Sony put out a press release to tout their BD sales across Europe, and to promote some of their upcoming BD releases such as Spider-man 3 and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind – the first high-def release of his films. (I’m looking forward to that myself – that and Blade Runner are two big BD releases for me this fall.) Standard PR material, which I’ll include below, but a key bit is:
Since the European launch of the PS3 in March, weekly sales of Blu-ray Disc(TM) titles have averaged between two- and five-times the amount of HD DVD sales week over week.**
Blu-ray(TM) High-Def software now accounts for 69% of the total high-definition market in Europe, with SPHE titles making up more than 47% of the total European Blu-ray market. SPHE also holds the #1 best selling high-definition title in Europe — Casino Royale.
Simon McDowell, Senior Vice President, Europe, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment added: “With the breadth of titles already available on Blu-ray, the format is out-selling HD-DVD by more than 2:1 in Europe. Going into Q4, SPHE has a strong slate on deck and support from retailers, which should further propel momentum for Blu-ray.”
Neither format is really setting Europe on fire, but BD is strongly leading HD DVD in that market – even more so than in the US.
The press release:
Aug 30, 2007 11:00 ET
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Total Blu-ray Disc Sales Across Europe Reach the 250,000 Milestone
- North American Sales Nearing 1 Million -
SPIDER-MAN(TM) 3, The High-Definition SPIDER-MAN(TM) Trilogy and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind debut Q4
BERLIN, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ — IFA — Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) today announced that the company’s Blu-ray Disc(TM) sales across Europe have reached 250,000 while sales in North America are nearing the one million mark approaching the fourth quarter with the Blu-ray launch of the highly anticipated blockbuster SPIDER-MAN 3 and Steven Spielberg’s CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.
These benchmarks follow last week’s announcement that sales of the high-definition format in six emerging markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Eastern Europe, South Africa and the Middle East now account for 10 percent of SPHE’s total business in the growing regions.
Said David Bishop, President, Worldwide, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment: “These sales milestones across the world illuminate the positive reception from retailers and consumers alike for Blu-ray. Our strong fourth quarter line-up will underscore the confidence in this format.”
Since the European launch of the PS3 in March, weekly sales of Blu-ray Disc(TM) titles have averaged between two- and five-times the amount of HD DVD sales week over week.**
Blu-ray(TM) High-Def software now accounts for 69% of the total high-definition market in Europe, with SPHE titles making up more than 47% of the total European Blu-ray market. SPHE also holds the #1 best selling high-definition title in Europe — Casino Royale.
Simon McDowell, Senior Vice President, Europe, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment added: “With the breadth of titles already available on Blu-ray, the format is out-selling HD-DVD by more than 2:1 in Europe. Going into Q4, SPHE has a strong slate on deck and support from retailers, which should further propel momentum for Blu-ray.”
As part of the company’s fourth quarter Blu-ray Disc(TM) line-up, Spider-Man will be making his way to Blu-ray with the much anticipated release of Spider-Man 3(TM) in Europe from 15 October*. Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 will also be exclusively available for the first time on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def in the Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy Set.
Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind will be released in Europe on Blu-ray Disc(TM) from 12 November. All three versions of the film are included on one 50GB disc through seamless branching.
SPHE was the first studio to release Blu-ray titles in Europe and SPHE has released a broad selection of Blu-ray Disc titles since the format’s initial launch including Casino Royale and Black Hawk Down. To date SPHE has released more than 40 Blu-ray(TM) High-Def titles across Europe, with more than 30 titles scheduled for release between now and Christmas in Europe.
Blu-ray Disc(TM) titles for Q4 include:
SPIDER-MAN 3 & SPIDER-MAN HIGH DEFINITION TRILOGY – from 3 September
The Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy is a three-pack release of all three films on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def allowing fans an exclusive opportunity to collect both Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 in high definition, along with Spider-Man 3 and the branching elements from Spider-Man 2.1 extended cut. Spider-Man 3 will also be available as a stand-alone two-disc release on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def, with the feature presented on a 50GB dual-layer disc and more than six hours of all-new bonus materials, including a trio of featurettes spotlighting the cinematic creation of the web crawler’s greatest nemeses, on a second 25GB disc. Directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, and Topher Grace, Spider-Man 3 smashed box office records and grossed more than $885 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND: 30th ANNIVERSARY ULTIMATE EDITION – from 12 November
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg’s critically acclaimed classic, will be released on Blu-ray Disc(TM) from 12 November. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of this motion picture, the set incorporates all three versions of the film, including the first-ever home video release of the 1977 Original Theatrical edition, as well as the re-edited 1980 theatrical Special Edition and Spielberg’s definitive Director’s Cut (released in 1998 as the Collector’s Edition). This marks the first classic Spielberg film ever to be released on a pre-recorded high definition disc format.
The stunning high definition presentation of Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition contains all three cinematic versions on just one 50 GB Blu-ray Disc(TM), with bonus material included on a second disc. All three versions are included on one disc through a process known as “seamless branching,” made possible with the added interactivity of Blu-ray’s software and the robust processing power of the players. This process identifies the differences between each version of the film and segments the footage accordingly. These segments are then encoded and assembled into three unique playlists, thus allowing footage used in all three films to be included on the Blu-ray Disc(TM) only once. Based on the viewer’s selection of the Original Version, Special Edition or definitive Director’s Cut, each film will be presented seamlessly in its original form by use of its respective playlist.
Added value materials on the Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition high definition Blu-ray Disc(TM) include an exclusive interview with Spielberg created specifically for this release, all-new “Storyboard-to-Scene Comparisons,” the original 1977 “Watch The Skies” featurette and an original theatrical preview.
