No 3D Blu-ray for Avatar… for now at least

James Cameron's Avatar, the most successful 3D movie ever, and the film 3D evangelist Panasonic is basing its 3D Blu-ray and TV launch plans on for 2010, looks certain to debut on Blu-ray in standard 2D format.
During an exclusive technology briefing at Fox Studios in LA, Chief Technologist Danny Kaye downplayed Avatar's anticipated 3D debut, telling HCC: 'Do not make the assumption that Avatar will be the first 3D Blu-ray from Fox.'
The standard Fox window from theatrical to disc is four months. This puts Avatar on schedule for a launch in April 2010. With Panasonic's first 3D Blu-ray player and TV range unlikely to start shipping until early summer, this puts the blockbuster out of sync with any initial hardware rollout.
A far better bet is Fox's other 3D blockbuster Ice Age 3D. The 2D version debuted on Blu-ray last November, leaving a respectable gap (and plenty of product development time) for an Ice Age 3D Special Edition to be released alongside any hardware introductions in 2010. It seems reasonable to assume that Avatar will follow the same double-dip path, with a 3D Special Edition released after the standard 2D release.
According to 20th Century Fox, the 3D blockbuster earned over $350m (£217m) in the US and over $670m (£415m) outside of the US in its first 17 days on screens.
A question of cost
It also seems unlikely that 3D movies will ship with free 3D glasses, as has been the practice with anaglyph movie releases. Fox's Danny Kaye says it's down to cost. 'I'm guessing that the TV manufacturers are going to put glasses in the box, as well as bundle the new 3D players with glasses. These (new) 3D glasses don't cost 50c or a dollar each. Eighteen months ago a pair of active shutter glasses for the home would cost well over 100 dollars, today they are around 25 dollars.'
But he doesn't think this will limit the availability of 3D eyewear. 'You're going to see designer companies getting involved, making cool looking and comfortable glasses. I've seen styles that can be worn by people that already wear glasses, because the nose bridge moves. You'll be able to buy glasses for a six year or a 40 year old. Everyone intends to give consumers easy access.'
Panasonic, along with Samsung, Sony and others will reveal their first 3D hardware lines at CES this week. According to market analysts DisplaySearch, the 3D TV market could be worth as much as $22 billion by 2018.