4 replies to this topic

[The_Preacher1973]

Here's an interesting article which analyses the percentage of top 100 films (by box office performance) available to each format:



2007 Films:

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Of the top 100 2007 (YTD) films, 47 are from Blu-Ray exclusive studios, 14 are HD DVD exclusive studios, 29 are dual-format studios and 10 are not supporting either format currently.

2006 Films:

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Of the films, 53 were from Blu-Ray exclusive studios, 14 from HD DVD exclusive studios and 33 from dual-format studios. There were no films in the 2006 top 100 from studios that had not declared a format preference.

2005 Films:

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Of the 2005 films, 47 came from Blu-Ray backing studios, 14 from HD DVD backing studios and 39 from dual-format studios.

2005-2007 Films:

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OK, so when it comes to “new releases”, things are weighted pretty heavily toward Blu-Ray. Of the top 300 films released from January 1 2005 to present, 147 of them are from studios that are exclusively supporting Blu-Ray currently, and they represent 53.60% of the total grosses. Add in the numbers from the studios that currently support both formats, and you have 248 out of the top 300 films coming out at some point on Blu-Ray, and they represent 89.07% of the total theatrical grosses.

On the HD DVD front, only 42 films are exclusives to the format, representing 10.71% of the total grosses.

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New releases represent the overwhelming majority of home video sales, and this is why Universal has been so aggressive in getting newer movies out on HD DVD. This holiday season, however, things will shift even more in Blu-Ray’s favor as many of this summer’s biggest movies like Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Ratatouille hit Blu-Ray and not HD DVD. Of the summer’s big releases that will be on HD DVD, the vast majority will also be available on Blu-Ray. In fact, of the top 20 movies released year-to-date only two, Knocked Up and Evan Almighty, are HD DVD exclusives.

Top 100 of All Time:

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Still, catalog titles have been huge for DVD and have the potential to do so again for the HD formats. Looking at the top 100 films of all time, 44 are from Blu-Ray exclusive studios (46.68% of total gross), 12 are from HD DVD exclusive studios (12.12% of total gross) and 42 are from dual-format studios (41.2% of gross). The remaining 2 films are from studios that don’t support either format yet (those two films, if you’re interested, are The Passion of the Christ and My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

If we adjust the all-time 100 for inflation, the numbers skew even more in Blu-Ray’s favor, with 57 being Blu-Ray exclusive studios (59.27% of adjusted gross), 11 being HD DVD exclusive (12.24% of adjusted gross) and 30 supporting both (28.49% of adjusted gross). Again, there are two films from studios supporting neither format at this time (1.59% of adjusted gross) - this time, My Big Fat Greek Wedding drops out of the top 100 and is replaced by Duel In The Sun.

While overall it's a fairly compelling argument, it doesn't take into account the "cross releasing" of films by different distributors in other markets.

Link:

By The Numbers

[momaw]

Nice summation.  Nothing we didn't expect in there really.  Good news if you are a blu-ray fan and like boxoffice hits.

I guess one of the problems I personally have with this sort of summation though, is it assumes that being exclusive in the states means the film is unavaialble on the other format (and this goes for both sides albeit region coding makes the BD side a little more dicey).  This just isn't true.  And it doesn't mean you have to import from the republic of Uganda to get a title, even here in Australia the studio differences make some titles here HD DVD exclusive that are Blu-ray exclusive in the states (and I would assume vice-versa - haven't seen any published going that way yet I think but still early days).  Not to mention the psudo-exclusive nature of some titles (eg Matrix, Harry Potter 4) which while coming from "neutral" studios are nowhere to be seen on one format but freely available on the other.

Big headache if you ask me.  Bring on Dual format players so and complete region free so we don't have to worry about these things I say.



Disclaimer:  Just my opinions, nothing else.

[Mining Man]

Like most of the observation pieces in this format war, it is a fairly one-dimensional view, in what in truth is a multi-dimensional war.

Interesting analysis, all the same. Successful too, if it had a hidden agenda... :ph34r:

[The_Preacher1973]

momaw, on Jul 3 2007, 11:30 AM, said:

Nice summation.  Nothing we didn't expect in there really.  Good news if you are a blu-ray fan and like boxoffice hits.

I guess one of the problems I personally have with this sort of summation though, is it assumes that being exclusive in the states means the film is unavaialble on the other format (and this goes for both sides albeit region coding makes the BD side a little more dicey).  This just isn't true.  And it doesn't mean you have to import from the republic of Uganda to get a title, even here in Australia the studio differences make some titles here HD DVD exclusive that are Blu-ray exclusive in the states (and I would assume vice-versa - haven't seen any published going that way yet I think but still early days).  Not to mention the psudo-exclusive nature of some titles (eg Matrix, Harry Potter 4) which while coming from "neutral" studios are nowhere to be seen on one format but freely available on the other.

Big headache if you ask me.  Bring on Dual format players so and complete region free so we don't have to worry about these things I say.



Disclaimer:  Just my opinions, nothing else.

Totally agree (hence my "cross releasing" comment). But I doubt very few people in the 'States actually realise that the titles are available on other labels in other countries.

Also, when I look through the top 100 lists currently available on each format, I actually prefer the HD-DVD selection. This could change pretty quickly though if Warner start supporting Blu Ray and Fox pull their finger out.

And I suppose that's what the article is pointing to. If the cards fall this way HD-DVD is going to become a niche within a niche.

[momaw]

The_Preacher1973, on Jul 3 2007, 12:03 PM, said:

Totally agree (hence my "cross releasing" comment). But I doubt very few people in the 'States actually realise that the titles are available on other labels in other countries.

Also, when I look through the top 100 lists currently available on each format, I actually prefer the HD-DVD selection. This could change pretty quickly though if Warner start supporting Blu Ray and Fox pull their finger out.

And I suppose that's what the article is pointing to. If the cards fall this way HD-DVD is going to become a niche within a niche.

It's interesting Preacher, and I agree most in the states wouldn't be aware of what's available elsewhere except one group - early adoptors.  These guys (especially if the ones on AVS are anything to go by) make sure they know what they can get and where they can get it.  And given those are the current buyers in this little format spat, they may make a difference.  But if either/both formats live to mass market days, this will become less and less an issue (like with DVD to an extent).