Cloverfield Blu-Ray DVD

I've been handling a number of e-mails from people about the upcoming DVD release of Cloverfield. Many are worried about the HD-DVD/Blu-Ray version of Cloverfield after insiders outed Paramount Home Entertainment as rushing a sub-par version of the Cloverfield Blu-Ray to the shelves after Toshiba killed the HD-DVD format.

The next-generation of DVD's were in a format war between HD-DVD (by Toshiba) and Blu-Ray (by Sony). Studios began lining up with Blu-Ray which led to all of the major studios backing Blu-Ray except NBC Universal and Paramount.

Toshiba finally pulled the plug on HD-DVD a week or so back after facing the realization that manufacturers, studios, and distributors were not going to support their format. The big names like Warner Bros. went with Blu-Ray as well as Wal-Mart and Netflix which turned the tide toward Sony.

OK. That's the basic backstory. Now all the projects at Paramount that were being developed for HD-DVD will have to switch horses in midstream. The March 4 releases Into the Wild and Things We Lost in the Fire will be Paramount Home Entertainment’s last titles in the HD DVD format, the studio confirmed.

The rest of the movies slated for March and April have had the HD-DVD version pulled and for now only will have the standard DVD released until the studio can get a Blu-Ray version available. As Paramount Home Entertainment scrambles to get caught up with the transition it is starting to look like one of the first victims will be Cloverfield.

A bunch of interactive and viral goodies were slated to appear on the Cloverfield HD-DVD. When the format was killed Paramount was allegedly still committed to the Cloverfield DVD release date (rumored to be April 15th in the U.S., June 8th in U.K. ) with a Blu-Ray version that may not contain most of the HD-DVD features. The programmers need more time to get the Blu-Ray version ready and they fear Paramount Home Entertainment will not give it to them. Here is one of the original e-mails talking about the subject.

"A lot of people worked hard for over a month creating some amazing extra features for the HD release of "Cloverfield." At first it looked like not many consumers would see these features, as the release was planned for HD-DVD like Paramount's other recent titles. But now that Toshiba's HD-DVD format is dead, Paramount is scrambling to release "Cloverfield" on Blu-ray - on the original HD-DVD street date. As a result, the current belief is that there's not enough time to program all the extra features (including lots of new story stuff, along the lines of the viral campaign's backstory) in time for the Blu-ray release, and all this great work will be scrapped. That would suck! So I'm hoping that if you and others help spread the word, maybe the fans could make enough noise to convince Paramount Home Entertainment's marketing division to postpone the Blu-ray release by a few weeks so the disc can include all the extra materials. Demand it!"

Thank you!

-"Anonymous"

So Cloverfield fans should mull this thought over. Would you like to wait a few more weeks for a complete DVD that might satisfy your tastes? I know that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats are still a minority in DVD sales as most people still have the standard DVD setup but it is a growing technology and a prime candidate for fans to get more than just the movie.

Fans of the movie should be willing to wait as noted with the David Fincher Zodiac DVD release. The studio originally released just the movie with no extras in July of last year and then some 6 months later gave us the Fincher Directors cut loaded with tons of extras. Hopefully for Cloverfield the programmers would not need 6 more months!

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Star Trek's Scientific Consultant

Star Trek director J.J. Abrams is bringing in some scientific brains to make sure his latest adaptation of the Sci-Fi classic has scientific merit. And, he didn't skimp on the talent. Abrams got hold of a scientist from NASA who helped on their planetary visits.

Carolyn Porco, a former faculty member at the University of Arizona, will advise graphics technicians after the Star Trek film has been shot, lending a measure of credibility to the imaginary technology depicted onscreen. The movie, which depicts the early adventures of series icons Kirk and Spock, is due out in May 2009.

Porco, 54, served in a similar capacity for "Contact" (1997). She's the leader of the Imaging Science team on NASA's Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan, director of the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colo. and an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado.

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George Takei Not In New Star Trek Movie?

