Paramount and Dreamworks ditch Blu-Ray for HD-DVD exclusivity

by Jared Rea { Aug 20th 2007 at 3:56PM }

The latest blow in the stalemate war: Paramount Pictures and Dreamworks Animation have dropped their Blu-Ray support in exclusive favor of HD-DVD. When the format fiasco initially began, the two studios were already exclusive to HD-DVD, before later deciding to release their films on Blu-Ray as well. This flip-flop means that films such as Transformers and Shrek the Third will only be available on HD-DVD, along with features from Nickelodeon Movies and MTV Films.

Troops on both sides of the fence can breathe easy, however, as the single greatest American film of all time will still be available on both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

[via Engadget]

Tags: blu-ray, formatwar, hd-dvd, topgun

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Sceren @ Aug 20th 2007 3:59PM

ROFLMAO @ That picture!

Sceren @ Aug 20th 2007 4:01PM

By the way, they supposedly received a $150 million kick back to do this.

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/desperation-move-cash-grab-or-intensified-blu-rayhd-dvd-format-war/

Check it out~

bak8807 @ Aug 20th 2007 5:31PM

This is why, despite owning a PS3, I've yet to buy a single Blu-ray or HD-DVD movie. I'm waiting this shit out until there's only one format left, and if there isn't, I'll just keep buying DVD's and downloading torrents.

beatromantic @ Aug 20th 2007 5:40PM

bak8807, you do realize you're missing out on ULTRAVIOLET right? teh. best. movie. eva.

Jus' sayin'...

Patrick @ Aug 20th 2007 7:13PM

j0stiq es teh bias, obviously teh lil girl would whoop that bears ass, so they must favor hddvd over the bluray

Dapper Dan @ Aug 20th 2007 7:23PM

that's a pony...not a bear. =)

JJ @ Aug 20th 2007 4:01PM

Good move for HDDVD, but either way i Dont think its going to make that much of a difference in the long run.

While dreamworks and paramount are awesome studios, it seems both bluray and HDdvd have exclusives that someone would want one way or another...or rather they'd just buy the DVD if they couldnt get it on their chosen format.

qbix @ Aug 20th 2007 4:03PM

Shrek on HDDVD is tempting, but I'm still not buying the 360 add-on... at least not until I get a big screen HDTV.

Phour ZwanZig @ Aug 20th 2007 10:19PM

I said I was never gunna get the add-on either.. But its getting really tempting with the deal BestBuy has goin.. I think I might be pickin one up yet this week.. So they can add a few more numbers to the HD-DVD format..

(and here I thought BluRay was gunna win.. Bah.)

Oh yeah I was I NEVER gunna support MS and the 360.. OOps..

Shagittarius @ Aug 20th 2007 4:04PM

The plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room.

Jared Rea @ Aug 20th 2007 4:09PM

No, no. There's two O's in Goose.

TheSecretWeapon @ Aug 20th 2007 4:13PM

HDDVD/Blu Ray compared to little children and cows, respectively.

You don't get journalistic daring like that anywhere else folks!

SBrooks1 @ Aug 20th 2007 4:05PM

Transformers......only on HD-DVD!!
Shrek 3....only on HD-DVD!!

I wonder if those brilliant Blockbuster execs are kicking themselves now?? LOL

Pumapayam @ Aug 20th 2007 4:23PM

Blockbuster will still rent out DVD's, which is what the majority of us still rent.

Almack64 @ Aug 20th 2007 4:25PM

Blockbuster still rents out HDDVD's via online so its really not that big of a deal to them. I

n a weird twist it might actually get people more interested in Blockbuster's online service. They probably much rather people rent via online for they have a better control of their overall movie stock that way.

Trev @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:17AM

Apparently Spielberg movies aren't exclusive though. Transformers, produced by Spielberg, might be on Blu-ray too. Have to wait and see.

beatromantic @ Aug 20th 2007 4:06PM

Great, another reason to drag out this war.

Yay for the consumers!

DSR7997 @ Aug 20th 2007 4:07PM

I picked up my add on this weekend and I also have a PS3 so I am good either way.
By the way, anyone on the whole, "They were paid $150 million" bandwagon should understand how exclusivity works in business.

Mr Intel @ Aug 20th 2007 5:00PM

oh noes

Roxinos @ Aug 20th 2007 4:08PM

I hate you for saying Top Gun is the single greatest American film of all time, Jared, I hope you know that.

Jerk Face @ Aug 20th 2007 4:17PM

Hell yeah, that movie is so gaaaay!

And not like, in the homosexual way. . .

Well, I guess Top Gun IS kind of gay in that way, also.

Fuck Top Gun!

AdamC @ Aug 20th 2007 4:21PM

Yes, it should just say that Top Gun is the greatest film ever. We have to keep communicating...keeping up foreign relations. You know, giving him the bird?

greathoodoo @ Aug 20th 2007 4:08PM

I don't think that the format war matters much in the long run anyway. Improvements to download speeds and a bigger library of HD tv and films means that services like Xbox Live (and whatever sony does) mean that direct downloads are the future. HD-DVD players and Blueray players are both going to be paperweights in 5 years time.

