Warner Home Video has announced a moratorium beginning March 28 for Casablanca and the four films in the Lethal Weapon series (of which only Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon 2 have been released on Blu-ray in the United States).
They will be re-released on BD in 2012 in special anniversary editions. Casablanca turns seventy next year and the first Lethal Weapon turns twenty-five. All five films will be remastered, get new special features, and have Ultimate Collectors Editions.
What’s funny is that at the time of its release (Dec. 2008), Casablanca had both standard and Ultimate Collectors editions. Considering how it was loaded to begin with (with two documentaries clocking in over 90 minutes a piece, and plenty of other features), and it had a near pristine video transfer, I don’t know how Warner Bros. can top themselves with a 70th Anniversary release.
As for Lethal Weapon, it was as barebones as they come. Whether or not Mel Gibson will be involved with any of the extras is to be seen, but I would love a Shane Black commentary, and maybe a nice hour to 90 minute retrospective doc about the film series.
