Sony Pictures announces its first 3D Full HD Blu-ray disc

We’ve just heard that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) has officially announced the release of the studio’s first 3D Full HD Blu-ray disc.
 
It’s no real surprise that SPHE has chosen Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for this first, and therefore historic, release. The new 3D version is also likely to be launched on a worldwide scale.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs   Amazon.co.uk: £13.43

 
Although Sony Pictures has not yet given an exact official release date, the announcement alone smacked like a 3D double-whammy from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Sony Hardware. In fact, the Blu-ray 3D disc is likely to hit the market around the same time as Sony’s first 3D Blu-ray players and 3D Full HD TVs (LX series and HX900).

With the World Cup kick-off on 11 June, it’s reasonable to expect to see the 3D version of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on the shelves sometime between May and early June 2010. Otherwise, it’ll be out sometime during the summer to coincide with the PS3’s upgrade to 3D, currently scheduled for September 2010. In any case, we’ll keep you posted.
 
SPHE worldwide president David Bishop said: ‘3D entertainment on Blu-ray is poised to revolutionize the home viewing experience in much the same way that high-definition televisions and Blu-ray Disc have over the past several years.’ He was also keen to point out that: ‘SPHE is proud to lead the way in providing compelling 3D entertainment to complement the new hardware entering the marketplace.’
 
At the time of writing, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment remains the first studio to issue a worldwide press statement announcing the release of a 3D Blu-ray disc. SPHE therefore scores points against rival studios Fox (for Avatar, possibly in collaboration with Panasonic (TBC)) and DreamWorks (for Monsters vs. Aliens).
 
But with the news now very much out there, the other studios are likely to sharpen up their acts.

Let the (3D) showdown commence!

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