All right, hope you guys all had a great weekend. Strange Super Bowl yesterday. Hype aside it was surely one of the weirdest NFL games I’ve seen in a long time. But hey – the new Star Trek Into Darkness teaser spot sure looked good. Here’s hoping the film delivers the goods.
Anyway, we’ve got some interesting stuff for you today…
First, it looks like we’re finally going to get a look at Sony’s big plan to deliver 4K content to their 4K displays later this month… and it’s looking very much like that plan involves the PlayStation 4. Numerous sources are now saying that Sony is expected to officially unveil the PS4 at a mysterious “PlayStation Meeting” press event on 2/20. Sources are reporting that the code name for the system is “Orbis” and that Ultra HD streaming content and videogames will be a significant part of Sony’s plan for the device. More here and here at arstechnica.com, and here’s Sony’s official tease video for the event.
By the way, it’s entirely possible that Microsoft’s next generation Xbox will delve into the 4K realm as well.
Also today, Warner Home Video and Warner Archive have just BETA-launched their own online movies-on-demand streaming service called Warner Archive Instant. It will allow you to watch movies on your computer and also in high-definition if you have a Roku set-top box. Word is Warner Archive is working to solidify deals with BD player, TV, smartphone and tablet manufacturers to allow Archive Instant access on those devices as well. Pretty cool – we think this is actually great idea. There are lots of really deep, deep catalog titles that would probably sell poorly (if at all) on disc, but that we’d still love to be able to watch in good quality somehow. Access to the BETA is restricted at the moment, but we’ll post more details on all this soon.
In announcement news today, Paramount and CBS have officially set Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Three and Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Best of Both Worlds for Blu-ray release here in the U.S. on 4/30. That same day, Paramount will also re-release Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis on Blu-ray as singles (Star Trek II and IV aren’t yet listed on the site). Here’s the kicker though – Paramount’s press site claims that Star Trek: The Motion Picture will be the “newly restored Director’s Cut.” Frankly, this seem way too good to be true so we’d suggest you not get too excited. Rest assured, we’re trying to confirm this one way or another. We’ve asked if any of the other films will feature newly-remastered transfers as well.
Meanwhile, Paramount and CBS have also set James A. Michener’s Texas, Flashpoint: The Fifth Season, Gunsmoke: The Eighth Season, Volume One, Gunsmoke: The Eighth Season, Volume Two, Have Gun - Will Travel: The Sixth and Final Season, Volume One and Have Gun - Will Travel: The Sixth and Final Season, Volume Two for DVD only release on 5/7.
Lionsgate has set The Impossible for Blu-ray and DVD release on 4/23 (SRP $39.99 and $29.95). The film stars Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. Extras will include audio commentary with director J.A. Bayona, writer Sergio G. Sánchez, producer Belén Atienza and María Belón, 2 featurettes (Casting The Impossible and Realizing The Impossible) and deleted scenes.
Sony has set the animated Iron Man: Rise of the Technovore for Blu-ray and DVD release on 4/16 (SRP $30.99 and $26.99).
And Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Zero Dark Thirty is now available for pre-order on Blu-ray and DVD from Amazon.com – no official street date yet.
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt