Not sure about that...but the end result would be the same....streched/distorted/cropped images (much like when you stretch a standard 4:3 image using widescreen). I do admit, I do stretch 4:3 to widescreen, as there is nothing chopped of when doing it. It takes a couple minutes to "ignore" the fact that you have stretched it. But I never zoom, as it chops off stuff from the left and right of the image to do so.
I am currently on an assignment where I am living in a hotel (God do I miss my plasma and Aperions!). I have a standard 4:3 tv, and have noticed that some channels are doing a similar thing to fill the screen. I can tell because some text that appears on the left and right of the screen is lopped off.
It is not that they cannot make the BluRays in that format...I am sure they could...they are just maintaining the apect ratio of the original. IMHO, that is more desirable than distorting the image to fill the screen. For those that desire the entire screen filled, they can just zoom. But there is a cost in doing so. As I stated, I never do this.
Give it some time David....you will probably get used to it, and not even notice it anymore over time. Well...at least I did.
Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspect_ratio_(image) {Note that if you click this hyperlink, go up to your address bar and add the parenthesis at the end and hit enter on your keyboard,} for an interesting read about this type of stuff.
Scottiemon