Something really interesting showed up on the Internet Usenet group this morning. Someone posted screenshots from what looks like a DVD version of “Independence Day”. Now, the interesting thing about this is that “ID4” is a Fox Home Video release who, as we know all too well, do not release DVD titles yet. So where does this disc come from? Will we see “ID4” on DVD soon? Rumors have been floating around for quite a while that Fox had already produced a DVD version of “ID4”, yet never released it. These screens seem to be the proof that Fox had serious plans to join the DVD publishers at one point but, the fact that the title has not been announced for release for all this time sadly indicates however that this commitment seems to have been put on hold… for now, may I say?
Currently Fox show now sign of supporting DVD in the near future but as the installed base grows the pressure rises. Even though Fox shies away from DVD at this point they can afford to do it only for so long, in my opinion, unless they want to lose major money and shovel it right into their competitor’s pockets. The fact that they really seem to have produced large numbers of “ID4” DVDs is a good sign, even though the discs are stored somewhere in a warehouse out of reach of the public. We won’t see “ID4” on DVD in quite a while but to me it is inspiring to know that Fox are at least thinking about DVD, having some kind of plan, even though they still deny any kind of public disclosure.