Hollywood's 3-D delay

I didn't see Beowulf, but friends who did tell me that the 3-D version was spectacular. So why, given rapid innovation in most forms of media, are 3-D films such a rarity?

In The L.A. Times, John Horn explains that though the cost of converting cinemas to enable them to play 3-D films has held things up, many leading industry figures are convinced that the format will soon take off.

Although it costs as much as an extra $15 million to make an animated film in 3-D, DreamWorks is making all future animated films in the format, as are Pixar and Disney. Next year, Fox is releasing [James] Cameron's “Avatar” in 3-D, as well as the sequel "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs."

Among the upcoming 3-D releases from other companies are Summit Entertainment's "Fly Me to the Moon" on Aug. 8 and Lionsgate's horror movie "My Bloody Valentine" on Jan. 23.

"We decided we wanted to find new and exciting ways to scare people out of their seats," says Mike Paseornek, who, as Lionsgate's production chief, has overseen the "Saw" and "Hostel" movies. But even though the "My Bloody Valentine" release is more than half a year away, Lionsgate knows it will have to release the film in both 3-D and 2-D in order to get enough screens to reach the entire country.