Warner Bros Offering Academy Screeners on Blu-Ray

Posted on Friday, September 26th, 2008 by Peter Sciretta

Warner Bros will be making history by becoming the first movie studio to send Academy members an award screener on blu-ray disc. The studio has sent out a mailer to members giving them the option to choose Blu-ray. Apparently director Christopher Nolan was partly responsible for the change, urging the studio to release The Dark Knight in the higher quality format. As previously reported, Warner Bros also plans on rereleasing the film in IMAX theaters in January to help for award consideration.

But not so fast. I call a little bit of bullshit. The Dark Knight has an expected (but yet to be officially announced) dvd/blu-ray release date of December 9th. Releasing the film to Academy members on a format which will already be available publicly doesn’t seem like a huge step to me. I’ll be more impressed when a movie studio takes the leap and release Academy Screeners for a film which was just released in theaters.

THR says that Universal and Pixar have already poopooed the idea of releasing Academy screeners on Blu-ray, saying its still too early in the format’s adoption. Sony is supposedly considering releasing its Will Smith drama Seven Pounds as a Blu-ray screener. That film hits theaters on December 19th 2008.

Comments

TheDaftPunk

"Warner Bros also plans on rereleasing the film in IMAX theaters in January to help for award consideration."

Ugh. Why can't the movie just exist to be considered for awards? It's like it has to jump through all of these hoops to prove to people it's more than the cliche superhero movie. Just goes to show you that all movies aren't considered equally.

Oi Vey

Is BLU-RAY going anywhere? Or is it going to be in a niche market?

Honest to God, if nothing happens after this Christmas, if they don't sell well as expected, then I'll pass. It's taking too long.

Brian

Come on, this film doesn't deserve any Oscars. I'm tired of all the kids thinking it's the greatest film ever created. It sucked, plain and simple. This is nothing like Bob Kane's Batman and deserves to be buried and forgotten along with Batman Begins. If this film gets any Academy Awards there's no telling what I might do.

RyRy

Brian.....EH?!

Oi Vey

Yeah, Brain...EH??

It's not so plain and simple when you're not the majority, Brian. So if it wins an Oscar for something, then move on. Stop trying to convince people. I respect your opinion, I hope that you can respect others.

Anyway, is Blu-Ray growing or a niche? Answer me people!

Oi Vey

one other thing: It's Bob Kane AND Bill Finger who worked on the original comic. And of course it's not like their work; it's from the 30s. Batman used guns and killed people.

Batman has evolved so many times since then by the likes of Denny O' Neil, Grant Morrison, Jeph Loeb, Allen Moore, and Frank Miller. Obviously Nolan took a note from these guys.

You got me all wired, Brian, because you don't make any sense. haha.

sideshowRaheem

-Oi Vey

Blu-Ray is not a nich market as the cost of players and discs drop people will begin to pick it up more. Blu-Ray is about as the same place market wise that DVD was during it's life cycle.

Landfill

this movie deserves more recognition during awards season because its one of the top movies of all time and its filled with great acting. there really isnt anything bad about this movie. if someone can point out terribleness in this film please do so.

Captain Awesome

"Blu-Ray is about as the same place market wise that DVD was during itâ€™s life cycle."

No, no it's not. DVD also didn't have to deal with a format war during it's launch. Now that the format war has ended with HD-DVD bowing out. BR is still struggling to stay within the 10 percent of the home media market. Even with HD-DVD out of the way. The discs are still too expensive and the players are still too expensive. HDTV sales are down and going deeper.

The average joe isn't buying into them like DVD. If Sony wants BR to make it, this Christmas they better drop the price of BR players and announce a more sprawling library.

BR also has DVR's and rental services like Netflix to worry about. Which are also putting Blu-Ray in the coffin. Especially with how quick and convenient these services are. DVD has a much easier time to being the "only" home media format to offer an array of big technical leaps at an affordable price. Especially when paired-up against VHS.

Captain Awesome

Just to add...

If anything this film will definitely boost BR sales. But for how long? If it will even take or benefit the format in the long run, who knows.

Mag

I'll never go back to DVD!

Elpizo

Although the HD is really nice, Blu-Ray is still quite a risk to take for the average consumer.

And with the US about to throw in $700 billion from thin air, it'll be a while before it catches up to speed without thinning the wallet.

Captain Awesome

Elpizo,

That's the thing. To get the full effect of BR's slightly higher resolution and color depth. You need to get an HDTV to show off the quality of it.

People see the HDTV and BR packaging as too overboard right now. For the little money the average consumer does have. DVD does well because it looks great on both old tv's and even HDTV's. Hell, if they even have a BR player. Regular DVD's look even better on them.

