Disney's first 3D Blu-ray release to hit in the fourth quarter

Yes you read that right, the studio with the most new 3D movies around isn't going to release its first title until the fourth quarter of 2010. We've seen some cool 3D demos in past few days but lets face it, the technology is worthless without content. Now you might think that Disney would help launch 3D with a big hit like Toy Story 3, but you'd be wrong. No instead it'll all get kicked off with Disney's A Christmas Carol -- no we're not feeling it either. Disney is the third studio to announce 3D content that'll be released this year, and although none of them are up our alley, we're sure someone is excited to see them.

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THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS PAVES THE WAY FOR
DIGITAL 3D MOVIE VIEWING AT HOME

Disney's A Christmas Carol Slated As The Studios' First Digital 3D
Release Available On Blu-ray DiscTM To Consumers In 2010


BURBANK, Calif. - January 7, 2010 - Continuing its leadership in the advancement of 3D entertainment, The Walt Disney Studios today announced plans to start releasing Disney Digital 3D content for the home on Blu-ray Disc beginning in 2010 with Disney's A Christmas Carol and a special 3D Showcase Disc. Disney's new Digital 3D content for the home on Blu-ray™ will be made available in coordination with hardware manufacturers' upcoming release of new 3D home entertainment systems so that consumers can experience the magic of Disney 3D in their home upon installation

"The Walt Disney Studios has produced and released more 3D content than any other major studio to date and remains at the forefront in the continued innovation and development of today's most advanced digital 3D and Blu-ray technology," commented Bob Chapek, President of Distribution for The Walt Disney Studios. "We are excited to offer consumers an incredible line-up of true three-dimensional films and footage that will revolutionize the in-home entertainment experience."

The 3D-enabled Blu-ray release of Disney's A Christmas Carol, available broadly in fourth quarter of 2010, will represent the studios' debut title that will launch a new premium line-up of Disney Digital 3D movies for the home. Disney's A Christmas Carol, starring Jim Carrey, will be a groundbreaking multi-sensory, three-dimensional hi-def home entertainment experience that captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale. Re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis (Best Director, Forrest Gump, 1994), Disney's A Christmas Carol will be sure to mesmerize audiences of all ages in its new technologically-advanced digital 3D home video presentation.

In addition to the anticipated release of Disney's A Christmas Carol, and in an effort to provide early adopters with premium content that optimally showcases their new 3D home theater systems with Disney 3D content, Disney has also created an exclusive 3D Showcase Disc available for mass distribution. This new 3D Showcase Disc is a compilation of upcoming 3D product, footage and promotional trailers that contains a variety of vividly mesmerizing clips from Disney's 3D content library including but not limited to, Walt Disney's 1953 animated short "Working for Peanuts," promotional trailers of upcoming 3D-enabled Blu-ray releases like Disney's A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland and Disney●Pixar's Toy Story 3 plus original content created exclusively for this disc. The new 3D Showcase Disc is now available for manufacturers to start placing orders so they may bundle with their 3D hardware. To learn more about how your company can take advantage of this showcase disc, please contact Christina Yao via phone at 818-295-4474 or email at [e-mail].

[ntelcookies Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:36PM]

Coolio!

[GoogleCEO Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:49PM]

Have you seen the movie before you talk about it like a moron Engadget?
Christmas carol is one of the best movies that use 3D really well, i watched Avatar 3D and was not impressed however Christmas Carol blow me away.

[shauns Posted Jan 8th 2010 6:13AM]

@GoogleCEO

I completely agree. I went to see both A Christmas Carol and Avatar in 3D at the IMAX. Both very different movies, both enjoyable but the stand out in terms of visual 3D design for me (surprisingly) came from A Christmas Carol - I saw this first, and was quite shocked with how stunning it looked. Avatar visuals were great but i was not as impressed.

[ntelcookies Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:36PM]

All the way in the fourth qtr, damn that movie came out last year heehe

[Coogan Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:43PM]

Don't forget it's a holiday movie and the logical time to release it on video is around the holiday season.

[jfalkingham Posted Jan 7th 2010 9:14PM]

@ntelcookies Yes, its coming out during the "holidays".

[BigD145 Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:50PM]

Bah, humbug to 3D.

[jincongz Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:51PM]

Christmas Carol in 3D was the only time I thought it was worth getting the 3d. The whip that came at you was the best showing of 3D I've seen other than in trailers.

[NetNewsercom Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:52PM]

Very few people are going to go out and buy a whole new entertainment ROOM- TV, 3D BD player, and wood planks to cover all of the windows, each of these items costing 2-4X what they just paid in 2009 for brand new equipment. I'm sure the few that do aren't exactly going to be interested in "Toy Story" or "Nemo".

[James Posted Jan 7th 2010 8:55PM]

Am i the only one who doesnt really care for 3D?

[NIUHuskie Posted Jan 7th 2010 9:04PM]

@James

Nah James, I'm not really all that into it either. The 3D effects tend to make me a little dizzy in the theater for some reason. I don't think I'd pay all that money to upgrade my TV for something that might make me feel like crap.

[Michael Kirschner Posted Jan 7th 2010 10:02PM]

@NIUHuskie And that is why 3d will fail. When HD came out early adopters constantly seeking the best looking picture and sound bought ino it and they were followed over the years by normal people who also want the best looking picture, and to the lesser extent sound. Now with 3D you also have early adopters, the problem is however not all early adopters will purchase into 3D as a large percentage of people have eye problems that would let them see 2D fine but not 3D, Leo Laporte is one of those (disclaimer: I am one of those people) after that normal people also have eye problems. So right off the bat we know that there is no way that 3D will reach full integration in any market. I am not calling 3D a gimmick I am calling it a technology that requires perfect vision.

[Streetfights Posted Jan 8th 2010 4:23AM]

@Michael Kirschner

I think it's less about eye-sight and more about differences in how the brain interprets moving stereoscopic images...or people with motion sickness

[NetNewsercom Posted Jan 7th 2010 9:00PM]

ENGADGET, YOU'RE WRONG.

"[Disney] isn't going to release its first title until the fourth quarter "

Disney's first 3D offering will debut in June with the launch of ESPN 3D and the FIFA World Cup.

[reallynotnick Posted Jan 7th 2010 10:50PM]

@NetNewsercom

NETNEWSERCOM, YOU'RE WRONG.

The title clearly said 3D Blu-ray release.

[danhawk911 Posted Jan 7th 2010 11:17PM]

So when does avatar come out on blu-ray in 3d. I hope The TV vendors offer us retail employees super sweet discounts so we can tell customers how these things are. Any word if you will need to upgrade your receiver to get the 3d to work if you use as an hdmi switch.

[ddhboy Posted Jan 8th 2010 4:05AM]

@danhawk911 I think DirecTV says they can make their HD receivers compatible with a firmware update. Dish probably can to. Cable providers rely on cheap hardware from scientific atlanta (Cisco) for the most part, so they'll probably require new boxes whenever they bother to get on the 3D game, and IPTV services like U-Verse and Fios are MIA, so who knows.

[danhawk911 Posted Jan 8th 2010 3:20PM]

@ddhboy I meant A/V receivers will these need to be upgraded in order to pass the video stream to the the tv.

[Barmat Posted Jan 7th 2010 11:46PM]

3d porn FTW!!!

[ur23design Posted Jan 8th 2010 12:06PM]

I guess I dont get it.. i got this blue ray 3d movie almost a year ago.. i think from disney called Journey to the center of the earth.. the 3d was sweet

[Dusty Posted Jan 8th 2010 8:52PM]

This was a great 3D movie to see in theatres!