Microsoft comments on rumors that they'll be putting Blu-Ray players in Xbox 360s and the MPAA's best anti-piracy agents have bounties on their heads. Read more of this week's DVD news, plus find out what's new in stores!
This week in DVD news:
Format Wars: Episode II
Microsoft has denied a recent rumor that they'd be putting Blu-Ray players into their Xbox 360 consoles following Blu-Ray's victory over HD-DVD in the format wars of 2008. Too bad, because the debunked rumor sparked the salivary glands of next-gen home entertainment nuts worldwide when it broke last week via the Chinese-language Economic Daily News. For now, Xbox 360 owners will have to make do with their in-console HD-DVD players --- but hey, at least HD-DVDs will go on sale soon!
Then again, Blu-Ray releases are looking sweeter and sweeter as former HD-DVD supporters Paramount and Universal start catching up their slates. Coming soon from Paramount are catalog titles Face/Off, Next, and Bee Movie (all May 20), with recent releases Cloverfield and There Will be Blood following shortly (June 3). The Spiderwick Chronicles will be their first day-and-date Blu-Ray release on June 24.
Likewise, Universal has announced that their first day-and-date release will be Neil Marshall's Doomsday, hitting shelves in DVD and Blu-Ray on July 29.
Format Wars: Episode III?
Perhaps the HD-DVD-Blu-Ray squabble was small potatoes compared to what's on the horizon: downloadable viewing vs. DVD. (Duh-duh-duhhhhhhhhn!) Lobbying the first volley in a sure-to-be skirmish was Apple, who announced last week that new releases would now be available for purchase and download to iTunes, superseding the need for physical DVDs. Somewhere, Blockbuster execs are weeping, free microwaveable popcorn in hand.
In happier news for DVD executives, Malaysian forces "smashed" an illicit DVD-pirating ring last week, destroying an operation that could have yielded "seven million pirated discs, potentially generating criminal revenues of more than US$22 million," and arresting all three (three!) men running the joint. Long live legitimate DVD production! In a separate article, such busts are credited to two crack MPAA agents in particular: a pair of black Labradors named Lucky and Flo. The two DVD-sniffing dogs are so good that they've had doggie hits put out on them to the tune of $30,000, reports the Houston Chronicle.
Newly Announced
-- South Park: The 11th Season hits DVD August 12 -- you know the one. The season with Guitar Hero! In the spirit of the episode called "Guitar Queer-o," the Comedy Central release will reportedly come with all-uncensored episodes and three downloadable Rock Band songs.
-- DigitalBits names the best titles of 2007, with the Blade Runner: 5-Disc Collector's Edition taking top honors. (Watch it in Blu-Ray/HD for details remastered with pinpoint precision.)
-- Mark your calendars for September's release of the most so-wrong-it's-hilarious show on TV: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Season 3. The three-disc release with all 15 episodes will retail for $39.98 and include 3 featurettes, a gag reel, two episode commentaries, and more.
-- In the market for DVDs of your favorite shows not yet released on DVD? LA Times Gold Derby blogger Tom O'Neill has taken time off of waging war against LA film critics to play consumer guide for shoppers. He's got the skinny on Emmy screeners for sale on EBay for such hot television shows as Entourage, the complete TNT/TCM/TBS slate, and The Closer, which sold to the highest bidder for $7.49 in cool, hard, Paypal dollars. Read more here.
Finally, drool over this piece of DVD swag: a desktop-sized bust of Christian Bale as Batman to be packaged with the Blu-Ray version of Batman Begins...but only in Japan. (Via Gizmodo.)
Click for this week's new releases!
(1-17 of 17 posts) | Reply
 on May 05 2008 09:13 PM Lichtenstein rules. . . X-Box is being just plain stupid if they don't change to Blu-Ray as soon as possible. I'll definately be willing to spend more on a Playstation 3 that has a Hi-Def DVD player on it that isn't obsolete, and is probably more durable than the X-Box. Wow, who would have guessed, a microsoft product that crashes. (Reply to this) |
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on May 05 2008 09:54 PM Cool tuesday. Im defiantely getting IM NOT THERE which is great, and I am really looking foward to renting TEETH. And I would be excited about that XBOX BLU RAY PLAYER, but I just got one so doesnt interest me. (Reply to this) |
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on May 05 2008 09:56 PM By the way JEN I love that now RT is showing dvd news, thats cool about southpark coming out and doomsday. (Reply to this) |
 on May 05 2008 10:27 PM I too will have to buy I'm Not There and rent Teeth! (Reply to this) |
 on May 05 2008 11:15 PM Thanks for the feedback, jokerboy! Glad you like the new format. There's really a lot to talk about even once per week in the world of DVD. (Reply to this) |
 on May 06 2008 08:33 AM I'm not There and Teeth for sure. And I'll burn The Hottie and Paris Hilton so she dosen't get any money from it. (Reply to this) |
 on May 06 2008 09:56 AM MOAR PUPPIEZ! :) Love the new format, Jen! I suddenly have even more of an urge to get a PS3... (Reply to this) |
 on May 06 2008 10:11 AM Why does the article say "For now, Xbox 360 owners will have to make do with their in-console HD-DVD players" Its no Inconsole... To watch HD-DVD's you have to buy a external add-on. Which pretty much should be in console considering they run for about 25 bucks at K-mart now :) (Reply to this) |
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on May 06 2008 01:37 PM In reply to this comment (#1722327) Ha, my bad Cadrian. I assume that most people opted for the HD add-on - at least for the purposes of this DVD-focused article. (Reply to this) |
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on May 06 2008 05:08 PM hell yea ps3 forget the 360-gave me the red rings of death (Reply to this) |
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on May 06 2008 05:38 PM I bought I'm Not There today. :D (Reply to this) |
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on May 07 2008 10:48 AM "It's Always Sunny" is the funniest show on television. (Reply to this) |
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on May 07 2008 12:57 PM Sometimes you guys forget indy movies. The film "delirious" also comes out 5/6/2008 Its with Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman, Gina Gershon, and Elvis Costello. It's a fairly decent film. (Reply to this) |
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on May 07 2008 04:38 PM Next week u guys should mention that there finnaly going to realease the DIRECTORS CUT of DARK CITY this JULY. (Reply to this) |
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on May 07 2008 06:27 PM You missed 'Flakes'. Fail. (Reply to this) |
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on May 08 2008 09:09 AM Yay for "It's Always Sunny". I've been trying to find the release date on season 3 for awhile now. Hopefully it comes out of hiatus soon. (Reply to this) |
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on May 08 2008 12:27 PM Not shocked that Apple is leading the push for downloadable content, since their new MacBook Air is essentially useless except in such a world. I'm not terribly keen on it, though, since that means that megalomaniac Steve Jobs will have an even greater say over formats and copy protection/restrictions, just like he's had with his iPod. Shame about the Xbox 360 news as well; guess I will be going with Playstation 3 after all. (Reply to this) |
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