Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - (Page 24) NEWS Lionsgate Nabs Marvel’s New Animated ‘X-Men’ Show By Erik Gruenwedel ionsgate has acquired the North American DVD and electronic distribution rights to the new animated TV series “Wolverine & The X-Men.” The 26-episode series bows on Nicktoons Network next January. Release dates and prices for DVDs and digital editions were not disclosed. Lionsgate attributed its ability to secure the home entertainment rights to the show, in part, www.homemediamagazine.com PEOPLE I REDBOX UPS LEONARD DVD rental kiosk operator Redbox has promoted Mary Leonard to SVP of operations. Leonard, who joined the company in 2006, will now oversee the deployment of the company’s rental kiosks. She already is in charge of DVD distribution and managing more than 400 regional employees. “Mary’s expertise has helped Redbox meet or exceed installation timelines for our retail partners,” said company COO Mitch Lowe. Prior to Redbox, Leonard was with RR Donnelley Logistics, and before that worked with FedEx Corp. L to its long-standing relationship with Marvel Entertainment. Lionsgate distributed the theatrical release The Punisher in 2004 and is set to distribute Punisher: War Zone later this year. Also in 2004, Lionsgate and Marvel signed an agreement for the Santa Monica, Calif.-based distributor to develop, produce and release original animated direct-to-video movies based on Marvel Comics properties. So far, the partnership has yielded four titles – Ultimate Avengers 1 & 2, Doctor Strange and The Invincible Iron Man, with the fifth, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, to be released Sept. 2. “As evidenced by the recent success of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk in theaters, there is nothing hotter in Hollywood than Marvel’s amazing lineup of superheroes,” said Anne Parducci, EVP of marketing and family entertainment at Lionsgate. “We have had tremendous results with our Marvel animated features and this deal reflects the next chapter in our ongoing relationship.” Comic-Con Serves Up DVD Promos, News Continued from page 1 be made into a separate animation going direct-to-video, Snyder said, and he wants to try something unique when Watchmen finally makes it to DVD. “Gerry Butler (300) recorded the voice of the sea captain, and he did a great job,” Snyder said. “We’re releasing that as a separate DVD, then we’ll be putting out an ultimate Watchmen DVD, in which we’ll weave “Tales of the Black Freighter” into the movie.” Panelists said they were open to Web distribution, much like Joss Whedon with the three-part comedy “Dr. Horrible’s SingAlong Blog.” “I think any way you can get it out there, you should use [it],” Miller said. “You find the way that fits you best and the censors haven’t discovered yet, and you can cause as much trouble as you can.” Smith agreed: “I haven’t seen [‘Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,’]. But I’m all for direct-to-online.” I The panelists for Dead Space said they feel like they have a unique product. Coming just before Halloween from Anchor Bay Entertainment, Dead Space, due Oct. 28, is an original animated, DTV film that acts as a bridge between a series from Image Comics, and an Oct. 21 video game of the same name from Electronic Arts. “There’s a huge amount of backstory the fans will find in the comics and movie when they play the video game,” said game producer Chuck Beaver. The setting in the movie and video game are identical, the panelists shared. I Director and founder of Troma Entertainment Lloyd Kaufman has a solid fan base. His company’s panel at Comic-Con was packed. “He is the symbol of independents,” said Stephen Paul, who produced Ghost Rider. “He is the most generous person I’ve met.” Kaufman shared clips for his latest film, Poultrygeist, a schlock horror offering in which chickens strike back at mankind, due on DVD Oct. 28. The film’s star, Allyson Serebof, said Kaufman worked hard on the special features. “Everything had to be captured behind the scenes,” she said. “Lloyd wanted that camera everywhere.” I During the “Futurama” panel, executive producer David X. Cohen noted that the fourth DTV movie based on the show will be revisiting the romance between Fry and Leela and that Snoop Dogg will play the Chief Justice. I At a “Tiny Toons”/”Freakazoid” panel, producers, writers and voice talent reminisced about the Steven Spielbergproduced cartoons, which hit disc from Warner Home Video July 29. Panelists talked about the freedom they were given, albeit with skilled input from Spielberg. I Voice talent (now grown up) reminisced about their participation as children in the “Peanuts” cartoons. Warner Home Video releases a boxed set of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; and A Charlie Brown Christmas Sept. 23 (prebook Aug. 19) at $44.76. — Staff Reports I MELTON LEAVES BAKER & TAYLOR James Melton, EVP and CFO for distributor Baker & Taylor, is leaving the company. Melton, who joined the company in 2004, will stay with Baker & Taylor until it can find his successor. “James has made many outstanding contributions at Baker & Taylor, and we appreciate his dedication to the success of our company. He will be missed, and we wish him every success for his future,” said Tom Morgan, Baker & Taylor chairman and CEO. – Chris Tribbey JUST ANNOUNCED A Weekly Product Update* Iger: iTunes Rev Incremental Continued from page 1 risk being “marginalized.” “We believe [putting movies on iTunes] is largely incremental to what I’ll call the aftermarket movie business, that is, after its theatrical release,” Iger said. He said Disney’s opportunities to monetize digital distribution would be more evident through the expansion of the marketplace. He also said margins in electronic distribution should not be the main focus, compared to increased consumption by consumers. The CEO reiterated that the company’s digital initiatives thus far have not been in conflict with traditional distribution channels, including TV, theatrical and packaged media. “I don’t think we’d be getting as much consumption of the ABC television programs if the only place you could see them was on the [Disney owned] ABC Television Network,” Iger said. Separately, despite grossing $140 million in global box office revenue since its theatrical bow in May, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian could not keep Disney’s studio en- Forgetting Sarah Marshall STREET DATE Baby Mama BOX OFFICE (MILLIONS) The Strangers Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End TITLE PREBOOK GENRE PRICE Forgetting Sarah Marshall 9/30 8/19 $62.9 Comedy DVD $29.98, BD $39.98 tertainment unit from posting a 19% quarterly drop in operating income to $1.43 billion. The studio unit, which includes Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, generated $309 million in comparable revenue during the same period last year from Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Disney said it expects the June 27 release of Wall-E ($197 million domestically) to rebound the studio unit’s results in the fourth quarter. Overall, Disney reported a 9% jump in profit to $1.28 billion based on a 2% increase in revenue to $9.24 billion. Strong ad revenue at sports cable channel ESPN and the weakened dollar at the Disneyland Resort Paris helped drive results. Universal. 2008. Jason Segel, Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell. When his movie-star girlfriend breaks up with him, a devastated man takes a trip to Hawaii only to run into his ex and her new boyfriend. Includes deleted scenes and a gag reel. Also available as a three-DVD collector’s edition ($34.98). Baby Mama 9/9 8/5 $60.3 Comedy DVD $29.98, BD $39.98 Universal. 2008. Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Greg Kinnear, Sigourney Weaver. With a one-in-a-million chance of getting pregnant, a woman is driven to use a surrogate mother to have a baby. The Strangers 10/21 9/16 $52.6 Thriller DVD $29.98, BD $39.98 Universal. 2008. Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman. After a wedding reception, a young couple stays at an isolated vacation house only to have their night turn into terror when the house is violently invaded by three masked strangers. Run Fatboy Run 9/23 8/19 $6 Comedy DVD $27.95, BD $35.99 Warner. 2008. Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria. When a man realizes the woman he left at the alter five years ago is the one, he decides to run a marathon to prove that her new man is the wrong guy for her. Taxi To The Dark Side 9/30 9/2 $0.27 Documentary DVD $27.98 Image/ThinkFilm. 2007. Director Alex Gibney gives an in-depth look at the torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantanamo Bay in this 2007 Academy Award-winning documentary. * In order of box office, then prebook date Home Media Magazine August 3–9, 2008 http://www.homemediamagazine.com
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 Contents News In Focus TV DVD Reviews Pipeline Research Top 20 DVD Sellers Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts Just Announced Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 (Page 1) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 (Page 2) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Contents (Page 3) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - News (Page 4) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - News (Page 5) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 6) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 7) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 8) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 9) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 10) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - In Focus (Page 11) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 12) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - TV DVD (Page 13) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Reviews (Page 14) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Reviews (Page 15) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Reviews (Page 16) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Reviews (Page 17) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Reviews (Page 18) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Pipeline (Page 19) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 20) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Top 20 DVD Sellers (Page 21) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 22) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Top 20 Rentals and Top 10 Charts (Page 23) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 24) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 25) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 26) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 27) Home Media Magazine - August 3-9, 2008 - Just Announced (Page 28)
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