Blu-ray pins hopes on Avatar effect

Retailers believe the release of <i>Avatar</i> (above) could do for Blu-ray sales what <i>The Matrix</i> did for DVD sales in 1999. Photo / Supplied

It has already smashed box office records, now Avatar is expecting to break sales records and provide a boost to the makers of Blu-ray machines who hope the film could give their format a "Matrix moment".

The 3D sci-fi film goes on sale in New Zealand tomorrow. It went on sale in Britain yesterday and the United States last week, with some stores opening their doors just after midnight to cope with demand.

The film has been released in Blu-ray - the high-definition format designed to supersede DVDs - and stores are hoping the film could do for Blu-ray what The Matrix did for DVD.

The Keanu Reeves film became the first DVD to sell more than three million copies on its release in 1999 and led to a jump in DVD player sales.

The release of Avatar, the highest-grossing movie ever (unadjusted for inflation), is expected to similarly boost sales of the high-definition format.

In New Zealand, The Warehouse hopes Avatar will lift CD and DVD sales, which had suffered from a lack of big releases.

"We're picking that this will be the biggest DVD release in New Zealand," said chief executive Ian Morrice.

In Britain, supermarket giant Tesco opened 180 of its stores at midnight to meet demand and says it expects to sell 20,000 copies on Blu-ray - making it the fastest-ever selling film in the new format.

But Blu-ray discs are still being far outsold by DVD, with 200,000 DVD copies expected to be sold. Blu-ray sales rose by 167 per cent last year and the introduction of 3D TV is expected to give it another boost.

Keith Metcalfe, Tesco's home-movie buying manager, said: "The release of Avatar is being seen by the industry as a historic moment in the development of the Blu-ray format - potentially the tipping point that many people have waited for to get their first Blu-ray player. We think it could replicate what happened when The Matrix was released on DVD in 1999."

The HMV flagship store in London's Oxford St was be transformed into Avatar planet Pandora to host the official launch.

Asda is also transforming some of its stores and staff at its store in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, have even been taught phrases in Avatar language Na'vi to greet customers.

- Independent, staff reporter