Disney hosts big bash for Ratatouille release
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Studio believes Blu-ray will 'inevitably prevail'
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 10/31/2007
OCT. 31 | HOLLYWOOD—Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment mounted a Disneyland-style extravaganza for hundreds of guests Tuesday night as part of the launch campaign for the Nov. 6 release of Disney/Pixar’s Ratatouille on DVD and Blu-ray and Cars on Blu-ray.
Ratatouille’s voice actor John Ratzenberger (2nd from l.) and executive producer John Lasseter (2nd from r.) celebrated the film’s
Backed by the USC Marching Band, Disney president Bob Chapek rattled off numerous reasons why the studio is confident the Blu-ray format will be triumphant over HD DVD.
He noted Blockbuster, Target, Meijer and Comp USA are stores that have made recent decisions to skew Blu-ray.
“Blu-ray will inevitably prevail,” said Chapek. “We need to stop artificially prolonging this counterproductive format war.”
Comp USA is currently not offering any HD DVD players online, and Meijer started offering only Blu-ray titles in September. Blockbuster is exclusively offering Blu-ray titles in many stores, and Target is selling Sony’s $499 Blu-ray player as its exclusive in-store high-def set-top option.
Chapek also cited success with Disney’s Blu-ray mall tour.
“We’ve completed 11 stops, averaging 10,000 consumers per visit,” Chapek said. “A very high percentage of those say they are going to buy new Blu-ray hardware and software.”
Following his speech, party attendees dined on fine French cuisine, which was a signature theme in Ratatouille. The title bows simultaneously on Blu-ray and DVD, for $34.99 and $29.99, respectively.
