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Sony readying Men in Black BD-Live release June 17
We've known Sony would bring Men in Black to Blu-ray for a while, but thanks to an ad in the latest Home Media Magazine, we now know the date is June 17. High Def Digest points out the ad mentions the long-awaiting BD-Live extra will include a trivia game, although hopefully it will be more interesting than War's disappointing Yakuza Fighter. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones blasting aliens in 1080p sounds good to us, but throwing the latest tech on top doesn't hurt a bit.
Sony's PIX brings full-length films to AT&T Mobile TV
Sony just revealed a bit more about AT&T's Mobile TV service launching in May. We now know that one of the two exclusive AT&T channels will be called PIX, Sony's new feature film channel for cellphones. The service is a first of its kind in the US... for good reason. Oh, it's not that we have anything against the roster of films including "Ghostbusters," "Philadelphia" and "Karate Kid." It's more the prospect of sitting in front of that tiny mobile screen to watch a full-length film without the ability to pause, fast forward or rewind. This is live broadcast folks. Nevertheless, Sony Pictures claims to understand the risk. According to Eric Berger, VP Mobile Entertainment at Sony Pictures Television, "We recognize that people are on the go with their mobile phone and coming and going. This isn't for people looking to view a movie for the first time. It's OK to miss the beginning." Films will run on PIX for a month with new additions added weakly weekly.
Sony Pictures schedules two BD-Live releases for April
Now that the PlayStation 3 will be BD-Live capable, Sony Pictures also announced this morning it's releasing its first two Blu-ray discs with the technology. On April 8, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and The 6th Day will both be released with exclusive downloadable content that will not be available on disc. According to the press release, this is just a preview of what's possible with Blu-ray technology, although any non-PS3 Blu-ray owners might wonder what's so good it couldn't fit on the 2-disc Dewey Cox set.
Sony Pictures exec leaving to start game company
Yair Landau, a 17-year veteran at Sony and head of its digital division at Sony Pictures Entertainment, is leaving the company in April to start his own game and animation studio. Landau plans to develop cross-media content and will continue to have involvement with the studio as an executive producer on Sony Animation's Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Landau also oversaw SOE's growth, which coincidentally became part of Sony Computer Entertainment today, with games like EverQuest. Landau is expected to make announcements about what his company is actually up to once he leaves Sony next month.
SK Telecom and Sony Pictures bring the big screen to your cell
We've heard these type of deals mentioned here and there, but it is kinda nice to see one that may actually bear fruit, not just marketing noise. The deal will see SK Telecom -- the Korean monster in case any of you were getting your hopes up -- offer between 50 and 60 flicks a year for the next four years, or roughly 200 films. Films will cost about 1,000 to 2,000 won (roughly $1 to $2) per download, but of course there's a catch, data costs for these downloads are not included. SKT has suggested that an unlimited data plan is a good option for those that want to get at these films, and we have to say we agree..[Via mocoNews]
Starz inks deals with five major studios, looks to bolster lineup
Feeling as if Starz's offerings are a bit stale of late? Apparently, so did its management team, as it went out and landed deals with five major studios with the sole purpose of bulking up its movie lineup. Reportedly, the network inked "exclusive first run output deals with Sony Pictures Television and Disney-ABC Domestic Television" that are set to last "well into the next decade," and just in case that wasn't enough to keep your clicker on the counter, it also picked up a number of library acquisitions from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, MGM Worldwide Television Group and Universal Pictures. More specifically, Starz should receive some 1,200 top movie titles and TV series from the latter three's film vaults, and the content can be distributed across Starz HD, Starz On Demand and even Vongo. For more details and a glimpse at what's on the horizon, hit up the read link below.[Via MultiChannel News]
Sony Pictures Television to bring downloadable shows via DivX
Sony Pictures Television has just announced a deal to release "secure" and "high quality" downloads in DivX format for all DivX certified machines. The PS3 is the only gaming console to be DivX certified (Xbox 360 is not DivX certified)."This milestone agreement lays the foundation for Sony to offer high quality video content in the DivX format to its retail partners for playback on next-generation DivX Certified devices," said Kevin Hell, CEO of DivX, Inc. "Consumers want the flexibility and choice to enjoy high-quality video content from a range of retailers across a variety of devices. We are very pleased Sony Pictures Television recognizes the value of the DivX digital media solution and look forward to working together to offer a great experience to consumers."Some shows that could possibly make the jump include Blood +, The Boondocks, Damages, Days of our Lives, Rescue Me, The Shield, and more. For a complete listing of SPT's offerings, click here.[Via Engadget HD]