Shagittarius @ Aug 20th 2007 4:11PM

Sorry I like the physical media. I will never buy a movie I can't hold in my hands. I will rent them that way, but never own them that way.

ExMcloud @ Aug 20th 2007 4:28PM

Yeah what does Sony Do? Are they working on something?
Well anyway Top Gun FTW YESSS! I hate that movie!
C u guys I'm goin to watch some Transformers in HD-DVD after I go to Burger King and get a Master Chief Whopper with some Covenant Fries....Think I'll hold off on the drink cuz I got some Mountain Dew Spartan Soda(Thanx Pepsi) at the house...But u know what Im not really feeling like Mountain Dew Oh I'll just go to 7-11 for a Halo slushie complete with puke orange color and buy a copy of Halo 3 Legendary of course....... Me thinks MS has something to do with this

T-bone and Razor @ Aug 20th 2007 4:44PM

While, from a technological standpoint, i certainly agree with that assessment, physical media will always have its place in the world until the big Media Corporations rethink the DRM strategy to something less... draconian

With the current DRM atmosphere, physical media is not on the way out just yet

Gabriel @ Aug 20th 2007 4:09PM

That girl in the picture is so cute

Made me laugh

IslandLife @ Aug 20th 2007 4:48PM

Hi Gabriel, I'm Chris Hansen from Dateline NBC. What are you doing here?

I JEST!!

Word of the street. @ Aug 20th 2007 5:14PM

He didn’t get the Memo, it seems you cant say that something is "cute" anymore.

Really back in the 90's no one had a problem when you say "oh look how cute is that baby" or "how cute is that Ferret" or "how lovely is that little girl/boy" parents and pet owners took it as a compliment since as we all know small things are nice but know if you say something like “oh how cute is that little girl" and Bam 3 police officers surround you, Dateline knocks in to your house and suddenly you are a twisted pedophile/zoophile/Sex predator in the eyes of everyone…Or so I have been told.

I would like to blame MJ and Fox News for that..

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Aug 20th 2007 4:11PM

Some peronsal favorites from Paramount & Dreamworks includes:

Gladiator
American Beauty
Beavis & Butt-Head
Chappel Show
South Park
Event Horizon
Jack A$s the Movie 1&2
Team America

Word of the street. @ Aug 20th 2007 5:26PM

Why would anyone want to watch Beavis & Butt-Head ,South Park ,Jack A$s the Movie 1&2 ,Team America in full HD?.
Especially Jacka$$,Really Who really wants to see steve-O balls/Ass in HD?.

Jouten @ Aug 20th 2007 5:59PM

GLADIATOR!! FTW!

Am I not merciful?!?! =D

Marasai @ Aug 20th 2007 4:11PM

Yawn. Wake me when BOTH formats get even near where DVD was at this point in its life and then I'll be interested.

Just tell me when live marketplace comes to canada.

megaStryke @ Aug 20th 2007 4:11PM

Who was it that said that HD-DVD was going to lose its last exclusive company? Instead, it gained not one but TWO exclusive companies. And here I thought Blu-Ray was taking it to school....

ExMcloud @ Aug 20th 2007 5:02PM

Like I said Ime thinks MS had something to do with this...Movie companies might be looking at all the hype MS's console is getting and is taking that as a way to make more money....Don't be suprised if MS starts putting that Add-On in the box next year or just putting the HD-DVD player in the system when they do the redesign in about 2 years

Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Aug 20th 2007 4:12PM

Blockbuster is actually owned by Viacom I believe.

chenry @ Aug 20th 2007 4:18PM

Guess who's the parent company of Paramount and DreamWorks?

Viacom.

Hudson922 @ Aug 21st 2007 11:51AM

Not any more blocbuster split from Viacom over a year ago.

mrajh @ Aug 20th 2007 4:14PM

What a waste the future is digital distribution. Cds, DVDs, HD-DVDs, and Blu-Ray will become a thing of the past within ten years. Most people will skip this war and just keep on buying DVDs.

Roxinos @ Aug 20th 2007 4:24PM

A consumer cannot consume what isn't provided for them by distributors. If the various distributors in all their myriad forms decide to stop distributing DVDs and go exclusively for another format like HD-DVDs or Blu-ray, then no one can just skip the format war.

josh @ Aug 20th 2007 5:02PM

the distributors are not going to stop selling DVDs if there is still money to be made selling DVDs... DVDs will be around until something else sells far better than DVDs do.

Shagittarius @ Aug 20th 2007 5:09PM

This is true but there comes a point where the new formats will become artificially cheaper than DVDs. This is how they force the consumer into buying a new format.

Thats how last time all the VHS support dissapeared from video stores. When it became more expensive to buy the VHS versions of movies the rental chains stopped carrying them.

Eventually DVDs will go away and on or the other formats will win.