Is Disney Considering Going HD-DVD?

This certainly came out of nowhere, especially since Bob Iger was adamant in his support of Blu-Ray.

It appears that Disney still maintains a contact and voting privileges in determining the future format of HD-DVD. Of course, this says nothing directly on whether they are planning on releasing anything on HD-DVD, but still, why bother voting for a particular format if you really have no intention on joining it?

I really do not understand movie studios that are steadfastly in one format or another. I mean, is it that more expensive to release in BOTH format? This way, you let the consumers decide in the end. If one format dominates over the other, then you already have movies in that format. If they both thrive, then you have all your bases covered. Why do the movie studios have to choose? Because they have signed exclusive deals with Blu-Ray or HD-DVD camp? Since when do these camps are able to put a gun on the movie studios head to force them to choose? I certainly can't imagine Blu-Ray putting an ultimatum to Disney to choose.

Quite a while back, when DVD was first coming out, several movie studios, including Disney, resisted in outright endorsing the format, because of a competing format of DIVX. In fact, if I recall correctly, Disney and a few other studios did sign up for DIVX, a "pay-per-view DVD format" that Circuit City and some Hollywood entertainment lawyers thought of (never a good sign when lawyers dictate technology). So for the longest time, while Warner Bros. and other studios were releasing movies on DVD and trying to jump-start the format, Disney and a few other studios were holding back with a "wait-and-see" attitude. I vividly remember this because, as one of the early adopters of DVD, for quite a while we didn't see any Disney movies on DVD.

Since then, I've "forgiven" Disney for this silliness, but I still haven't forgiven Circuit City. I have never bought a single thing from them ever since. And now, as Shirley Bassey likes to say, "It's just a little big of history repeating".

Disney, release your movie in BOTH format! What's the big deal?! Sony is not going to disown you for doing it!

Zz.