UPDATE: Panasonic to retain exclusive on Avatar 3D until 2012?
UPDATE:
Panasonic looks set to confirm that the 3D Blu-ray disc of Avatar will continue to be exclusively available only to customers buying Panasonic home cinema kit.
A deal announced last month was set to run until the end of January 2011 but according to reports emerging online today, it could now run until February 2012.
This will mean no retail release of the disc for the entirety of 2011 – the disc only being available as part of selected Panasonic promotions.
We're looking to confirm the news, which was reported on the AV Zombie blog site, directly with Panasonic, but it looks set to be a long wait for those of you eager to own Avatar in 3D...
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Published 01.11.2010:
It's official. Panasonic has teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox to offer the 3D Blu-ray version of Avatar free with Panasonic's Viera 3D TVs when bought with either a 3D Blu-ray player or 3D home cinema system.
The deal follows Panasonic's work with Twentieth Century Fox on the 3D authoring of Avatar on Blu-ray at the Japanese firm's Hollywood Laboratory advanced authoring centre in California.
Laurent Abadie, CEO and chairman of Panasonic Europe, says: "Through our exclusive bundling deal with Twentieth Century Fox to offer Avatar on 3D Blu-ray disc, we are bringing this iconic cinematographic experience to consumers across Europe, to enjoy the beauty and excitement of Pandora in 3D in their own home."
The Avatar offer applies to anyone who purchases a new Full HD 3D Panasonic Viera TV (such as the VT20 and GT20 series) package, which includes two pairs of active-shutter 3D glasses and a Panasonic DMP-BDT300 3D Blu-ray player, or a 3D TV/3D all-in-one home cinema combo.
The promotion runs from October 30th, 2010 until January 31st, 2011.
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Comments
Thank god most of us will be spared this experience for another year (if 3D kit is still available then).
Seriously, save yourselves the bother. Buy a copy of the 1970's film "A man Called Horse" and watch it through blue tinted glasses,as per Elton John.
Same story (just replace aliens with American Indians), better acting,much better film altogether. Avatar is for kids.
What are the manufacturers thinking of. I have to agree that if 3D is to survive and become a normal way of viewing then the software needs to be readily available and this sort of action by Panasonic helps nobody, least of all the manufactuer who will be intent on recouping their development costs. Serve them all right if it all went pear shaped. Owning a Sony 40NX713 though will have been a waste of time.
For Panasonic customers who already own the kit, the USA appears to have a 3D avatar ultimate pack which includes the 3D Blu-ray and 2 pairs of glasses, eBay suggests this could be yours for not much more than the cost of 2 pairs of glasses - maybe worth enquiring about a UK version or region-hacking your player if you're that desperate or were thinking about more glasses anyway. Amazed at what the 3D Avatar discs are going for on eBay though - £100+ for one film? Madness!
QUESTION..... Does ANYONE from PANASONIC read these blogs ???
I agree this isn't great for 3D in general, but if 'average joe' is tempted by the idea of owning a 3D tv, my view is that they will be swayed by this deal. Panasonic does make good 3D tvs (perhaps not the best) but is there really that much difference to make average joe choose a sony/LG/samsung if they can't get THE film to watch (at the moment at least). I'm not so sure. I think this is a clever idea for Panasonic. They should do some retrospective deal though!
Come on Panasonic let early adopters have it as they can in the USA. I've spent over �6000.00 on pany gear this year NEVER AGAIN.
Nice way to help stall 3d take up, whilst Avatar might be the 3d film to see do they think it would really sway someone to buy one over another brand just to see it?
If film companies do this a lot then they will aid in stopping 3d from ever taking off.
With the new Tron film coming out soon I hope Sony won't have exclusive right to it as it's Disney.
Well I've said it before on here, 3D is never catch on if you can't buy any films for the format. Silly idea on everyone's part making these films exclusive to one hardware manufacturer whilst there's nothing else to buy on it. They're shooting themselves in the foot in the long run.
Unfortunately I don't think the deal is retrospective thebear29UK, unless your local Panasonic dealer is feeling particularly kind.
Can Panasonic store tell me if I'll be able to get the 3D version as I bought my VT20 and BDT 300 in May when there was nothing to watch on it but the demo disc. I would be slightly aggrieved that, having waited patiently for Avatar to come out on 3D Bluray, I would now be excluded for buying too soon.
Hi Relic, I new if we waited long enough, the person who bought other than a Panasonic 3D would show up, as the old saying goes, if you're happy, then I am happy for you!
PS Avatar, great movie, probably also great on a Panasonic 3D.
Has anyone got any news on a release date on Avatar for those of us who have other makes of 3D TV (and enjoy them, despite the mumbling of the Luddite naysayers)? These brand exclusives are annoying, especially as they limit the software available and help to put a brake on wider acceptance of the format.
Thanks for the update. That wasn't made entirely clear, so I'll amend the story.
One thing to clarify, the promotion is for purchases made between 30/10/10 to 31/01/11 only and to qualify, you have to purchase a Viera 3D TV WITH a Panasonic 3D Blu Ray player or a Panasonic 3D Blu Ray home cinema system. If you purchase just a Panasonic 3D TV or just a Panasonic 3D Blu Ray player, you will not receive the promotion.
For those who do purchase a Panasonic 3D package consisting of a tv and player or home cinema system, they will get Avatar 3D, Ice Age 3 3D, Coraline 3D and Paul Carrack Concert in 3D on Blu Ray disc.
I hope that clears up anything that might be confusing regarding this promotion.
When does this promotion start? From today?
Think you're pushing your luck there themadpanner!
Absolutely GREAT, a question though I bought both the VT20 and the BDT300, so could I possibly have 2 copies (A bit greedy perhaps?)
Getting tied of the Avatar gimmics ,First Avatar blu-ray Then Avater extended 8mins Now Avatar 3D,.3.38mins or so with them big heavy silly glasses is enough remedy for a headache, Yes it was a great film in both version 3D-2D on cinema but these tv at present for 3D gets a big ? from me