Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - (Page 3) www.homemediamagazine.com MENU FROM THE EDITOR BY STEPHANIE PRANGE, EDITOR IN CHIEF www.homemediamagazine.com Another Box From Blockbuster PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Thomas K. Arnold EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Prange EDITORIAL Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Angelique Flores Senior Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Erik Gruenwedel Senior Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Tribbey Assistant Managing Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Latchem Associate Editors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Billy Gil, Kyra Kudick Contributors. . . . . . . . . John Gaudiosi, Anne Sherber, Fred Topel, Ralph Tribbey, Holly J. Wagner Interns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laleh Ghalambor, Michael Lee ART Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Melbert Sebayan Graphic Designer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Park RESEARCH Market Research Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Burner ADVERTISING 800/338-6700, FAX 714/338-6712 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . John Boezinger 714/338-6704 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Julie Savant 714/368-1020 Advertising Sales Representative . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kurt Wohlman 714/338-6749 Business Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joni Wu Group Administrative Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Guerena For reprints, call 800-290-5460, ext. 100 or HomeMediaMagazine@reprintbuyer.com For direct-mail lists, call Ilene Schwartz, Kroll Direct, 216/371-1667 FAX 216/371-1669 ilene@krolldirect.com lockbuster Inc. last month decided to dip its toe once manufacturer 2Wire, began offering the MediaPoint device more into the digital delivery box business. shortly after announcing plans. The price, too (essentially at The No. 1 rental chain unveiled a broadband set-top no charge because consumers get free rentals), is right. At $99 box that allows users to watch video-on-demand movies from it’s certainly more enticing than $1,000 plus $150 a month for the Internet on a TV. The MediaPoint player is free for a limited a service fee. time with the advance rental of 25 movies, TV shows or other By not trumpeting this move as the next big thing in movie content from Blockbuster On-Demand (previously Movielink) delivery, Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes is managing expectations for $99. carefully. What a change from the chain’s last move BY NOT TRUMPETING THIS “Right now we’re mostly interested in uninto VOD boxes! MOVE AS THE NEXT BIG derstanding consumer response and keeping Back in December of 2002, Blockbuster was THING IN MOVIE DELIVERY, pace with the emerging technologies availcoming off an ill-fated marriage with the no- BLOCKBUSTER CEO JIM KEYES able,” he said in a recent third-quarter finantorious Enron in the VOD arena. On the front IS MANAGING cial call. page of the Houston Chronicle Dec. 29, 2002, EXPECTATIONS CAREFULLY. That’s a far cry from the hullabaloo surwas a story outlining a fraud investigation of rounding the Blockbuster-Enron deal when it Enron’s broadband business, including tests that included such was first announced. mishaps as set-top boxes that occasionally caught fire and the Under new management, Blockbuster is looking into the venture’s trouble getting the price of the boxes under $1,000 digital delivery market, not charging customers an exhorbitant apiece — and that was on top of a $150-per-month charge for price to do it and is delivering on the hardware. the service. Perhaps you can teach an old chain new tricks. It just takes Judging by the new move, Blockbuster executives have new management. learned from past mistakes. Rather than talking endlessly about a box that has yet to prove feasible, Blockbuster, along with Stephanie Prange’s e-mail address is sprange@questex.com MARKETING Marketing Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristina Kronenberg 714/338-6743 Marketing Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaitlyn DeWaard IN THIS ISSUE DEC. 7-13, 2008 / VOL. 30 / NO. 49 Blockbuster signs with Live Nation for ticket retail; Movie Gallery seeks a financial filing delay; Sony Pictures inks a South Korean distribution deal. DIGITAL MEDIA Online Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Renee Rosado PRODUCTION Production Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie Ling Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Evans 714/338-6769 Assistant Production Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brady Gallardo OFFICES 714/338-6700, 800/371-6897, FAX 714/338-6710 homemediamagazine@questex.com 201 East Sandpointe Ave., Suite 500 Santa Ana, CA 92707-8716 ON THE WEB I