Published:
10-Apr-08
Walt Disney, already one of the most active Studios driving the migration to digital 3D, is now firmly banking on a 3D future for its animated titles. Following a similar move by Dreamworks Animation (DWA) to exclusively produce its movies in 3D going forward from 2009 (as announced back in April 2007), Disney has confirmed eight of its ten animated titles will be presented in digital 3D, from its line up to 2012. These include four new Pixar titles, namely
UP (2009), Newt (2011),
The Bear and the Bow (2011) and tent pole title
Cars 2 (2012). Other Disney animations include the previously announced
Bolt in November, 2008 and include
Rapunzel (2010), the entire
Toy Story franchise, as well as
King of the Elves (2012). In addition, Disney is working with Tim Burton to bring several other 3D features to movie theatres, including
Frankenweenie and
Alice in Wonderland 3D by 2009 and 2010, respectively.
Our take...
Together, Disney and DWA dominate the line up of 3D features accounting for just under half of all prospective titles to date. The digital 3D schedule as tracked by Screen Digest shows there are now over 50 titles slated for release by 2012 (including earlier releases starting with Chicken Little in 2005), although this includes several provisional and unconfirmed dates, and of these, around two thirds are animations. Following the drive to author key animations for 3D projection, (Fox will also distribute Ice Age III in 3D), the future of this genre could now be routed firmly in stereoscopic presentation. But due to the higher associated costs, complexity, and shortage of equipment, in comparison, there are fewer live-action 3D movies within the schedule, but Journey 3D will be the first such example in July 2008. Other studios actively developing live-action 3D titles include Lionsgate and New Line, the latter now under the Warner Brothers label, which in turn has already converted sections of several 2D live-action films for release in IMAX theatres. In addition, several independent producers are also developing live-action 3D features, including US firm Stereovision, which plans to release three low-budget live-action movies per year and UK-based Aria Films and Full Circle Films.
Despite the success of Disney's 3D concert film, Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus, which grossed over $65.0m from just 683 locations, the Studio has yet to fully embrace live-action 3D, although it is linked to several potential productions including Step Up 3D. Exhibitors will now need to dramatically ramp up their digital 3D upgrades, from the 1,298 3D enabled screens in 2007 to our forecasts of 6,000 by end 2009, in order to support the 15 features now scheduled for release in 2009, including four 3D titles from Disney, one from DWA, two from Fox, and one each from Focus Features, New Line and Lionsgate. Otherwise further releases could be delayed until the nascent 3D screen network can support several 3D play dates simultaneously.
USA,
List of digital 3D movies scheduled for release
