
and many others.....

[Spankey]

We all know which studios are releasing to which format, but it is pretty sobering to read that HD-DVD only has 3..yes 3...major studios releasing to the format. These news releases have become pretty frequent today. With some big guns coming out in the Spring and Fall, I don't see any of the BD exclusive studios going neutral anytime soon.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by meyerste

That's GREAT NEWS. I hope Universal is listening / reading this. Some of our $$$$ can be theirs too if they start releasing the great titles on Blu-ray.

For example:
Scarface
Batman Begins
and many others.....

BB is Warner and it has been promised to BD along with the other 18 titles not currently on BD, but they are waiting for PiP tools to mature before releasing these titles.

[dialog_gvf]

“Practically, Blu-ray launched this past November, and in just over one business quarter has rocketed to a significant lead,” noted Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray as their high-def format of choice, and telling us so at retail cash registers.”

No thanks to you Mr. Dunn. For some reason your company have decided to stop offering new content for them to tell you this at the retail cash registers.

Gary

[ProvenFlipper]

Fox shouldn't be allowed to make any press releases until they start releasing films again.

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by Tekman

Of the high-definition discs consumers bought in the first quarter of this year, 70% were Blu-ray Discs and just 30% were HD DVDs, according to sales figures provided by Home Media Magazine’s market research department.

Blu-ray took the lead in February, and its percentage of total sales accelerated to the point that, in March, the format accounted for nearly three out of every four high-def discs sold.

What’s more, when given the choice, consumers are going with Blu-ray. Warner Home Video released The Departed the same day, Feb. 13, on both formats. Between then and March 31, consumers bought 53,640 copies of the film on Blu-ray Disc and 31,590 units on HD DVD, according to Home Media Magazine’s market research, based on studio estimates and Nielsen VideoScan point-of-sale data.

Research also shows that eight of the 10 top-selling high-definition titles in the first quarter of this year were on Blu-ray Disc. At the top of the list is Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Casino Royale, which, in the first three months ended March 31, sold through to consumers an estimated 59,680 units. The Blu-ray Disc edition of The Departed finished second, while the HD DVD version of the film placed third.

Between Jan. 1 and March 31, consumers bought nearly 1.2 million high-definition discs, 832,530 Blu-ray units and 359,300 HD DVDs, according to Home Media Magazine market research. Since inception (HD DVD launched in mid-April 2006, while Blu-ray got rolling two months later, in late June), more than 2.14 million high-definition discs have been purchased by consumers — 1.2 million Blu-ray Discs and about 937,500 HD DVDs.

In March, consumers bought 335,980 Blu-ray Discs and 119,570 HD DVDs.

“All this data points to the irrefutable facts that the consumers are voting with their dollars and adopting the revolutionary technology of the Blu-ray Disc,” said Bob Chapek, president of Buena Vista Home Entertainment. “With such beloved titles as Pirates of the Caribbean on the horizon, these numbers will only do one thing: grow.”

“Breaking the 1 million-unit mark is a significant milestone for Blu-ray because it represents rapidly growing consumer acceptance for this revolutionary platform,” added David Bishop, president of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. “I am confident that the numbers will increase, and more critical benchmarks will be reached to ensure Blu-ray’s position as the leading high-definition format.”

“Practically, Blu-ray launched this past November, and in just over one business quarter has rocketed to a significant lead,” noted Mike Dunn, president of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. “Consumers are clearly choosing Blu-ray as their high-def format of choice, and telling us so at retail cash registers.”

Observers aren’t surprised by the disparity, noting that Blu-ray Disc enjoys the support of five of the six major studios, while HD DVD is supported by only three of the six. Three studios — Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment — are exclusively in the Blu-ray camp, as is mini-major Lionsgate, while Paramount Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video support both formats. Universal Studios Home Entertainment is the only major studio to release titles only in the HD DVD format, which backers claim is easier and cheaper to produce.

All three HD DVD studios wielded weak release slates in the first quarter of the year; behind The Departed, the next-biggest-selling HD DVD was Batman Begins, which had been released in October 2006. Batman Begins sold 16,980 HD DVDs in the first quarter of this year, but factoring in its initial sales, the title stands at 44,590 units, not far behind Casino Royale.

Blu-ray supporters were quick to hail the widening gap between Blu-ray and HD DVD titles.

“It’s exactly what we’ve said all along would happen — the strong support for Blu-ray among movie studios and equipment manufacturers means that consumers have more choices when it comes to players and titles,” said Andy Parsons, chair of the Blu-ray Disc Association’s U.S. Promotion Committee. “And they’re choosing Blu-ray by an ever-increasing margin.”
http://www.homemediaretailing.com/ne...ticle_id=10559

Finally, something to break up all the hd-dud fud that's been flowing out these past few weeks!

[Jim L]

This is great, especially since Fox has canceled most of their release schedule.

I know that we've been told they're waiting for BD+. As soon as it can be implemented, they'll be pumping out some more great titles.

Lately Sony has been very quiet. But they've been busily releasing and announcing titles. Everything they've done lately has been excellent.

And I think Disney has really been the pre-eminent BD studio lately. I love almost all their releases and not one title I've bought has been a disappointment.

It's great to see Fox and Disney enthusiastically defending Blu-ray!

Down with all the FUD.

[jbuttler007]

Universal knows this, I think that they have been contracted in which why they have not mad BDs yet. Being that they are a money making company they should be making BDs. Unless they are binded.

[kknight]

It's good to hear a somewhat Sony format is finally successful after their other failed formats (UMD, BetaMax, ...) And just think, Universal talked smack about Blu-ray saying that all of Sony's format were disaster! guess it backfired on them *lol*

[phloyd]

Originally Posted by dialog_gvf

No thanks to you Mr. Dunn. For some reason your company have decided to stop offering new content for them to tell you this at the retail cash registers.

Gary

Originally Posted by ProvenFlipper

Fox shouldn't be allowed to make any press releases until they start releasing films again.

Indeed. I know one of the Fox people high up for catalogue releases. I prodded him the other day and he indicated that there would be more releases.

I guess they don't want to set dates and fail to meet them...

I agree though that touting a format that you have zero releases scheduled for is just asking for criticism...!

We can only hope that this is like a log jam and there will be a flood of releases later in the year which will sweep us away!

[Sir Terrence]

Originally Posted by ProvenFlipper

Fox shouldn't be allowed to make any press releases until they start releasing films again.

I sure agree with this. He sounds like a empty wagon on a bumpy dirt road, all noise and no product. When they do begin to release, then is when he can crow, and not before.

[Jack Torrance]

Originally Posted by Sir Terrence

I sure agree with this. He sounds like a empty wagon on a bumpy dirt road, all noise and no product. When they do begin to release, then is when he can crow, and not before.

well fox do have Night at the Museum coming out tomorrow, one of the biggest hits of the last year, that's not too shabby and not exactly "no product"

[cdblu]

yeah what a surprise hit. i thought i wouldnt like night at the museum but it s actually funny.

[Sir Terrence]

Originally Posted by Jack Torrance

well fox do have Night at the Museum coming out tomorrow, one of the biggest hits of the last year, that's not too shabby and not exactly "no product"

Well, at least where I sit tomorrow isn't here yet. So officially we are still into the "no product" stage. Let's hope tomorrows release gets them back in the game.