Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are new formats that allow for deciding on height / ceiling speakers. They also don't necessarily have to be ceiling speakers. They can also be mounted above your main speakers in the front top corners for left/right height. The configuration is adjustable.
Also, if you have a bluray that is Atmos or DTS:X, you can still play it through a normal HT processor. Both of these formats are backward compatable on systems that only support DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD.
If you know that you are only going to have a 5.1 or 7.1 system, then you don't necessarily need a modern processor. However, if you think you might add more speakers in the future, it's better to get a Atmos/DTS:X processor now.