Hollywood Reporter Says Apple Expected To Announce Deal With Major Studios Today! – Updated!
Update – Official Press Release
According to the Hollywood Reporter Apple is expected to announce today that it has struck a deal with a wide array of major and mini studios to offer many new releases for purchase at its iTunes Store. “The move would allow a broad slate of top-shelf films to be offered day-and-date with home video releases, which risks cannibalizing DVD sale.”
There is no mention of titles being released in HD in the article. Obviously this is exactly what Apple has been preparing for all night with the release of the new titles. If the major studios are willing to risk cannibalizing DVD sales why not go all the way with HD content as well, considering that the HD market is that much smaller. At the very least we can only hope that at tthis will mean a more consistent release schedule for HD titles.
I want to say thanks to Aditya for the heads up about the article.
Written by Eddie V. on May 1, 2008
Filed Under: Movies
Tags: Apple, deal, DVD, Hollywood Reporter, iTunes, Major Announcement, Purchase, rental
CommentsView Comments
View CommentsClif
May 1st, 2008 at 6:40 am
Here’s the press release: link. Only a brief mention of HD rentals in the press release so it’s not clear that this will result in HD rentals arriving sooner on current releases.
YodaMac
May 1st, 2008 at 6:48 am
Darn, you beat me to it….
But Yay AppleTV!
“Apple in an official press release has now confirmed that releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios.
“We’re thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios.”
New releases available for purchase on the iTunes Store this week, concurrent with their DVD release, include “American Gangster” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Other popular titles now available for purchase include “Juno,” “Cloverfield,” “I Am Legend,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”
Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod with video, iPhone, Mac or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV, with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99.”
CHASH
May 1st, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Progress!
iamoneagain
May 1st, 2008 at 2:18 pm
The bigger news for us renters is Warner Bros said they were releasing on-demand rentals on the same day as the DVD release. This should mean no 30-day wait to rent their movies. Hopefully the other studios will follow suit.
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