Lots of information to get to so let’s get started.
20th Century Fox has announced the theatrical rated DVD, unrated DVD and Blu-ray Disc of Meet the Spartans for 6/3 (SRP $29.98, $29.98 and $39.98 respectively). The theatrical rated version is presented in both widescreen and full screen versions on a flipper disc with no additional bonus features. The unrated release, billed as the “Pit of Death” edition, will be presented in anamorphic widescreen and include audio commentary by the cast and crew, two featurettes (Meet the Spartans: The Music and Prepare for Thrusting), a Tour of the set with Ike Barinholtz, a set-top trivia game, theatrical trailers, and a gag reel. The Blu-ray disc release will include all of the “Pit of Death” DVD special features (presented in standard-def), plus several BD-exclusive features including an on-screen trivia track and two interactive games – Celebrity Kickoff and Super Pit of Death Ultimate Tactical Battle Challenge.
One week later, 20th Century Fox will release the DVD and Blu-ray Disc of Jumper for 6/10, and it will be available as a single-disc DVD, a 2-disc DVD and 2-disc Blu-ray editions (SRP $29.98, $34.98 and $39.98 respectively). The single-disc DVD will include both anamorphic widescreen and full screen video on a flipper disc along with an audio commentary by director Doug Liman, writer/producer Simon Kinberg and producer Lucas Foster, and 3 featurettes (Jumping from Novel to Film: The Past, Present & Future of Jumper, Making an Actor Jump and Previz: Future Concepts). The 2-disc will include two more featurettes (Doug Liman’s Jumper: Uncensored and Jumping Around the World), the Jumpstart: David’s Story animated graphic novel, and 6 deleted scenes, along with a Digital Copy version of the film. The Blu-ray Disc will include all of the above, along with an exclusive BD-Java PiP version of Jumping Around the World.
On 6/24, Fox will release its second direct-to-DVD Futurama title called Futurama: The Beast With A Billion Backs (SRP $29.98). The DVD will be presented in widescreen and include an audio commentary by Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, Billy West, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Rowe, Claudia Katz, Peter Avanzino and Lee Supercinski, as well as Futurama the Lost Adventure – full-length adventure produced for the Futurama video game. This will also come with an optional commentary by Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, Billy West, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Rowe, J. Stewart Burns and Lee Supercinski. There will be bloopers, 3D models with animator discussion, six deleted scenes/storyboards, a sneak preview of the next Futurama movie (Bender’s Game) and two featurettes (Meet Yivo! with David Cross and A Brief History of Deathball).
To coincide with the release of this summer’s The Dark Knight, Fox is bringing the campy classic Batman: The Movie (SRP $39.98) to Blu-ray this July 1st. This special edition release is presented in widescreen and will include a number of bonus features: two audio commentaries (one with actors Adam West and Burt Ward and another with screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr.), an Isolated score sound track presented in 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio (Loseless), new high-definition featurettes (Batman: A Dynamic Legacy, Caped Crusaders: A Heroes Tribute, Gotham City’s Most Wanted). All of the original features from the standard DVD release will also be included: 2001 35th Anniversary, The Batmobile Revealed with George Barris, BATMAN on Location: Mapping the Movie, a 360 degree navigational tour of the Batmobile, a pop-up trivia track, photo galleries, and the original teaser and theatrical trailers.
Sony Pictures is prepping a trio of Blu-ray Disc westerns for a 6/10 release. Ron Howard’s The Missing will include three Short films by Howard, three alternate endings, 11 deleted scenes, 11 behind-the-scenes featurettes, photo gallery, blooper reel and bonus trailers. The Professionals comes with three featurettes (The Professionals – A Classic, Burt Lancaster: A Portrait, Memories from The Professionals). Finally, there’s the AMC mini-series Broken Trail starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church. So far the only feature included is the featurette Making of Broken Trail – The Making of a Legendary Western.
One of the most talked about shows of the 2007-2008 television season on both DVD and Blu-Ray Disc this July 1st when Lionsgate releases the first season of AMC’s award-winning TV series Mad Men. The DVD will be a 4-disc and the Blu-ray release a 3-disc set (both with a SRP of $49.98). Mad Men: Season One includes all 13 episodes of the first season and is loaded with special bonus materials including commentaries, featurettes that explore the world of “Mad Men” and much more! Mad Men: Season One will be packaged in a truly original sleek, limited-edition, metal “lighter.”
Warner Bros. has announced the short-lived series Birds of Prey (SRP $39.98) for a 6/29 release. The show, though only lasting 13 episodes, was the #5 most requested unreleased show on TVShowsonDVD.com. The only bonus feature announced so far is Gotham Girls S1-3 – An animated series of shorts starring the Birds of Prey character.
