In a statement sent exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed that they will return to releasing their films on Blu-ray. Initially supporting both high definition formats, Paramount became HD DVD exclusive in a controversial move by the studio in Fall of last year. With Universal Studios announcing their support of Blu-ray earlier this week, Paramount completes the last piece of the puzzle as the sixth and final major studio to support the Blu-ray format.
The statement read, "We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer. As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."
While no specific titles or dates have been announced at this time, it is expected that Paramount will first release their stock of Blu-ray titles produced but never released due to their exclusivity deal with HD DVD. This could include titles that were recalled soon after the deal was announced, such as 'Blades of Glory' or other Paramount titles which has already been prepared for Blu-ray release.
Great news. I expect Transformers will be out quite quickly with Paramount as Id say they were probably already working on the 1.1 stuff as they would have known this was coming.
Fair play to them, they got $150m to release about 10 titles which is far more than they would have made selling them on blu.
WELCOME BACK PARAMOUNT.. I DONT HATE YOU ANYMORE NOW.. I USE TO HATE U WHEN U MESSING WITH HD-DVD... THANKS FOR WASTE YOUR TIME AND COME BACK TO BLU-RAY EXCLUSIVELY!!! THANK YOU NOW WE ARE THE PART OF BLU-RAY FAMILY!!!
The article at Engadget (http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/21/paramount-officially-blu-ray-again/) says that although Paramount (and Dreamworks !!) are Blu again they will "monitor
consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly", so it might take some time before all HD-DUD titles are painted Blu.
But hey, best week ever for Blu-Ray in my opinion: First Toshiba, then finally Universal and now Paramount and Dreamworks to make it complete.
Order has been restored, the Winner is Blu. Welcome back Paramount, well you made your quick cash playing with hd-dud for a little while. It's now time to get back to work and start making the True fan's of HD some quality product. As you can see there is a high demand for Transformers and well we've waited long enough. You know what to do, ok now, bye bye then.
Great news! As others have stated, it's time to start cranking out titles such as "The Jack Ryan Collection", "Transformers", "Blades of Glory", etc. with lossless audio and Blu-Ray-optimized video encodes. No HD-DUD ports, please!
"We will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."
Ahhh just shut up, get on your knees and beg forgiveness by releasing big titles on Blu-ray immediately.
As they say in the movie biz..."That's a wrap folks!"
Now...forget the Indiana Jones double-dip in SD. I want you to focus on getting these fine films in all their HD glory with a lossless audio track, be it PCM/DolbyTrueHD or DTS HD MA! These are the Special Editions we all want, not the standard crap. BRING IT!!! PLEASE!!!
Here's my hard-earned cash, make me give it to you! But ported-over HD DVD encodes and lossy audio and dumping half the features to the web aren't the way to do it.
Anillusion wrote: "monitor
consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly", so it might take some time before all HD-DUD titles are painted Blu.
I read it this way... it's all up to us now. Buy more and they will realese more.
Parawhore shouldn't have left in the first place. You need to start releasing quality discs that everybody here enjoys then I will welcome you back. Till then NOT
This statement is kinda fishy: "We are pleased that the industry is moving to a single high-definition format, as we believe it is in the best interest of the consumer. As we look to (begin) releasing our titles on Blu-ray, we will monitor consumer adoption and determine our release plans accordingly."
Paramount should just say f!ck that HD-DUD exclusive deal and start making blu-ray movies. Its not like there is a HD-DUD market anymore. At least for people who are smart enough to know better. Paramount just needs to grow some b@lls and produce blu-rays on all their popular movies, then all the not so popular after that.
I'm sure if they monitor consumer adoption and watch how well Transformers sells on Blu-ray, they'll start getting those Godfather and Indiana Jones movies ready for a 2008 release.
It seems (from what I have read) that Paramount is still going to release some movies on HD-DVD. I don't understand what for.
OK, there are many people that bought Toshiba players, but they won't buy any new HD-DVD players in the future. Those players they own now will eventually broke and they will end up with movie collection they cannot watch... why, I ask WHY they are trying to suck more money out of these people.
YES!!!! I applaud their fairly quick response, but unlike Universal who has been an HDDVD supporter all along, I feel that we got stabbed in the back on 08/20/2007 when they defected purely based on bags of cash and incentives, even when Blu-ray was winning by a good 2:1 ratio. If there is anyone to be sued by the early HDDVD adopters it's Paramount who have caused the war to pronlong for another 6 months. I will Forgive but I will NEVER EVER forget.
"Cause we are the champions...of the world!" I knew Paramount had to respond sooner or later! Now finally, I can look forward to Transformers, Blades of Glory, Top Gun, etc. And maybe now they'll re-release Shooter on Blu-ray for those that don't have it already!
For the love of god, release Trasnformers so we don't have to see the title in this forum -- ever again. (By the way, aren't they about a day late -- and maybe $150M short?)
What a player.. makes off with a cool $150 mill only to 180 and capitalize on a now booming Blu-ray. Like being the middle man arms distributor during a civil conflict.
Yes, you know that means we get IRONMAN later this year. That's going to be one to wait for. Transformers is going to look SICK! on blu, can't wait. I bet the day it comes out it's gonna break records!!
now, only weinstein left in the red zone.
