3D Disney Does it again...No 3D Bluray announced for "Maleficent." (1 Viewer)

[RJ992]

They continue to make 3D movies. It sounds like the problem is people in the US have supported 3D far less than other places in the world. They are not dropping 3D, but they might be dropping it in the US.

Well, let's look at what we can discern from Amazon. Best-Selling discs: SPIDER-MAN 2 (3D) is #2, the 2D is...#99! GODZILLA is at #12 (3D) and the 2D is #48! EDGE OF TOMORROW #27 (3D) and #95 (2D).

I know what you're thinking...these are pre-orders. So let's look at a title that's been out for a while. STAR TREK: ID is #39 in 3D and for 2D it is...#56.

Of course, all that this shows is that there is a growing audience for 3D and they are buying. Plus, as has been noted elsewhere, Amazon has now begun to add 3D to some their "Instant Watch" section (I guess they've seen their own numbers.) And XBOX has just added 3D BluRay support. (PS4 followed suit as well.)

This is a time that marketing should be capitalizing on. Instead, they are doing everything in their power to hide or kill it. Shameful.

 

[Ejanss]

This is a time that marketing should be capitalizing on. Instead, they are doing everything in their power to hide or kill it. Shameful.

My sense of smell is terrible, so I'm usually the last to sniff "conspiracy".

Most studios lately, not just Disney, have been cutting their losses for conversion-onlies if the film doesn't do well and is a risky enough seller to begin with; hence Disney's lack of enthusiasm for Need For Speed. A native film has depth worked in as part of the film, but a conversion film can drop its 3D by the wayside and pretend it was just meant to be a "theatrical perk" like IMAX.
Maleficent, OTOH, is the opposite: Disney believes it's their New Gravy Train (don't forget Cinderella and Jungle Book!), and they want it to be their biggest smash-selling new-release title of the year. In their minds, that means how many mass-market Blu-rays they can brag about selling at Target-Mart in the first two weeks--which was their hope last year with Oz, until audience reaction went a bit haywire with the 3D disk--so for the moment, they could be taking that little "obstacle" out of the picture, and hoping for an Oz Do-Over this time around.
That doesn't rule out that a 3D double-dip could be in the works when they have to sell it a second time, but that's theoretical. If Frozen does well in October (still no word, but we're expecting it'll coattail in with Sleeping Beauty), that'll give them the new precedent to sell 3D's later, if the original does well in that key opening-sales market.

Yes, we know, the 3D hard disk ALWAYS sells better. They don't believe that, y'see, because they're neurotic old studios. They just think a title sells numbers because of how much we wanted it, and then go bragging to the other studios about how much we wanted it.

 

[bruceames]

Well, let's look at what we can discern from Amazon. Best-Selling discs: SPIDER-MAN 2 (3D) is #2, the 2D is...#99! GODZILLA is at #12 (3D) and the 2D is #48! EDGE OF TOMORROW #27 (3D) and #95 (2D).

I know what you're thinking...these are pre-orders. So let's look at a title that's been out for a while. STAR TREK: ID is #39 in 3D and for 2D it is...#56.

Of course, all that this shows is that there is a growing audience for 3D and they are buying. Plus, as has been noted elsewhere, Amazon has now begun to add 3D to some their "Instant Watch" section (I guess they've seen their own numbers.) And XBOX has just added 3D BluRay support. (PS4 followed suit as well.)

This is a time that marketing should be capitalizing on. Instead, they are doing everything in their power to hide or kill it. Shameful.

I wish that those Amazon rankings you posted are an indication of how 3D is really selling...but it's not. The truth is the 3D version rarely gets as much as a 10 percent share, and if it does, then it's just for week 1. The best indicator for 3D sales share is the Nielsen top 20 which you can find at Home Media Magazine's site. To get data for previous weeks just click on the link at bottom left. Spider-Man 2 will info will be out in about 2 weeks so let's see what it shows.

Also important to keep in mind the prevailing price differential between the 3D and 2D version. I noticed that Amazon has the 2D version and 3D version of Spider-Man 2 both priced at $24.99, so no wonder why the 3D version is doing so much better. You get the 3D disc for free.

 

[RJ992]

I wish that those Amazon rankings you posted are an indication of how 3D is really selling...but it's not. The truth is the 3D version rarely gets as much as a 10 percent share, and if it does, then it's just for week 1. The best indicator for 3D sales share is the Nielsen top 20 which you can find at Home Media Magazine's site. To get data for previous weeks just click on the link at bottom left. Spider-Man 2 will info will be out in about 2 weeks so let's see what it shows.

Also important to keep in mind the prevailing price differential between the 3D and 2D version. I noticed that Amazon has the 2D version and 3D version of Spider-Man 2 both priced at $24.99, so no wonder why the 3D version is doing so much better. You get the 3D disc for free.

Of course, you are correct in that Amazon doesn't tell the whole story. But I've seen the same sort of ratings at Wal-Mart. One wonders how many more get sold via Ebay or imported.) Still, Amazon is one the biggest retailers (maybe THE biggest) so it at least gives a general idea. especially when older titles are still higher than 2D. (And 10% is still profitable.) My sole point is that the installed base is growing and will continue to. Whether the industry chooses to feed it is another matter..

 

[Wayne_j]

the higher rankings for 3D on Amazon could be because Best Buy etc. no longer carries the 3D version of that title or boosted the price so much that people won't buy it there.

 

[FoxyMulder]

I noticed Disney titles have shot up in price over the last few days at Amazon UK, for example Disney's Frozen is now selling at a ridiculous £25.99, if they want to know why 3D isn't selling as good, assuming it isn't, then they need to take a look at the pricing structure, especially with Disney titles. I will not pay crazy money especially when some of them are 2.5D titles.

