Paramount & Dreamworks HD DVD support ends March 4

We don't know if Jeffrey Katzenberg got a text message, fax, e-mail or smoke signal indicating the format war was over, but Video Business has confirmed Paramount and Dreamworks Animation will (rather abruptly) to stop releasing HD DVDs after next week. If you were looking forward to Bee Movie on March 11, Sweeney Todd on April 1 or the just announced There Will Be Blood, those are cancelled. Into the Wild and the appropriately-named Things We Lost in the Fire will be Paramount's last reminders of its exclusive agreement. Not specifically mentioned was Star Trek: TOS Season 2, but don't hold your breath. Blu-ray release plans are still up in the air but we wouldn't be surprised to hear something soon. As far as HD DVD movies still scheduled, that leaves two from Universal (for now) and twelve from Warner Bros, who may have been the first to leave red, but will apparently be the last major studio out the door.

Read - Video Business
Read - High-Def Digest

[paul34 @ Feb 28th 2008 11:20PM]

What! No Bee Movie!

[hueylewis @ Feb 28th 2008 11:26PM]

if you read the digitalbits.com info: there will be a bee movie on dvd in the coming weeks. with a nice blu ray movie to be released afterward. check it out.

so, you will be able to upscale your movie--but, we hi-def fans might have to wait a few for the real deal

[paul34 @ Feb 28th 2008 11:27PM]

Oh, actually I was just joking but thanks for letting me know heh =D

[o rly @ Feb 29th 2008 12:38AM]

Bee Movie was already pressed on HD DVD. It's just a question of whether Dreamworks will bother to ship them out.

[zargon @ Feb 29th 2008 7:36AM]

If they never release that turd of a movie, the better.

NBC whoring that movie for the month or so it did has made my vow to never watch it. That and Jerry Seinfeld is annoying and a snore.

Thank god for DVR or else I would have stopped watching NBC shows while they continue to whore that movie.

[Craig @ Feb 28th 2008 11:20PM]

And here I am STILL waiting on Teen Wolf 2 on LaserDisc.

[fred @ Feb 28th 2008 11:25PM]

laser disc????? can we say 15 years ago.....

[Craig @ Feb 28th 2008 11:54PM]

@Fred: Hey, I just saw a great sale on eBay you might be interested in: buy a slightly used sense of humor and get a free video on how to repair stuck ? keys.

[Parasite*Evil @ Feb 29th 2008 2:46AM]

Fred, you just served.

[Samo @ Feb 29th 2008 8:44AM]

Best. Comeback. Ever.

[CBG reference because of your avatar!]

[nerdtalker @ Mar 2nd 2008 5:25PM]

Ahhaha, there's certainly a market out there for lightly used, working humor-units.

[bob sakamano @ Feb 28th 2008 11:26PM]

That post has the most links to external sites, ever

[austin @ Feb 28th 2008 11:39PM]

No, just two. But it does have the most links to other stuff inside engadget

[Flashpoint @ Feb 28th 2008 11:32PM]

I remember when those stupid bastards released Transformers on "HDDVD ONLY".

WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?

[Zeus.:God @ Feb 29th 2008 1:03AM]

Apparently all the little fanboys such as yourself.

[Chebwa @ Feb 29th 2008 3:26AM]

"And I will be watching it for years on my still functioning HD DVD player."

HAHAHA... you are going to keep an entire HD-DVD viewing unit in your entertainment center - inveitably alongside your Blu-ray player - just to watch a couple of movies that - also inevitably - will wind up on Blu-ray?

YOU SHOW 'EM!

[Prey521 @ Feb 28th 2008 11:35PM]

WOW, now that's what I call pulling the rug from right under you.

[Mo @ Feb 28th 2008 11:35PM]

Yes indeed, who's laughing now?...everyone it seems!

[Daniel @ Feb 28th 2008 11:44PM]

There Will Be Blood, cancelled? Goddamnit

[Prey521 @ Feb 28th 2008 11:47PM]

Well, apparently, there is blood, just won't be the movie LOL

This is HD Massacre at its worst. I was actually lookin forward to Sweeney Todd, though I can't stand Depp and his liberal douchebaggery.

[tom @ Feb 28th 2008 11:51PM]

One Comment

Though the hd-dvd are now priced at discontinued, I really think this is what the right and affordable price point. I have picked up two toshiba HD player (first time buyer) just for the sake of the price.

To all the studio out there, sell me HD-DVD movies! I will buy.

Is this too late? will tosh change their mind?

[Totalfixation @ Feb 29th 2008 12:11AM]

in all likely hood its over, but if something bad happens to blu ray, im sure they could still sell on hd dvd. paramount and universal never signed any exclusivity to blu ray, and its possible the other studio could produce hd dvd once theres run out. but again in all likely hood its over.

[Matt O @ Feb 29th 2008 12:29AM]

your a dumb fuck.


no offense.

[sam @ Feb 29th 2008 1:37AM]

if you bothered to learn the difference between "you're" and "your" that comment would hold much more weight.

[Aydin @ Feb 28th 2008 11:53PM]

Sweeney Todd is cancelled on HD DVD? Damn, I just bought the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player to watch Sweeney Todd on HD DVD.

Shame on you Paramount!

[deadpool @ Feb 29th 2008 12:08AM]

what do they plan on doing till then?

[John @ Feb 29th 2008 12:11AM]

Ugh, buying an HD-DVD player now is just a waste of a darn good HMDI port

[jacquerr @ Feb 29th 2008 12:17AM]

ok. done with the hddvd topics. we get it. it's done. it's over. enough. isn't there a yellow or magenta ipod coming out you could talk about?

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 29th 2008 1:16AM]

LOL!

Seriously, Engadget. Can you leave this format war $hit to at least EngadgetHD?

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 29th 2008 1:16AM]

LOL!

Seriously, Engadget. Can you leave this format war $hit to at least EngadgetHD?

[AJ in the East Bay @ Feb 29th 2008 1:17AM]

Effin' double-post!

[j3oomerang @ Feb 29th 2008 5:16AM]

yeah, didnt need you to point that out with a triple post

[JPN @ Feb 29th 2008 10:52AM]

Let's be real...no one reads Engadget HD.

[ManekiNeko @ Feb 29th 2008 1:10AM]

I hate that stupid friggin' Paramount logo. Creepy!

[James @ Feb 29th 2008 1:21AM]

Mountains are creepy?

[ManekiNeko @ Feb 29th 2008 3:55AM]

When they're jagged, abstract, and jump out at you like this, they sure as hell are!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dQslKBCkPQ&feature=related

[Dickson @ Mar 1st 2008 8:16AM]

Now now, it's just a rotated white Pac-man coughing. Nothing creepy there.

[Alex @ Feb 29th 2008 1:21AM]

None of them have been cancelled! Stop scaring people. All of them can be preordered at Amazon in HD-DVD.

[wraith808 @ Feb 29th 2008 9:13AM]

Just because you can pre-order it doesn't mean you'll get it. Hell, with Amazon, just because you *ordered* it doesn't mean you'll get it.

[Intrepid @ Feb 29th 2008 2:01AM]

STAR TREK!

[Geir E @ Feb 29th 2008 2:56AM]

Oh poor you, while we in Norway think the gas is cheap when it is $8.34 a gallon as last time i filled it up (around $100 for a full tank), you have problem when it goes up from $2?

So next time you fill up, you can think of me and buy some Paramount and Dreamworks Blu-ray movies for what you save on not living in Europe ;) (they do also sell movies in about every gas station. not seen any blu ray there yet though)

[stephenbratz3 @ Feb 29th 2008 4:11AM]

@Chebwa:

I have a Philips 47" LCD 1080p, and a Onkyo 905 for a total of 7 HDMI inputs. One for the 360, one for the cable card enabled Vista Media Center, one for the PS3, one for the cable box, and one for the HD DVD player. I have two ports left. I will be enjoying HD DVD for a long time. When both of my two HD DVD players break 10 years from now, if Blu-ray is still around then I will buy the Blu-ray version of Transformers from the $5 bin.

[stephenbratz3 @ Feb 29th 2008 4:12AM]

@Chebwa:

I have a Philips 47" LCD 1080p, and a Onkyo 905 for a total of 7 HDMI inputs. One for the 360, one for the cable card enabled Vista Media Center, one for the PS3, one for the cable box, and one for the HD DVD player. I have two ports left. I will be enjoying HD DVD for a long time. When both of my two HD DVD players break 10 years from now, if Blu-ray is still around then I will buy the Blu-ray version of Transformers from the $5 bin.

[stephenbratz3 @ Feb 29th 2008 4:13AM]

@Chebwa:

I have a Philips 47" LCD 1080p, and a Onkyo 905 for a total of 7 HDMI inputs. One for the 360, one for the cable card enabled Vista Media Center, one for the PS3, one for the cable box, and one for the HD DVD player. I have two ports left. I will be enjoying HD DVD for a long time. When both of my two HD DVD players break 10 years from now, if Blu-ray is still around then I will buy the Blu-ray version of Transformers from the $5 bin.

[freediverdude @ Feb 29th 2008 8:54AM]

When the Star Trek series reappears on Blu-Ray after everybody went out and bought the HD-DVD version,is that going to be called the Next Generation? Oh, wait.... Hehe, hehe, snort.

[JPN @ Feb 29th 2008 11:09AM]

Why were you surprised to find that you weren't paying attention?

I can't even begin to list the ways and reasons that this is a horrible idea and how flawed your logic is...but way to solve the problem with a grass-roots solution of spreading your idea in blog comments.

[Conda @ Feb 29th 2008 1:40PM]

i was kind of skeptical about them releasing Sweeney Todd on HD-DVD.

now there's hope for it in Blu-ray so I can get it

[Aydin @ Mar 12th 2008 12:58AM]

I just bought the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player for $49.99 to watch Sweeney Todd on HD DVD, but now it's cancelled?

Shame on you Paramount!