CES News …………………………… 5 6 >> HIGH- DEF News …………………………… I HOME MEDIA’S FEEDROOM Our screening room, located at homemediamagazine.com/video, has plenty of the latest trailers for upcoming DVD and Blu-ray Disc releases, but did you know it also has exclusive content, such as director Guillermo del Toro talking about the Blu-ray Disc of Hellboy II: The Golden Army? Check it out, and let us know what else you’d like to see. Chris Tribbey, Senior Reporter 818-788-8616, FAX 818-530-2486 16130 Ventura Blvd. #570 Encino, CA 91436 Studio and network executives say SAG is being greedy in labor negotiations; Prince Caspian is projected as the next top seller. News ………………………… CREDIT Credit/Collections Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Wright Sr. CIRCULATION For subscriptions, please go online to www.homemediamagazine.com For current single copy, back issues or CD-ROM, call 866/344-1315 or 847/763-9594 for outside the U.S. Audience Development Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . Debbie Gullian Warner says The Dark Knight could be a game changer for Blu-ray; Adult Swim has first BD; cheap BD players could be slow to reach Europe. >> EL ECTRONIC D EL IV ERY WWW.HOMEMEDIAMAGAZINE.COM BUSINESS QUESTEX MEDIA GROUP INC. President & CEO: Kerry C. Gumas; Executive Vice President & CFO: Tom Caridi; Executive Vice President: Robert S. Ingraham; Executive Vice President: Tony D’Avino; Executive Vice President, Corporate Development: Claudia Flowers; Executive Vice President: Jon Leibowitz; Vice President, Digital Media: Seth Nichols; Vice President, Human Resources: Diane Evans © 2008 Questex Media Group Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by Questex Media Group, Inc. for libraries and other users registered with the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923 phone: 978-750-8400 fax 978-750-4470; call for copying beyond that permitted by Sections 107 or 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law. For those not registered with the CCC, send permission request in writing to questexpermissions@reprintbuyer.com or call 800-494-9051 ext. 100. CALENDAR “Futurama” TV DVD ………………………… 12 Shout! Factory slates the British comedy specials The Secret Policeman’s Balls; Bender and the gang go into the wild green yonder with a new “Futurama” DTV movie. News ………………………… I HOLLYWOOD GOES GREEN iHollywood Forum’s second annual green confab will offer industry professionals a place to address concerns for creating a sustainable future for the entertainment industry. Dec. 8-9 Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Info: www.hollywoodgoesgreen.com The Dark Knight bows on VOD in South Korea before street date; Netflix will stream HD content; Blockbuster and Microsoft have mobile plans. Reviews ………………………… 14 Research ……………………… 22 Printed in the U.S.A. Sony Pictures’ Hancock was the superhero of the Will the legions of Dark Knight fans be pleased charts, taking the top spot on the DVD sales, rental with the film’s DVD and Blu-ray offerings? Are and Blu-ray Disc sales charts. Tropic Thunder and the “James Bond” films surefire winners on Blu-ray Disc? Top 20 DVD Sellers ……………………… 22 Pipeline ………………………… 20 Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts ……… 24 Put on by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the International CES serves the consumer electronics industry. Jan. 8-11 Las Vegas Convention Center/Las Vegas Hilton Sands Expo and Convention Center/The Venetian, Las Vegas Info: www.cesweb.org Studios set out plans for Black History Month; Just Announced ……………… “Lost” producers discuss the show on DVD and Fox doles out Max Payne; Sony Pictures spins Blu-ray Disc; Fox has DVDs for wine lovers, and a Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist; Warner shoots new DTV in the works. RocknRolla. December 7–13, 2008 Home Media Magazine http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com/video http://www.homemediamagazine.com/video http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.homemediamagazine.com http://www.hollywoodgoesgreen.com http://www.cesweb.org
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Contents News News High-Def News Electronic Delivery News TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page Cover1) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page Cover2) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Contents (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - News (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - High-Def News (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Electronic Delivery News (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Reviews (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 28) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover3) Home Media Magazine - December 7-13, 2008 - Just Announced (Page Cover4)
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.