Universal Ends HD DVD Support with 'Atonement'

Universal has confirmed that it will close the curtain on its HD DVD support with this month's release of 'Atonement.'

Although the studio has yet to issue a formal statement, when asked to comment on reports that it had pulled its planned Spring HD DVD release of 'Charlie Wilson's War,' a Universal rep confirmed to High-Def Digest that the studio will no longer issue new titles on the format following the March 18 HD DVD debut of 'Atonement.'

As we've previously reported, the studio waited only hours after Toshiba pulled the plug on HD DVD to announce its own intention to make the move to Blu-ray (at press time, Universal had yet to reveal plans for their first Blu-ray titles).

Today's confirmation from Universal leaves the studio with only one HD DVD title awaiting release prior to 'Atonement,' the March 11th debut of 'Fletch'

Universal's news follows Paramount/DreamWorks' announcement last week that they will end their HD DVD support with this week's releases of 'Into the Wild' and 'Things We Lost in the Fire.' This now leaves Warner as the last major studio still releasing HD DVD titles beyond this month (the studio has previously said that it will honor its pledge to continue dual-format releases through the end of May).

Needless to say, we'll keep you posted on further details of Universal's transition to Blu-ray as they're announced.

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Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)

Things We Lost in the Fire (HD DVD)

Into the Wild (HD DVD)

Fletch (HD DVD)

Atonement (HD DVD)