I expect some kind of apology coming from paramount, though, for dumping us all, but not HD DVD. I have more respect for Universal because they never dumped us, and if I were red ants, I would have respect to Warner by the way they pulled HD DVD products. My respect to para is nil.
Looking forward to many Paramount movies, but I must be about the only person here isn't that bothered about Transformers... Which will probably sell more in its first week on Blu that it sold in total on HD DVD!
Very cool. I wonder how soon we can get the whole Indiana Jones series or Top Gun. Glad the war is over and it is Blu-ray that won. The last two months have been exciting. Now we need to promote Blu-ray to the masses and beat the current standard DVD. I think I will go and pick up a new BD for my collection today. LOL :-)
Finally, the world is now truly Blu? Perception wise, Paramount really look like losers right now, but business-wise, they lost nothing because of the incentives they received from Toshiba. They are also all set for blu-ray while Universal is not. It's almost like saying "Ok well scrap this template we are using this one again". Looking forward to those Trek and Indy titles now
This really isn't any surprise at all. I mean, really, what were they going to do? What would have
been great is if they had announced some titles as well. I expect they'll release some of the Blu-ray
movies they locked away in a vault somewhere, if they didn't take them out back and smash them all
to hell when they took that $150m from the HD-DVD people.
I can't wait for the titles to just start pouring. I wonder how long before DVDs start feeling the pinch
from Blu.
I must admit while I am glad they are back I still believe they owe us an apology for all the crap they put not just blu fans through but all consumers for jumping ship for a little money and draging this out 4 months longer then it needed to be. Though I imagine they feel like smacked asses now having to come back with their tail between their legs, because this confirms it was all about money.
I could care less about Transformers (out side Megan Fox) I watched it again the other day on DVD and still did not like it very much (family wanted to rent it). I am just glad Universal is on board.... Hellboy II!!
It's great news, and I am very excited about it, but I still have a sour taste of how they exited blu-ray last time, stopping everything even pre-orders of titles that were about a week away. At least Warner is being kind to hd-dvd customers by going until May even when the format dropped, Para can't say they ever did the same.
You know Bay is going to push for this movie to come out on Blu-ray, especially with reports of it already being a sku'd item at Circuit City. Can't wait.
I know the term Transformers has been used too much in this news thread so...how about Anchorman? Welcome back Paramount, we knew that money no longer matters to you. Now, get crackin' on those robots in disguise for us.
Paramount must be laughing all the way to the bank... they got their payoff and only lost a few months in Blu' sales. Unofficially, they may have well suspected Blu' would win but took the payoff anyway while knowing they'd come out ahead.
You know we're going to get H-Dud ports for a while. I don't see them spending the time and money to re-encode all those titles. Especially since they didn't actually want to come back to Blu they had no choice. I think they'll take the cheap way out until the sting wears off and the bucks start rolling in.
7 pages and 140 comments and only two mentions of Beowulf?!
Pleeeeeeeaaaaaaase Paramount... get this title out on Blu ray as soon as possible
Bourne would be good..... Transformers better........ but bring on the WULF!! (And with BD50 discs add the 3D version of the film too! Yesssss)
I refuse to purchase any Paramount movie that does not have loss-less audio.
I have gone without Paramount for over a year and can wait as long as
necessary for them to produce a movie that is actually worth $30!! Other
than that...welcome back Paramount!! P.S. this includes you too Warner
Bros!!
Bluray is complete. Paramount is back I can't wait to hear what Micheal Bay has to say about this one. I need Transformers,Cloverfield, Indiana Jones Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Iron Man Baby.
Paramount: I still believe you gave a bad name to raw capitalism with your money-grubbing deal with Toshiba and MS, but at least you're back with Blu. We expect you to get back into Blu production as soon as possible, with lots of great titles, both new and catalog. With a half-smile, I say, "Welcome back."
this is great news, only really care about transformers right now. Kinda funny how they did kinda go the sneaky method by not releasing a major statement.
HAHAHA Paramount remind me of a friend of mine. He had left a party because he thought he could find a better one just down the street, but then when he looked back at the party he left he saw that it was the place to be because it was JUMPIN'!
I don't understand why everyone is so crazy about the Transformers, IMO it was the worst movie of 07'. The animated version was better than the live action movie.
Ive been reading a lot of sourgrapes on this topic.
most are stating that their players and movies will last them a long time and will never buy into BD.
how about this....LotR release!!
Okay, so last night I seriously had a dream that Paramount came back to blu. And wouldn't you know it, the first report came in at 3:30 am. My wife says something is wrong with me that I am dreaming about blu's but WHO CARES! Transformers all the way! Oh yeah, and now I can open my copy of Shooter!
Guys, I think its a good time to teach the Greed Monsters a lesson. Everyone don't buy Paramount,Universal and MS products until the end of years. This is how you and I can screw the Geed Monsters in the pocket.
In a statement sent exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed that they will return to releasing their films on Blu-ray. Initially supporting both high definition formats, Paramount became HD DVD exclusive in a controversial move by the studio in Fall of last year. With Universal Studios announcing their support of Blu-ray earlier this week, Paramount completes the last piece of the puzzle as the sixth and final major studio to support the Blu-ray format.
