In an effort to stop the growing piracy of Blu-ray discs in the region, Sony Pictures has become the first Hollywood studio to distribute Blu-ray titles in China.
The studio will distribute 20 current and catalog titles in the format for 205 yuan ($30 USD) a price that it almost certainly way to high for the low-wage country.
A few of the movies available are "Hancock," "Kung Fu Hustle," the "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Hitch," "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
None of the other major studios have announced plans to release Blu-rays in China but it appears that Disney and Warner Bros. are close.
"We will launch once (local) Blu-ray replication capability is ready -- hopefully in the first or second quarter," a Disney spokesman said.
At first, Sony's Blu-rays will be imported to China, but local production will begin within a year. The company expects local production to drop expenses and eventually the MSRP of the titles.
The MPA added recently that bootleg Blu-ray AVCHD discs will account for 10 percent of Chinese piracy within the next six months.
A few of the movies available are "Hancock," "Kung Fu Hustle," the "Spider-Man" trilogy, "Hitch," "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
None of the other major studios have announced plans to release Blu-rays in China but it appears that Disney and Warner Bros. are close.
"We will launch once (local) Blu-ray replication capability is ready -- hopefully in the first or second quarter," a Disney spokesman said.
At first, Sony's Blu-rays will be imported to China, but local production will begin within a year. The company expects local production to drop expenses and eventually the MSRP of the titles.
The MPA added recently that bootleg Blu-ray AVCHD discs will account for 10 percent of Chinese piracy within the next six months.
