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Spielberg Camp Shuts Down Latest HD DVD Rumors
Mon Oct 08, 2007 at 03:50 PM ETTags: Steven Spielberg, Universal (all tags)
Although a presentation from Universal Japan late last week appeared to indicate otherwise, Steven Spielberg's longtime spokesman is denying reports that several of the director's classic flicks are headed to HD DVD.
As we first reported last Friday, a slide from a presentation made by Universal Japan at last week's CEATAC conference included mention of 'Jaws,' 'E.T.' and 'Jurassic Park' among other high-profile Universal titles apparently headed to HD DVD.
Given the director's apparent preference for Blu-ray, and his previous denials of any immediate plans for HD DVD release of his titles, the image of Spielberg tiles on a page wrapped by the "Look and Sound of Perfect" graphics common to all of Universal's HD DVD discs was enough to whip fans into a near-frenzy on our own forums and elsewhere online.
Today, however, in a statement to Blu-ray.com, Spielberg spokesperson Marvin Levy put the rumors to bed.
"There are no plans to release these titles on HD DVD," said Levy. "It was a mistake and someone inadvertently put those titles into a presentation."
Levy went on to tell Blu-ray.com that Universal would be making a public statement regarding this mistake in the coming days.
As we've previously reported, back in February of this year, the official HD DVD Promotions Group (of which Universal is a member) issued a public apology to the director after listing several of his titles in a "Coming Soon" list that was apparently never approved by the director.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Spielberg Spokesperson: Universal Japan HD DVD Announcement was "A Mistake" [Blu-ray.com]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Universal Japan Touts Spielberg Titles in HD DVD Presentation
- Exclusive: Spielberg "Big Supporter" of Blu-ray, But Future High-Def Releases Uncertain
- HD DVD Promotions Group to Spielberg Fans: Whoops!
Exclusive: Spielberg "Big Supporter" of Blu-ray, But Future High-Def Releases Uncertain
Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 11:46 AM ETTags: Industry Forecasts, Steven Spielberg (all tags)
Confirming mounting speculation, we've got exclusive word this morning that Steven Spielberg is indeed "a big supporter" of Blu-ray, and that the one-sentence "Spielberg carve out" in yesterday's Paramount/DreamWorks HD DVD announcement was designed to allow the legendary director to release future titles on Blu-ray.
With many of his early blockbusters distributed by Universal Pictures ('E.T.,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jaws,' among them), it was once assumed that the combination of Steven Spielberg's classic titles and Universal's exclusive HD DVD support would be one of format's biggest weapons against rival Blu-ray, but a series of developments have led many to speculate that perhaps Spielberg himself has other ideas.
The first hint of trouble for HD DVD came back in February when the HD DVD promo group issued a public apology to Spielberg after listing several of his titles in a "Coming Soon" list that was apparently never approved by the director.
Then, just last month came news that the very first Spielberg high-def title -- a 30th anniversary edition of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' -- would be released on Blu-ray, not HD DVD. (That release is due November 13, day and date with the standard-def DVD edition.)
Finally, yesterday's stunner of a Paramount/DreamWorks HD DVD exclusivity press release included a conspicuous one line carve-out, stating that Spielberg's DreamWorks films would be exempt from the terms of the HD DVD exclusivity arrangement, opening the door to the possible future release of more recent Spielberg blockbusters on Blu-ray.
So what's the deal? We put that question to the source for all things Spielberg -- his longtime spokesman and DreamWorks marketing exec Marvin Levy. Speaking exclusively with High-Def Digest, Levy confirmed Spielberg's active support of Blu-ray with the selection of 'Close Encounters' for his next-gen debut.
"It was important to Steven that if any of his films were to be released [first] on high-definition, that it would be a classic," said Levy. "Steven is big supporter of Blu-ray, and chose 'Close Encounters' to be the first of his films on either format."
Spielberg approved the new high-def transfer made for the film, and among the Blu-ray's supplements is a new introduction recorded by the director specifically for the release, as well as a storyboard comparison.
Levy further clarified the Paramount/DreamWorks press release, saying that "...his movies, like 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'War of the Worlds,' are not included in that deal. They are not exclusive to HD DVD, nor [are they] planned for that format at this time.'"
Levy went on emphasize that beyond 'Close Encounters,' Spielberg has no other films in the high-def pipeline on either format. "At this moment, there are no plans for something further [on either format]. Anything in the future will be decided on a title-by-title basis. There certainly won't be more titles in 2007."
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Blu-ray)
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Spielberg to Hit High-Def With 'Close Encounters' (Jul 26, 2007)
- HD DVD Promotions Group to Spielberg Fans: Whoops! (Feb 05, 2007)
'Jaws' to Take a Bite Out of HD DVD After All?
Wed Feb 14, 2007 at 04:02 PM ETTags: Disc Announcements, Steven Spielberg, Universal (all tags)
The Spielberg on high-def saga continues, with word coming from a most unlikely source that 'Jaws' may be headed to HD DVD, after all.
For those new to this mini-drama, the whole thing started late last month when Universal Studios Home Entertainment issued a press release touting over a hundred new HD DVD releases in 2007. Fans were quick to note that the list was conspicuously absent any Steven Spielberg blockbusters, a large chunk of which the studio holds home video distribution rights to.
Then came word from the HD DVD Promotions Group that a trio of Spielberg titles -- 'E.T.,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jaws' -- would hit the format this year. A day later, that statement was retracted.
Now comes yet another indication that 'Jaws' may be indeed headed to HD DVD. Responding to rumors that Universal is working on 'Jaws 5' as a direct-to-DVD sequel, indie auteur Kevin Smith (and life-long 'Jaws' fan) said this to the online blog Slashfilm:
"Allow me to debunk [the 'Jaws 5' rumors]. I dropped an email to [Universal Studios Chairman] David Linde to ask if this was true, and he said folks are confused: there's an HD 'Jaws' DVD on its way, but no 'Jaws 5,' straight-to-DVD."
Smith also went on to add: "And if you can’t believe Universal’s top brass, who can you believe?"
Of course, whether or not Linde's email came after -- or before -- the HD DVD Promotions Group retraction and the subsequent rumors that Spielberg may not be too keen on having his titles hit the format just yet, we do not know.
But there is one definitive and absolutely positive piece of news to come out of all of this -- it looks like we'll all be spared a crappy direct-to-video 'Jaws 5.' At least, for now...
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Rumor Killer: Jaws 5 goes Direct to DVD [slashfilm]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- HD DVD Promotions Group to Spielberg Fans: Whoops! (Feb 05, 2007)
- HD DVD Promotions Group Touts Spielberg Classics 'Jaws,' 'Jurassic,' 'E.T.' (Jan 30, 2007)
- Universal Plans 100 New HD DVD Titles in 2007 (Jan 25, 2007)
HD DVD Promotions Group to Spielberg Fans: Whoops!
Mon Feb 05, 2007 at 03:08 PM ETTags: Disc Announcements, Steven Spielberg, Universal (all tags)
Before enticing HD DVD fans with the promise of titles by Hollywood's biggest director, perhaps someone at the HD DVD Promotions Group should have given Steven Spielberg a call first?
The possibility of some of Spielberg's biggest hits coming to HD DVD first lit up the web following a January 29 update of the HD DVD Promotions Group official "Coming Soon" HD DVD release list. The web site added three of the director's biggest Universal blockbusters ('Jaws,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'E.T.') to its release schedule, causing a fast and widespread wave of excitement among early adopters. Fans not only continue to highly anticipate the first Spielberg blockbusters in high-def, but consider the combo of the director's top titles and Universal's HD DVD-exclusive support to be one of the format's biggest weapons against rival Blu-ray.
The Promotions Group, which is the official umbrella PR organization for the HD DVD Forum (which includes primary format backers Universal and Toshiba), updates its schedule routinely, and its "Coming Soon" list is considered one of the key indicators of new titles expected on the format.
