Hancock, recently announced for release on Blu-ray November 25th, will be Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's first high-def disc to include a Digital Copy of the movie. The DRM-protected copy will be delivered on a second disc inside the package, a DVD. Sony executives later confirmed that this will follow the model of Sony's recent DVD Digital Copy offerings, with a transferable file for the PC in addition to a smaller file specifically for use on the Sony PlayStation Portable handheld.
Until now, Sony's biggest Digital Copy titles had been 21 and Vantage Point, so the Will Smith-starring summer blockbuster Hancock represents a major commitment to their entire digital copy initiative. The Sony rep also hinted at a future "Rewards Club" for consumers, allowing them to amass points for purchasing Sony Blu-ray discs and later redeeming for assorted paraphernalia.
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| Hancock will be Sony's first Blu-ray title to include a digital copy. |
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Hancock news followed Sony's announcement that all of their future Blu-ray players will be able to connect to the internet. In conjunction with that hardware support, all SPHE Blu-ray titles going forward will be BD-Live-enabled as well. Speaking privately with SPHE executives after the press conference, we learned that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is working on enhancements to their BD-Live framework and servers to speed up delivery of BD-Live content on existing players and titles.
Other Blu-ray titles were also teased, including a new Collector's Edition of Casino Royale, no doubt timed to the theatrical release of the upcoming James Bond sequel, Quantum of Solace. This second, more elaborate issue of Casino Royale marks one of the first "double dips" of the Blu-ray era.
Coming out before the Blu-ray Disc version of Hancock (though no specific date was announced) will be an internet-downloadable version of the movie. No, we're not talking about some bootleg illegal copy of the film, but a legitimate high definition version of the film direct from Sony Pictures. The catch is that it will only be available to owners of select Bravia LCD televisions, enabled with the Bravia Internet Video Link feature (IPTV). Details on delivery date are yet to be announced.
