Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Disney Releases Blu-ray Combo before DVD for Stranger Tides

Home Media Magazine recently reported that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides on Blu-ray/DVD combo a month ahead of the DVD-only release. While Disney has done this previously on back-catalog titles, this Blu-ray-centric move is a first for a major box office release.

On October 18, Disney will release Stranger Tides as a two-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a five-disc combo pack with 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copy. Roughly one month later, on November 15, the studio will then release a DVD-only version of the blockbuster film.¹

With over 30 million households in the United States currently owning a Blu-ray player (according to the Digital Entertainment Group) and projections showing global Blu-ray disc sales will hit 412 million units in 2013², studios will certainly be watching this release closely to determine whether they’ll conduct similar strategies with their blockbuster flicks.

What do you think of Disney’s strategy with Stranger Tides? Will your library go with the combo pack or hold out for the DVD-only version?

¹ http://www.homemediamagazine.com/disney/disney-goes-with-blu-ray-combo-first-pirates-24497
² http://www.mwtnewsandviews.com/2011/06/report-charts-blu-rays-five-year.html
at

5 comments:

  1. Leach LibraryJuly 28, 2011 at 5:08 PM

    What is the typical price difference between stand alone DVD and the Bluray/DVD combo?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nedda PourahmadyJuly 29, 2011 at 4:26 PM

    When a studio decides to sell a DVD/Blu-ray combo, they usually do not sell a stand-alone DVD version or stand-alone Blu-ray version separately. Most often, Blu-ray/DVD combos are priced at the Blu-ray price point.

    Through Midwest Tape, the DVD-only version of Stranger Tides is $22.99. The Blu-ray-DVD combo is $29.99.

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  3. TerryOctober 13, 2011 at 9:10 PM

    Can you atleast rent the DVD from Blockbuster?? I am not interested in buying either versions I just want to rent it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. TerryOctober 13, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Actually every movie that has a dvd bluray combo version also sells the dvd stand alone version.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nedda PourahmadyOctober 14, 2011 at 8:48 AM

    You don't need to go to Blockbuster to rent a movie. You're local library loans DVDs, even new releases, for free.

    Also, yes, there is typically a DVD stand alone version when a Blu-ray combo pack is released. However, as noted in this blog story, the DVD stand alone for Stranger Tides releases roughly one month after the Combo Pack.

    ReplyDelete

We'd love to hear what you think! Just be sure to leave your name and email address or your username, so we can respond appropriately.