It's starting to sound like a mixed bag when it comes to the original Star Trek cast and who will appear in the new J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek movie.

It is already confirmed that Leonard Nimoy will be back as Spock and that William Shatner will not return as Captain Kirk. As for the other main players DeForest Kelley (Bones) died back in 1999 and James Doohan (Scotty) passed back in 2005. I haven't heard if Uhura or Chekov will be in the new movie but it doesn't look like it at the moment.

George Takei (Sulu) looks to be out at the moment after word came this week that he will not be in the new Star Trek movie.

"TrekMovie.com has talked to sources and Mr. Takei himself to get to the truth. The answer is NO"

"The report on AICN states that Takei "recently had lunch with J.J. Abrams," however Mr. Takei tells TrekMovie.com that it was actually a breakfast last fall before filming began on the project. Takei would not go into details about his talk with Abrams because "the whole conversation is privileged," however the actor did express concern over how not commenting has been "turned into an affirmation" that he will appear in the new Star Trek movie.

"According to multiple sources connected to the film, George Takei will not appear in the new Star Trek. The film makers are fans of Takei's, but he just doesn't fit into the story they are telling." (source)

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Lost's Matthew Fox keeps plotlines from other cast members

Matthew Fox knows how to keep a good secret.

He says he is forever pleading ignorant when fans -- and sometimes fellow cast members -- try to extract juicy details about the show's many secrets from him.

And often, Fox says, he's not giving those people the whole story.

As a friend of the show's creators, JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof, Fox has occasionally been privy to plotlines ahead of time, but is sworn to secrecy. (...continue)

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X-Files 2 Trailer Leaked

X-Files, the sci-fi classic Television series (and one movie) is heading back toward the theaters this summer with a brand new movie. I'm curious on how this movie will play out with audiences. You have the die-hard fans who will be there. That's a given. But, I'm curious since it's been a decade since the 1st movie (and the show's peak) if the movie can still draw the casual viewer.

The cast and crew of the upcoming movie X-Files 2 gave the audience last week at Wondercon 2008 an added bonus of the first look at the film in the form of a theatrical teaser. The sequel to the sci-fi classic is due out in theaters July 25th, 2008


Leaked X-Files 2 Trailer

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JJ Abrams Talks Cloverfield II

J.J. Abrams talks to ReelzChannel about the possibilities of a Cloverfield 2 along with his other movie projects.

Dailies | J.J. Abrams

Edward at the Tagruato Blog worked hard to get the transcript of the interview for the Cloverfield portions of the interview. Be sure to head his way and give him some of the love. The lady doing the interview is a little hard to hear at times so hat tip to Edward for the tip and transcript.

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Suresh's Dream Study

Someone has made a website at Activating Evolution dedicated to the work of Dr. Suresh, the geneticist from the hit NBC TV show Heroes. Although this is a new site to me it looks like the site first got noticed last month then either disappeared or didn't update until recently. I did come across a couple of blogs mentioning it back in January. I only became aware of the site after they advertised on another of my blogs.

If anyone has any info on whether this is a legit viral site or just a fan site feel free to let me know. Within the links you'll find another link to this fake Primatech Paper Company. This is the fake company from Heroes that Noah Bennett worked at. Here is the real Primatech Paper Website from the show which popped out a year ago.

Dr. Suresh's Dream Study focuses on Gene Mapping and is a viral site for the hit show Heroes. I really like Heroes but I have to admit I haven't really followed their viral action too closely. What really stinks is due to the Writer's Strike there won't be new Heroes until September.

"We dream of hope. We dream of change. Of fire, of love, of death. And then it happens. The dream becomes real. And the answer to this quest, this need to solve life's mysteries finally shows itself. Like the glowing light of a new dawn. So much struggle for meaning, for purpose. And in the end, we find it only in each other. Our shared experience of the fantastic. And the mundane. The simple human need to find a kindred, to connect. And to know in our hearts... that we are not alone."

- Dr. Mohinder Suresh

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