SURF’S UP – from 9 October
Surf’s Up goes behind the scenes of the high-octane world of competitive penguin surfing with the vocal talents of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder. Inspired by his hero, the legendary wave rider Big Z, Cody Maverick leaves his family and his town of Shiverpool, Antarctica to travel to Pen Gu Island for the Big Z Memorial Surf Off — Cody’s first pro competition. Cody believes that winning will bring him the admiration and respect he deserves. But when he unexpectedly comes face to face with Geek, a washed up old surfer, Cody begins to understand that the greatest champion isn’t always the one who comes in first.
The Surf’s Up Blu-ray Disc(TM) will include the all-new animated short “The ChubbChubbs Save XMAS,” (featuring the characters from the Academy Award(R)-winning short film) as well as three exciting interactive games — “Create Your Own Surfboard,” “Lava Surf,” and “Whale Hopping,” a three-part documentary about the technical achievements in making the movie, filmmakers’ commentary and much more!
A FEW GOOD MEN – from 17 September
The acclaimed drama about the dangerous dichotomy between following orders and following one’s conscience, A Few Good Men features Tom Cruise as a brash Navy lawyer who’s teamed with a gung-ho litigator, played by Demi Moore, in a politically explosive murder case. Charged with defending two Marines accused of killing a fellow soldier, the two lawyers are confronted with the complex issues of loyalty and honor, including its most sacred code and its most formidable warrior, played by Jack Nicholson. Special bonus features on the 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) include Director’s Commentary with Rob Reiner as well as two featurettes: “Code of Conduct” and “From Stage to Screen.”
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – from 25 September (rights vary across European territories — excludes UK)
A Cinderella story like no other, Memoirs of a Geisha stars Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li in a romantic epic about a house servant blossoming against all odds to become the most captivating geisha of her day. The Blu-ray(TM) High-Def version of the film features an extensive array of bonus features on a 50GB disc, including an enhanced high-definition photo gallery, indexing and bookmark capabilities, audio commentary by Rob Marshall and John DeLuca, Audio Commentary, AV pop-up menus, an enhanced Blu-meter(TM) and 11 featurettes: “Sayuri’s Journey — From the Novel to the Screen,” “The Road to Japan,” “Geisha Bootcamp,” “Building the Hanamachi,” “The Look of Geisha,” “The Music of ‘Memoirs,’” “A Geisha’s Dance,” “The World of the Geisha,” “The Way of the Sumo,” “Rob Marshall,” and “A Day With Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.”
UNDERWORLD – from 17 September (rights vary across European territories — excludes UK)
Kate Beckinsale and Scott Speedman star in Underworld, a futuristic, action-packed tale of ruthless intrigue and forbidden passion set against the dazzling backdrop of a timeless, Gothic metropolis. The 50GB Underworld Blu-ray Disc(TM) offers an assortment of added-value features, including Director and Cast Commentary, a blooper reel, storyboard comparisons, a Finch “Worms of the Earth” music video and eight featurettes: “Fang vs. Fiction,” “Making-of ‘Underworld,’” “The Visual Effects of ‘Underworld,’” “Creature Effects,” “Stunts,” “Designing ‘Underworld,’” “The Look of ‘Underworld,’” and “Sights and Sounds of ‘Underworld.’”
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA – from 1 October
Academy Award(R)-winning director Francis Ford Coppola’s gothic epic Bram Stoker’s Dracula, featuring a sensational all-star ensemble with Academy Award-winner Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, and Cary Elwes arrives on a 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) starting 1 October, with never-before-seen special features. For the first time, Francis Ford Coppola provides a video introduction and audio commentary for his modern horror classic. Also among the brand-new extras are deleted scenes and four new featurettes: “The Blood is the Life — The Making of Dracula,” “The Costumes Are the Sets — The Design of Eiko Ishioka,” “In-Camera — The Naïve Visual Effects of Dracula” and “Method and Madness — Visualizing Dracula.”
20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH: 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION – from 4 December
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment marks the half-century milestone of one of the earliest films by stop-motion animation genius Ray Harryhausen with the debut of 20 Million Miles to Earth: 50th Anniversary Edition, available starting 4 December. This 50GB Blu-ray Disc(TM) includes the pristine, digitally-restored black & white original version of the film along a newly colorized version (supervised by Harryhausen himself) and a wealth of added value material. Bonus features include audio commentary by Ray Harryhausen, visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and producer Arnold Kunert, “Remembering 20 Million Miles to Earth,” wherein Harryhausen and others discuss the film’s production and influence, “Tim Burton Sits Down with Ray Harryhausen,” “The Joan Taylor Interview,” “Colorization,” a video discussion of 20 Million Miles to Earth’s 1957 marketing and advertising campaign by producer Arnold Kunert, “Mischa Bakaleinikoff: Film Music’s Unsung Hero,” and an elaborate still and production art gallery.
* release dates vary by territory
** Gfk, ytd 12th August, 2007.
About Sony Pictures Home Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is a division of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Information on Sony Pictures Entertainment and Blu-ray can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com/bluray.
Please contact the SPHE press office for Blu-ray spokesperson availability and artwork.
For individual territory requests, please send your request to the contacts below and it will be routed to the relevant spokesperson:
Claire McKittrick Caroline Nelson
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Mobile: +1 310 625 2665 Mobile: +44 (0)7931 752 832
Office: + 1 310 244 4722 Office: +44 (0)207 533 1132
claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com caroline_nelson@spe.sony.com
CONTACT: Claire McKittrick, + 1-310-244-4722, Mobile, +1-310-625-2665,
claire_mckittrick@spe.sony.com, or Caroline Nelson, +44
Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
