paramount
Latest
Iron Man 2 Blu-ray goes on sale September 28 with plenty of extras
After breaking $300 million in the domestic box office and a record breaking (though initially flawed) predecessor, you'd figure Iron Man 2 would be in for an incredibly well-spec'd Blu-ray release... and you would be right. The three disc Blu-ray/DVD with Digital Copy set has plenty of extras including a 5.1 DTS-HD MA English soundtrack, commentary from director Jon Favreau and Previsualization and Animatics special features -- and that's just Disc 1. Disc 2 brings even more HD features including an extensive making of, more featurettes and a shout out to the late DJ AM. Check after the break for box art and all the other details in the press release (except for the MSRP) we'll be waiting to find out if this is a proper addition to the collection of reference quality discs this fall.
American Beauty Blu-ray joins Paramount's Sapphire Series on September 21
It should be good news that American Beauty is seeing a "Sapphire Series" Blu-ray release, but given the issues faced by Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator, we'll wait until the reviews are in to buy this one. If all goes well, buyers can get the quintuple Academy Award winner with 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio tracks, though the only HD bonus feature announced is the theatrical trailers. Still, if your most memorable Sam Mendes production isn't the iPhone 4 FaceTime ad, it may be hard to pass this one up when it arrives September 21.
Paramount, Redbox keep DVDs and Blu-ray discs in kiosks the same day they go on sale
It looks like not all of the remaining Hollywood studios are putting the 30-day brakes on providing movies to Redbox, as Paramount has concluded after a ten month study that it has "minimal" effect on DVD sales. Dennis Maguire, President of Paramount Home Entertainment says the company is "allowing the consumer a choice of how to consume our movies while maximizing the profitability of our releases in the home entertainment window" while Redbox prez Mitch Lowe looked forward to joint marketing programs. That puts another studio on deck to provide the Blu-ray rentals we're expecting to see later this year and is a pretty sharp contrast to recent deals with Fox and Warner delaying low cost rentals to protect their day one sales and premium rentals on video on-demand.
Movies could be available as a VOD rental before DVD, Blu-ray -- for $20 to $30 each
The MPAA has often stated its desire to offer movies through video on-demand ahead of their release on DVD or Blu-ray -- provided the analog hole was closed -- and now that it has been, the Wall Street Journal reports Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros. are considering a pitch from Time Warner Cable to do just that. The price for cutting the usual four month wait for home viewing to just 30 days? As much as $20 to $30 for a rental. Sony's already tried experimenting with a higher price point on early delivery of Hancock and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs to BRAVIA HDTV owners, but at least they threw in a free Blu-ray copy with the former. So far the studios have only agreed that their current release strategy needs some sort of change, but unless they add some sweeteners we don't see this one shifting us from our current rental/purchase habits.
Top Gun takes PSN, Mac and PC to the danger zone this summer
Click image to buzz our gallery Paramount has announced a new Top Gun game in development at doublesix, ready to assault PSN, Mac and Windows PC this summer. Described as "a free-flying air combat shooter," the press release promises "large-scale dogfight battles" as players jump into pilot Maverick's F-14, following his journey from Top Gun Academy to the Indian Ocean. Top Gun won't be a strictly solo affair, either -- five multiplayer modes, supporting up to 16 players online, will also be included. Screenwriter Jack Epps, Jr. will return to the Top Gun world, expanding on the film's events through the game. "With Jack Epps, Jr. on board, we're excited to deliver a new Top Gun arcade experience that holds true to the popular film," said John Kavanagh, VP of games at Paramount. Sounds fine by us, but we swear, Mr. Epps, if you don't fit the volleyball scene into the game somewhere, we're probably going to write you a tersely-worded letter explaining our disappointment. %Gallery-93409%
Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray discs recalled due to audio glitch
So nice, they'll have to release it twice. Apparently a problem with the audio synchronization in at least one of the chapters of Saving Private Ryan slipped past Technicolor and Paramount, causing the whole lot to be recalled. If you own it, you've got a bad disc, so check the press release after the break for a number to call for the replacements which should arrive at retail next week on the 18th -- check for a yellow UPC label to make sure you're getting a fixed one. We hadn't noticed any of the numerous reviews mention problems with the audio, let us know if you picked up on it when you watched.