In case you missed it: Sony Pictures is going DivX
It's been hard enough to keep up with the CES onslaught of news over here on Engadget, so it's understandable if you missed the news over on Engadget HD that Sony Pictures Television is going to start releasing download-to-own but entirely DRM'd DivX content to DivX-certified products like the PS3 and DSM-330. Sadly, 360 owners will be left out in the cold thanks to that unit's lack of proper DivX certification. Otherwise Sony is short on details of actual distribution, so hopefully we'll be learning more soon.[Via Engadget HD]
Sony Pictures talks format war numbers at IFA
250,000. nearly 1 million. 69%. Those are Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's Blu-ray sales in Europe, the U.S. and Blu-ray's share of the total HD market in Europe. Apparently someone knows the PlayStation 3 plays Blu-ray discs, as the company touted weekly Blu-ray sales of two to five times that of its competitor, HD DVD since the console made its European debut in March. Sony Pictures was first to carry the Blu-ray banner in Europe and plans on bringing Spider Man 3 and Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind this fall to join the #1 best selling HD title in Europe, Casino Royale (no word on if that includes all those PS3 pack-ins). With or without StudioCanal, Sony's moving forward in Europe and around the world, hardware, software and all.[Thanks, Tom]
Surfing penguins on their way
Penguins are as popular as sugar substitutes lately and so it's no surprise that Sony Pictures is making a penguin movie called Surf's Up. It's also no surprise that a game based on the movie is being created. Especially since screens and info on the game were part of the leaked Ubisoft files from last year. Ubisoft seems to be doing a lot of licensed games lately, we'll have to see how this week's TMNT turns out to garner an opinion on whether they're interested in making them more than just cash-ins. [ Via Kotaku ]
Euro PlayStation 3 buyers get a James Bond bonus
After the somewhat disappointing Talladega Nights pack-in with the U.S. release of the PlayStation 3, Sony has announced that the first 500,000 people to buy a European PS3 and register it on the PlayStation Network will get a free copy of the James Bond flick Casino Royale. Sony's been pimping Blu-ray synergy with the movie from the start, as it prominently features a Blu-ray player in one scene, and is headlining Sony Pictures 2007 lineup of releases. Casino Royale is slated for U.S. release on March 13th while the PS3 hits Europe on March 23rd.[Via Joystiq]
Disney, Fox and Sony continue to announce dates for Blu-ray titles
The studios in the Blu-ray camp aren't letting up just because Universal refuses to let everyone know when they can expect more movies on HD DVD, well other than it will be during 2007. Disney, Fox and Sony have all announced release dates for Blu-ray titles previously announced at CES including; Turistas (April 17), Chicken Little (March 20), Finding Neverland (March 20), King Arthur (April 3), G.I. Jane (April 3), and The Pursuit of Happyness (March 27). High-Def Digest has already updated their release page which is shows that Blu-ray has more titles with dates for February than HD DVD has for all of 2007.Read: Fox to Skewer 'Turistas' on Blu-ray This AprilRead: Disney Officially Announces Winter Wave of Blu-ray CatalogRead: 'Pursuit of Happyness' To Make Blu-ray Debut in March
Sony Pictures producing Metal Gear Solid movie
Shortly after delivering his convergence keynote at this year's D.I.C.E. summit, the vice chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment confirmed to Gamespot that Sony's film studio would be responsible for dragging Metal Gear Solid into the cinema. "We're working with the Metal Gear guys," says Yair Landau. "It's a very cinematic game, it really lends itself to movie telling. But the question is, 'How do you translate Snake's experience into a full arc that conforms to what audiences expect on the large screen?'" Lead Metal Gear guy, Hideo Kojima, announced the film at last year's E3, though barely any details have surfaced since then. Apart from crushing the hopes of Dr. Boll, Kojima and co. have said nothing with respect to casting, directing or script. A safe assumption sees Solid Snake strangling inept soldiers and battling at least one psychopath with a penchant for babbling about the philosophical hangups of dropping nuclear bombs ... on the rainforest. The real trick will be to provide a film more entertaining than the infamous Metal Gear Awesome (embedded after the break for old time's sake). Landau also hinted at an Everquest movie from Sony Pictures, but declined to name the supposedly esteemed producer attached to it. If it winds up being an epic tale of elven mana dealers and over-the-top dragon chases, we'll know it was Jerry Bruckheimer.
