So what's all this about, it's about the next generation DVD high definition format wars that has been taking place over the last year or so, two competing camps headed by Sony and Toshiba have been trying to bring a high definition successor to the DVD to market and both have been rallying to get the support of the studios to release their films on the two formats.
The various studios have been one by one taking sides, Sony of course have a large catalogue of film, from themselves and their buy out of Columbia pictures, also with large catalogues are Disney (along with Buena Vista) who have taken the Blu-Ray route and Paramount and Universal. Paramount and Universal pledged their support for HD-DVD back last year to much controversy and large amounts of money allegedly changing hands.
Warner have been on the fence about this and have been releasing films on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray, until now, Warner have now announced that they are to go Blu-ray exclusive on all their films, starting in May.
Clearly this has sent a huge shudder through the HD-DVD ranks as Paramount/Universal are now the only major studio to be backing HD-DVD, and my money is on them making a u-turn sometime this year.
To add salt to the wound New Line have also announced their allegiance to Blue-ray which means that a certain fantasy trilogy by Peter Jackson* won't be long before it's making it's way to high-def.
In figures just released Blu-ray is now outselling HD-DVD by 70% so the writing was on the wall before Warner made the announcement and in truth they have just made a good business decision to go with the stronger format.
This looks to have resolved the format was once and for all, this time next year HD-DVD should be a thing of the past and go in the Betamax hall of fame.