Seagate teams with Paramount, pre-loads movies onto 500GB FreeAgent Go
Another fine day in paradise, another fine external hard drive for archivists to consider. Seagate has just announced its latest FreeAgent Go USB 2.0 drive, a pocket-sized external HDD with a 2.5-inch 500GB disc in there ready to be stuffed with your favorite blurred images and shakycam videos from the decade that was... except for the 20GB or so that's already claimed. In a move that may or may not be indicative of forward progress in the fight to free digital content, Seagate has partnered with Paramount Pictures in order to pre-load these drives with Star Trek (yes, the 2009 version), which can be unlocked gratis and shuffled about as you please after you register the drive. Additionally, 20 other titles are pre-loaded, and those guys can be "easily and securely unlocked through the online purchase of a license key," with pricing ranging from $9.99 to $14.99 per film. We had an opportunity to fire up Star Trek, and we must say -- the whole unlocking process was pretty painless on a Windows 7 rig. We didn't splurge on a third ninth copy of Nacho Libre, but we're pretty sure that masterpiece would be similarly easy to tap into. Oh, and if you'd rather just have free space rather than movies you already own / couldn't care less about, the delete command works wonders. %Gallery-89866%
PlayStation Store expands, offers HD movies for purchase
Don't want to wait for a Blu-ray disc from Netflix? Wish you could watch an HD program instantly (provided your internet connection is robust enough)? The PlayStation Store will be updated today with HD movies for purchase from all six major studios. Previously, movies for purchase were relegated to SD options, whilst HD movies were available exclusively for rent. According to a press release from SCEA, "PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios," including 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros. The HD update will be available today on the PlayStation Store in the US, with "plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain." (Sorry, Canada!) While we still prefer owning Blu-ray discs, this downloadable option is yet another way for people to access content.
Sony signs up all six major studios for HD movies on PlayStation Network
Well, it looks like Sony has a little treat for PS3 users now that they're able to turn their consoles back on -- it's just announced that it has signed up all six major studios to deliver HD movies on the PlayStation Network (the first company to do so, as Sony is happy to point out). That includes 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and, of course, Sony Pictures Entertainment, which combined have an initial slate of 19 HD movies available to buy or rent -- including "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "Star Trek," "District 9," "Inglourious Basterds," and "The Wizard of Oz," to name a few. Those are only available in the US at the moment, but Sony says it plans to also roll them out to the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain "soon."
Star Trek D-A-C coming to M-A-C
Paramount has announced that it's bringing the downloadable Star Trek D-A-C -- based on the recent film -- to the Mac. The game will be released with the help of TransGaming, meaning it will utilize Cider, software that allows PC games to be run on Macs. In other words, your hopes of experiencing the mediocrity of Star Trek D-A-C in an Apple native format have just been dashed. Sorry. The game is scheduled to launch this December and is currently available for pre-order at GameTree Online.
ZillionTV signs the final remaining major studio
A good idea is worthless without adoption and we're glad to hear that ZillionTV has signed Paramount, which means that all six major studios are on board. Of course we still don't know how much we're actually going to like ZillionTV because although streaming content for free or ad-supported sounds like a new approach, who knows how it'll work. We do think we'd love the choice of either watching ads or paying if that is what's actually going to happen. According to HMM, at least in regards to Paramount, some content will be available for rent or purchase while other content will be ad-supported. If this is going to be the case for all the content, then we're sure the ZillionTV will look great in our attic sitting next to our Moviebeam.
Paramount and Kingston team up for movies on flash memory
Movies delivered on memory cards isn't an entirely new development (Sony did it back in the early days of the PSP), but it looks like Paramount and Kingston think the idea is prime for a comeback, and have today announced a partnership that'll see some of the studio's movies delivered on SD cards and USB drives. That gets started with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on a (presumably reusable) 4GB Kingston DataTraveler I USB drive that's available right now for $29.99, and will apparently continue with additional movies offered across Kingston's full line of memory cards and USB drives, although both parties are staying mum on any further specifics. There's also no word from any other studios or memory companies just yet, but we can only presume this means slotMovies are right around the corner.
mSpot brings new release movie streaming to major US carriers
mSpot has been streaming full-length movies to cellphones for a few years now, but not until this week has the company had a potential customer base of 40 million. As of right now, mobile phone users on Sprint, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile (yes, that includes the G1, Pre, iPhone and every other smartphone with a half-decent browser) can surf over to m.mspot.com in order to stream major motion pictures, and being that the service is on-demand, you can also pause and restart 'em whenever you darn well please. Deals have been inked with Paramount Studios, Universal Pictures and the Weinstein Company, and we're told that more agreements are in the works. Movie rentals will cost $4.99 per title, and can be viewed from 24 hours to 5 days after they're rented. Naturally, mSpot recommends paying for an "unlimited" data plan, and if you're smart, you won't utilize the service whilst traveling abroad.
Star Trek D-A-Cs up on PS3 and PC this November
Transported away from its "late this summer" release window, Star Trek D-A-C – the mediocre movie cash-in tie-in – will finally tribble the PS3 (via PlayStation Network) and the PC (via Steam) with its presence this November. As previously noted, the latest edition of the top-down pew-pew fest will add new ship classes, game modes, maps and pick-ups. If you need a better idea of what this game is like, we suggest taking a look at our very polite XBLA in Brief on the title. %Gallery-49012%
Paramount, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. & Sony Pictures movies finally available (legitimately) in DivX
Over the last few years we've witnessed a slew of DivX Certified devices including HDTVs, DVD & Blu-ray player, set-top boxes, game consoles and even cell phones, but until now, despite several content agreements, in the U.S. there hasn't been any content available in the format from the major studios. That changes today now that online store FilmFresh.com, has signed up Paramount, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. & Sony Pictures to offer new release and archive movies for purchase as DivX formatted downloads. The bad news? For now at least, they'll be standard definition (stereo audio) only. Rick Bolton, CEO of Film Fresh as well as Eric Grab and John Greene of DivX filled us in on the details, and from what we've learned -- if you'll stand for lower res video -- the combination of compatibility and portability could make this download service a competitor against the likes of iTunes, CinemaNow and Zune.
The Warriors: Street Brawl pugilizes our eyes with new gang, 'The Lizzies'
When we heard about the upcoming Paramount game The Warriors: Street Brawl back in February, the company had only released gameplay of The Warriors themselves in action. The trailer you see above features another gang from the film -- The Lizzies -- who are apparently capable of at least one more special move (bringing the total up to two so far). Aside from re-confirming a Summer release window for the game on PSN/XBLA, the teaser only offers a teensy bit of gameplay. Though considering the fact that the Summer is nearly over, we're guessing it won't be long before The Warriors: Street Brawl all over your console's digital marketplace. Can you dig it?
Paramount flicks to see Blu-ray purchase, DVD rental availability ahead of DVD sale date
We'll leave it to rabid commenters to debate how well Blu-ray is or isn't doing, but Paramount's latest weapon to boost sales and DVD rentals is a staggered release schedule. Variety reports Dance Flick (sure reference material) will debut on September 8 in unrated Blu-ray form for purchase, plus rental DVD & blu-ray, while a version for purchase on DVD should arrive four to eight weeks later. Disney already tried something similar with its Bolt rollout, but retailers botched it and put both versions on shelves at the same time in many cases, though that hasn't stopped the studio from planning to try again with Snow White. At least in this case, we figure it's probably more about boosting rentals and testing the waters, but with VP of Paramount Ken Williams saying "that releasing a Blu-ray exclusively for sell-through will help drive adoption of the format" we figure the day a new blockbuster hits shelves on Blu only (for a limited time) isn't far off.
Verizon to offer Epix movie channel / streaming service on FiOS, VCast
TV channel / online service combo Epix has finally locked up its first distribution partner, Verizon's FiOS TV. Not a lot of details are available yet, but Viacom CEO Phillippe Dauman says it can offer the service a la carte, in bundles with broadband, and even plans a mobile VCast offering. We've already had a peek at the in-beta HD streams and saw a lot to like, with planned access on three screens and flicks from MGM, Lionsgate and Paramount locked up for years to come Epix is shaping up as a very formidable offering prior to its planned October launch.Update: Epix hit us off with the official PR (posted after the break) but here's the most important details - in the coming weeks, Verizon customers will be able to access a preview of the network, either through their VOD menu on the FiOS set-top box, or by visiting EpixHD.com and entering their account info.
Red Alert: Star Trek D-A-C beams onto PSN 'this summer'
Paramount announced that the PlayStation Network will be visited by Star Trek D-A-C "later this summer." For those who have masochistic tendencies or are really into the new Star Trek, picking up the PSN version will net a new ship class, variable AI and other "updated gameplay features." Perhaps a demo -- or the full game -- will come with the Blu-ray version of the movie, a la Watchmen?Like we said in our XBLA in Brief when D-A-C first released earlier this year -- it's not only the name of the game, but it's also the sound people make right before turning off the game and realizing they spent money on the experience. DACK!%Gallery-51012%
Paramount considering home video partnership with Sony, Fox
In a bit of news that would have been considerably juicier back in the old format war days, Paramount is reportedly negotiating with Sony and Fox to take over parts of its home video business, specifically physical fulfillment to retail, billing and collections. Reported by Video Business and Financial Times, it seems like the studio is trying to save cash as the DVD market shrinks while Blu-ray and other distribution methods aren't yet picking up the slack. We're not sure if home viewers would notice any difference from such a deal, but with titles like Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Monsters vs. Aliens releasing later this year it's worth keeping an eye on, if only for the slim possibility of history repeating itself and Paramount promising exclusive China Blue HD format support in return for a huge bundle of incentives. Hey, it could happen....maybe.