Sony has Ghostbusters vids and info pulled
It was nice while it lasted. Zootfly has confirmed that Sony Pictures has asked them to remove all references to Ghostbusters from their website, and the videos of the game have been pulled from YouTube. We reported recently that Ghostbusters had been put on the back burner until Zootfly could acquire the rights to the franchise. Apparently, negotiations between Zootfly and Sony Pictures are still going on behind the scenes. Hopefully, Sony won't decide to can the project entirely, especially considering how much interest the game has generated in such a short time.In the meantime, we look forward to hearing more about TimeO, Zootfly's other paranormally charged experience, and we mustn't forget their first XBLA outing, Toy Wars.[Via Joystiq]
Sony makes Xbox 360 Ghostbusters game disappear
That didn't take long. Zootfly has confirmed that Sony Pictures has had all references to Zootfly's Ghostbusters game removed from the Slovenian developer's website. The prototype game was being developed for Xbox 360. In addition, the video of the work-in-progress has been pulled from YouTube.Columbia Pictures, which owns the Ghostbusters IP, was acquired by Sony in 1989. Zootfly is supposedly in negotiations with Sony for the rights to use the license. Interestingly, the studio has a very similar game in simultaneous development, TimeO. Perhaps this Ghostbusters fiasco -- dead in the water from the get-go -- is being used to draw attention to Zootfly's new IP, which may have had trouble generating press otherwise. Now that's hustlin'!
Zootfly scares up Ghostbusters details
Yesterday we caught a glimpse of some seriously impressive footage of what looked to be a modern day revival of the Ghostbusters franchise. Peeling back a layer of the mystery found European developer Zootfly at the helm, as well as more questions to be asked. The most prominent of which being, "Just what the heck did we see?"In-game footage of an early version of the game, running on an Xbox 360 apparently. Updating their website this morning, Zootfly not only expressed their excitement over the response from their new found fan base, but also dropped a few lines concerning Ghostbusters. The bad news? The game is currently on hold as they negotiate with the owners of the Ghostbusters IP, Columbia Pictures, who just so happens to be sister company of Sony Pictures. The good news is that regardless of how that battle turns out, we may be seeing the game anyways in the form of TimeO -- a homage to Ghostbusters as opposed to the real deal itself. Less appealing to the mainstream, but quite interesting nonetheless. Should Zootfly be granted use of the Ghostbusters license, what say we eBay some Ecto Cooler to celebrate?
Blu-ray movies to include portable files
In a strange, un-Sony like move, Sony's David Bishop announced that future Blu-Ray movies from Sony Pictures Entertainment will include portable files that can be transferred to laptops and other portables (such as the PSP?). This feature may launch this year, which would be a fantastic deal for current PLAYSTATION 3 and PSP owners. Imagine copying a movie from your PS3's Blu-Ray reader directly onto the PSP via USB connection. That would be an incredible bonus. Let's see it happen, Sony.[Thanks, Nav! Via Kotaku]
Sony Pictures reveals first quarter Blu-ray release schedule
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has revealed its first quarter Blu-ray lineup, and the studio is putting the new Bond front and center right away. A Blu-ray player was featured in the movie as a result of the close ties so we're not very surprised, but new Bond Daniel Craig is actually hitting Blu-ray twice in one day. The studio is releasing another film of his, the previously delayed Layer Cake, the same day. Both are on dual-layer 50GB discs and feature uncompressed soundtracks, which make up a large part of SPHE's early 2007 lineup, while Casino Royale is encoded in MPEG-4 AVC. Also of note is Resident Evil: Apocalypse, the second Blu-ray movie featuring Blu-Wizard technology to custom select special features that can then play during the movie. Hopefully this combination of high profile movie and 50GB disc works out better than on the universally panned transfer of Talladega Nights. Check the press release for complete special features details or after the break for a list of movies and release dates.
Sony Pictures' first 50GB Blu-ray releases coming soon
Blu-ray supporters will be getting a shot in the arm next week when Click becomes the first Sony Pictures Home Entertainment movie released on 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs. We got tipped by an inside source at Sony to expect announcements tomorrow regarding Click's release on October 10th -- with all the features of the standard DVD plus bonus HD features -- followed by Black Hawk Down November 14th and Talladega Nights on December 12th. Black Hawk Down is said to include "Blu-wizard" technology that will allow viewers to customize how they see special scenes. The high-def DVD war really begins in November, between the Xbox 360 HD DVD player, Black Hawk Down & Fox's Blu-ray Java releases plus a little something called the Playstation 3, that magnetic strip on your credit card may be the first casualty.
Black Hawk Down finally coming out on Blu-ray
Black Hawk Down has been delayed more times than the Sony Blu-ray player itself but it might finally see the light of day later this year as Sony Picture's first dual layer 50GB Blu-ray disc. The details haven't been made public just yet but Sony Pictures has confirmed a November 14 release date that is going to be shared with another action thriller: Layer Cake. This crime drama stars that new chap playing James Bond in the up-coming Casino Royale and but what we really care about is that the release date for Black Hawk Down doesn't get delayed yet again - it's a great flick and all but frankly, we are getting tired of reporting about it.
