UMDs’ Hollywood-success
Sony predicts UMD movie production to outweigh games by 2008 as Universal announces 2005 releases
Recent figures from Sony suggest that UMD movies continue to make up a large part of PSP entertainment with 17 million UMD manufactured to date of which 9 million were games and 8 million movies and music videos.
But going forward Sony predicts this proportion will grow, with 60 percent of total UMD manufacturing being movie and music-based. Indeed by 2008, Sony reckons it will sell around 130 million UMDs of which only 50 million will be games. Currently production is limited to around 60 million UMDs a year, although this is soon expected to rise to around 150 million.
In keeping with this film focus, Universal Pictures International has announced its UMD release schedule in the UK for the rest of the year. Currently it has Van Helsing, 8 Mile and The Bourne Supremacy available. Next up in September will be The Mummy Returns and Eddie Izzard Live.
October will see the release of League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse, The Fast and the Furious, The Chronicles of Riddick, The Bourne Identity and A Bear’s Tail - Complete 1st Series.
November’s UMDs will be 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Mummy, Hulk, Extras - Complete 1st Series with Ricky Gervais, Peter Kay Live at Manchester Arena, Soccer AM2 - Greatest Players and Battlestar Gallactica (series 1 eps 1-3).
Other Universal releases will include Unleashed, Mr Bean Vol 2, Green Street and Lee Evans XL Tour Live.