 

[RJ992]

the higher rankings for 3D on Amazon could be because Best Buy etc. no longer carries the 3D version of that title or boosted the price so much that people won't buy it there.

Best Buys are still selling 3D titles...heck, they're taking orders for CAPT AMERICA and Amazon isn't! Over at Wal-Mart, pre-orders for SPIDEY 2 are favoring the 3D edition, followed by the DVD, then the 2D Blu combo of ASM 1 and 2, and lastly the 2D Blu.

Same holds true for pre-orders on CAPT AMERICA...3D trumping 2D Blu. For X-MEN however, it's the reverse, with 3D running second to the 2D Blu.

Yes, I know these preliminary sales may not matter so much...but it demonstrates two things: 1) Stores still carry 3D (including Target as well...In fact, their edition of CAPT AMERICA has exclusive content: http://www.target.com/p/captain-america-the-winter-soldier-3d-bd-2d-bd-digital-copy-target-exclusive/-/A-16227239#prodSlot=medium_1_1&term=captain+america which, from what I can see, apparently will NOT be included with the 2D edition) and 2) niche or not, there is strong consumer interest in 3D software. And that's more than can be said for 4K/UHD sets.

 

[Kevin EK]

I've just checked the amazon.co.uk listing for Maleficent and it does indicate that the disc is Region Locked. Other releases have indications of being Region Free, but not this one.

Can anyone confirm if this is in fact the case, and if that's the way Disney wishes to handle things from here on out? Further, is there any recourse that American 3D fans have, other than to try to find a region-free 3D Blu-ray player?

 

[revgen]

You can never know for sure until you put it into the blu-ray player. Case in point, I bought a french blu-ray of The Kremlin Letter (1970) that claimed to be region b on the back cover, but it played in my region A player just fine. As the old saying goes, "Don't knock it 'til you try it."

 

[Kevin EK]

I think I'll need to wait for the reviews to confirm the status.

 

[RJ992]

I've just checked the amazon.co.uk listing for Maleficent and it does indicate that the disc is Region Locked. Other releases have indications of being Region Free, but not this one.

Can anyone confirm if this is in fact the case, and if that's the way Disney wishes to handle things from here on out? Further, is there any recourse that American 3D fans have, other than to try to find a region-free 3D Blu-ray player?

Sadly, Disney remains as venal as ever. Fortunately, you can get a Region A copy imported from Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, etc. here's a link to one that is out on the 26th of this month: http://www.mixup.com.mx/mixup/Product.aspx?sku=7509656305161

 

[Jesse Skeen]

Looks like there won't be a 3D release of "Planes Fire and Rescue" either. Pardon my French, but what the fuck is going on, Disney?

 

[Timothy E]

Looks like there won't be a 3D release of "Planes Fire and Rescue" either. Pardon my French, but what the fuck is going on, Disney?

Funny you said French, since it appears that there may be a 3D Blu-ray release in France: http://www.amazon.fr/Planes-Blu-ray-3D-Dane-Cook/dp/B00L3C309M/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1410726007&sr=8-5&keywords=Planes+3D

 

[DaveF]

If sales are poor then why does Disney continue to put out Marvel films on BD3D? I don't believe sales are poor but they are probably or most likely smaller than originally anticipated.

My guess, most Disney "family" movies are bought for young kids to watch ad nauseum in the car, on the iPad, on the kids' TV -- for video babysitting. 3D is not a selling point for this use. Parents don't want it, don't want to pay for it, so Disney doesn't sell it for the (presumably much much smaller) audience that does want it.

 

[Jason_V]

It's being perceived as Disney not supported domestic 3D anymore regardless of the reason.

 

[bruceames]

Disney lets Marvel make their own decisions regarding 3D. But since Marvel movies target an older demographic that appreciates 3D more, and that sales are generally higher, it makes sense to release Marvel movies in 3D as the 3D share for these types of movies have always been higher than almost every other type of 3D movie (even though they are only conversions).

 

[SFMike]

Disney lets Marvel make their own decisions regarding 3D. But since Marvel movies target an older demographic that appreciates 3D more, and that sales are generally higher, it makes sense to release Marvel movies in 3D as the 3D share for these types of movies have always been higher than almost every other type of 3D movie (even though they are only conversions).

It still seems Disney has made a bad move to me, a 3D enabled consumer who bought into to their past promotion of "Disney 3D". I'm sorry Disney Home Video that your profit margin on the 3D releases you put out in a haphazard way did not meet your expectations but there still is a home 3D market that is frustrated seeing 3D releases in foreign markets and not at home. It has made an unhappy customer of me but I forgot the days that corporations cared about customer satisfaction are a thing of the past. I find this just a very bad business practice and hold very bad feelings toward the Disney corporation because of this. No more D23 Expo for me and since Universal Hollywood is investing in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter family trips in the future will be less frequent to the overpriced Disney Resorts.

 

[Mai Lyn]

Sadly, Disney remains as venal as ever. Fortunately, you can get a Region A copy imported from Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico, etc. here's a link to one that is out on the 26th of this month: http://www.mixup.com.mx/mixup/Product.aspx?sku=7509656305161

I've never bought 3D movies from another country. Do you guys know of a site from Japan that usually sells Region Free 3D dvd? Is it Amazon Japan? Just so I can watch out for it. Thanks!

 

[ABaglivi]

Amazon Japan
DDDHouse
KimchiDVD

 

[Todd Erwin]

Disney is currently screening Tangled at the El Capitan in Hollywood in.... wait for it .... 2D!

Granted, it's all part of a cross-promotion (gasp!) for the new Disney Jr. series Sofia the First, and is definitely aimed at young girls.

The good news, though, is that Nightmare Before Christmas is returning to the theatre for a limited Halloween engagement in 4D from 10/24 thru 11/2.