I have a number of friends who have PS3's and a couple who have BR players and they hardly ever buy BR releases. Unless it's a specific film they have wanted for a HD format. Like say 2001.

sideshowRaheem

-Captain Awesome

You don't expect the averaged consumer to stick with DVD do you or are you anticipating digital downloads as the future? DVD are on there way out as HDTV use increases I know the market is down but walk into a Walmart and see how many non-hd capable TV sets you find.

The only question is whats the next step Digatal Download or Blu-Ray and with companies like Comcast limiting bandwidth consumption I wouldn't bet on downloads being what consumers jump to next. Blu-Ray disc and players prices will continue to drop despite the market and people will adapt Blu-Ray until someone comes up with something better.

Captain Awesome

I don't expect DVD to always be around forever. At some point another format will eventually and completely kill it off. But if you look at it's sales as of now? It's going insanely strong.

HDTV use and HDTV sale isn't the same thing. Many stores are taking such a huge hit because no ones buying them. Look at the insane rebates and cuts they try to sell to people.

Digital downloads will work. The bandwidth cap only effects people who download tons of useless shit. Comcast loves money. They will work out a set of "packages" for film consumers to purchase through various companies like Netflix. Don't forget DVR's are also killing the notion of people not bothering to buy movies anymore either.

BR has been sold like this since it's launch and it's struggled the whole time. As of now it only offers a higher resolution picture and a slightly better color depth. BR has had enough time on the table. And If BR doesn't see a significant boost by the end of the Christmas season. This format won't ever take off.

Goobity

The next step is Blu-Ray recorders, but they won't be around too long. Most cable providers are steadily increasing HD channels, including their pay-per-view movie content, and sources like Netflix and Blockbuster and the like will follow suit with increasing downloadable HD content as the lines between internet and television merge closer together.
I'm betting the days of going to a brick and mortar (ie physical store) are soon to end. It's only a matter of time before everybody's got an HD television, after all. And how far off then, are TV's with built in hard-drives? Try now.

http://www.slipperybrick.com/2007/02/lg-hdtv-ha...

BluFan

First off, Academy screeners are usually sent out shortly after (if not before) movies are released theatrically. However, they could opt to wait a little while to keep the movie fresh in voters minds. All I've got to say is that's awesome of Warners and I'm happy I have access to Academy screeners (and a blu-ray player). I've actually been working with them on some BR projects and know they're really pushing the format.

AJ BIGIT

I READ QUITE OF A FEW OF MANY COMMENTS
ON A BLU-RAY PLAYER SO I PURCHASE ONE.
ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTED THAT THOSE
FILMS THAT CONTAIN PREVIEWS ARE SHARPER AND MORE VIVID THE FILM ITSELF-WHY???
SECONDLY I RENTED LETTERS FROM IWO. WHY OH WHY
WOULD ANYONE MAKE AN HD FILM IN BLACK AND WHITE?
MAYBE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR PICKELS INSTEAD OF
PIXELS!
BOTTOM LINE I FEEL DECEIVED AS BLU-RAY PLAYERS
HAVE THE CAPABILTY OF UPCONVERTING SO I SHOULD
OF GOT THE FILM ON A REGULAR DVD AND WOULD
HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE SAME RESULTS!
BLU-RAY HASN'T TOLD THE CONSUMER TRUE STORIES
ON WHY PREVIEWS ARE SHOWN BETTER THAN A FILM.
MOST ALLEGED ADVERTISED "WE HAVE MORE HD
CHANNELS THAN CABLE" ARE MERELY UPCONVERTS, AND
NOT TRUE HD. ISN'T THAT WHY THE AUDIO IS ANAOG
STEREO?
THEN THERE IS THE FARCE ABOUT UTILIZING COMPONENT
CABLES-I USE DUBBING CABLES, AN GET THE SAME
VIDEO IMAGES WITHOUT VARIATION.
AND HEY WHAT THOSE WHO OUR COLOR BLIND WHAT
HD-BLU-RAY-CABLE MFGS. DONE FOR THEM?
I GUESS WE'VE ALL BEEN CONNED!

Brian

Maybe you should learn what film is. Better yet, learn what good film is. My money is put on the fact that you're brainwashed by Hollywood and the only films you see are the action films that Hollywood presents you. To that all I can say is, I feel so sorry for you. So sorry that you don't know good from bad.
I'm not going to pay much attention to that comment given the fact that it proves you're a little whiney piece of shit emo faggot.
Learn before you speak.
I bet you don't even know who Bob Kane is, let alone what he created. Dumbfuck.

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