Unfortunately, it seems the Spielberg trio was a bit premature. Today, the HD DVD Promotional Group has removed the offending titles from its list, and issued a full apology via its website:
The inclusion in the January 29 update of our 'Coming Soon List' of three Steven Spielberg classics was an error on our part. The HD DVD Promotion Group expresses sincere apologies to Steven Spielberg, Universal Studios Home Entertainment and HD DVD fans for this mistake. We will endeavor to prevent any similar mistake and to provide accurate information.
As for Universal's response to the news, they continue to express the same sentiments as always regarding any big A-list titles from top directors. A request for comment from the studio brought this now-canned response, first made by Ken Graffeo, EVP of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, regarding the studio's 2007 HD DVD plans:
Universal feels the key to getting a great HD DVD disc is filmmaker participation. They have been educating filmmakers about the possibilities for interactivity, picture and sound available with HD DVD. There are other challenges like scheduling that come into play when working on DVD/HD DVD releases with filmmakers. Universal is committed to working with filmmakers whenever possible to put out the best quality presentation they can.
At the risk of sounding cynical, we can't say we're particularly surprised by this news. As battle-scarred survivors of the early DVD days -- when Spielberg notoriously held off the release of any of his major titles from the format for years -- this is par for the course. Spielberg and fellow behemoth George Lucas have never been known to quickly embrace new home video formats, and we expect that won't change anytime soon -- especially with a next-gen battle raging, and no clear winner yet in sight.
Of course, we all want the biggest and the best movies on high-def as soon as possible, including those by Spielberg. So as we all continue to dream of next-gen dinosaurs and man-eating sharks, watch this space and we'll keep you posted on any further developments.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- Spielberg Apology Notice [HD DVD Promotions Group]
- A Conversation with Universal Studios Home Entertainment [Home Theater Forum]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- HD DVD Promotions Group Touts Spielberg Classics 'Jaws,' 'Jurassic,' 'E.T.' (Jan 30, 2007)
HD DVD Promotions Group Touts Spielberg Classics 'Jaws,' 'Jurassic,' 'E.T.'
Tue Jan 30, 2007 at 03:04 PM ETTags: Disc Announcements, Steven Spielberg, Universal (all tags)
Generating lightning fast buzz among early adopters, the HD DVD Promotions Group has added a trio of exclusive Spielberg classics to the "Coming Soon" section of its 2007 HD DVD release list, suggesting that the first of the director's long-awaited classics may finally be hitting the format.
The group, which is the official promotional organization for format backers including Universal and Toshiba, routinely updates its HD DVD title list (which can be found in PDF form here) with officially announced titles, as well as those confirmed to the group as being in the planning stages by the major studios.
Though not all of the "Coming Soon" titles the group has been listing on its site for the past year have actually seen release, the list does provide a strong indicator of what fans might expect in the coming months.
So needless to say, with the appearance of the Steven Spielberg classics 'Jaws,' 'Jurassic Park' and 'E.T.,' hopes are now high among HD DVD fans that the director's first titles will hit high-def this year.
Of course, as DVD enthusiasts know all too well, Spielberg turned out to be one of the longest hold-outs of the standard-def format, refusing to release his major titles for many years despite much pleading from the fanbase. It is also worth noting that Universal itself, in a press release and statements made only late last week, promised 100 new HD DVD titles in the coming year, but ino Spielberg titles were included on the list pending "filmmaker involvement." So we'll take a wait-and-see attitude towards the news, if only for fear of being disappointed.
Should even one of these Spielberg gems see release this year, however, it would certainly prove to be a boost for the HD DVD format, as most of the director's titles are currently distributed by Universal Studios releases, the sole studio holdout from the Blu-ray camp.
As always, stay tuned... we'll keep you posted.
See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
- Related links:
- HD DVD Promotion Group [Official Site]
- Earlier on High-Def Digest:
- Universal Plans 100 New HD DVD Titles in 2007, Still Says No to Blu-ray (Jan 25, 2007)
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