It seems Dreamworks has gotten the OK from Toshiba to drop HD DVD because they have cancelled all upcoming HD DVD titles including the anticipated “Bee Movie” that was set for release in North America on March 11th.
Dreamwork’s parent company Paramount also announced that it would be ending HD DVD releases beginning on March 4th.
The studios differ however with their future plans. Paramount plans to release on Blu-ray right after they drop HD DVD while you wont be seeing any Dreamworks titles until at least the summer. There was no word on what each studio’s first release will be.
Earlier this week Dreamworks’ CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg made a statement saying that the studio was still committed to HD DVD thanks to contractual obligations. From his mouth, “We have a partnership with Toshiba and have an obligation to see this through,” he said. “It really is in [Toshiba's] court at this point to really declare what the next step will be.”
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Paramount Pictures has mapped out its Blu-ray roadmap, marking its re-entry to the Blu-ray business a year after it signed exclusively to the now defunct HD DVD format.
The first three movies to hit Blu-ray will be “Face/Off,” “Next” and “Bee Movie” which will hit retailers on May 20th. “Bee Movie” was a highly anticipated HD DVD title but was scrapped after Toshiba dropped production and support for the format in early March.
Two other box office hits, “Cloverfield” and “There Will Be Blood” will hit Blu-ray on June 3rd. Both were recently released on standard definition DVD. “Cloverfield” will also hit the international market in August, added the studio.
Another important date to note is June 24th when Paramount will “issue its first day-and-date Blu-ray Disc release,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles.”
Paramount was originally a format neutral studio, along with Warner Home Video, but then moved HD DVD exclusive last August after allegedly receiving up to $150 million USD in compensation.
