Disc News: Full Details Revealed for Alien Anthology Blu-ray

Disc Announcements, News

Back in April, 20th Century Fox was in high spirits. The studio was celebrating – and will continue to celebrate – its 75th anniversary. In lieu of the milestone, a press release circulated announcing what titles cinemaphiles could expect on Blu-ray Disc by year’s end. One of the titles mentioned was the Alien Anthology.

As news of the Alien Anthology’s eventual release on Blu-ray has been trickling in, Xenomorph fans everywhere have been salivating for months.

Now, Fox Home Entertainment spills the beans with a formal announcement. The first four films in the Alien franchise will be available for American audiences as a six-disc Blu-ray set on October 26. The set will be available in the U.K. on October 25 and in Australia on November 3.

The long-awaited set will include nearly 6 hours of special features culled from the ’90s LaserDisc releases, the “Legacy” box set and the long-definitive “Quadrilogy” collection. Besides archival special features, new and previously unreleased content will be also made available. In addition, the image for all four films has been enhanced and reinvigorated for high definition. Suggested retail price for the Alien Anthology is $139.99 US (current price on Amazon.com is $97.99).

This edition will incorporate the “MU-TH-UR Mode,” an interactive feature that lets you access the special features on all six discs and provides an index of all available content.

The special limited edition packaging seen above will be made available though no word has been released yet on pricing or availability. In the time, here’s the standard issue packaging:

20th Century Fox has made plans to have a display at Comic-Con that will feature a life-size replica of the Nostromo’s hibernation chamber as seen in Alien. Visitors to the booth will be given the chance to lay down inside the pod and have their picture taken. No word if a cat named Jones will be available to snuggle with.

Here’s the full breakdown of special features on each of the discs:

Disc One: Alien

  • 1979 Theatrical Version
  • 2003 Director’s Cut with Ridley Scott Introduction
  • Audio commentaries:
    • Director Ridley Scott, writer Dan O’Bannon, executive producer Ronald Shusett, editor Terry Rawlings, and actors Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton and John Hurt
    • Ridley Scott (on theatrical cut only)
  • Final theatrical isolated score by Jerry Goldsmith
  • Composer’s original isolated score by Jerry Goldsmith
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • MU-TH-UR Mode interactive experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc Two: Aliens

  • 1986 Theatrical Version
  • 1991 Special Edition with James Cameron introduction
  • Audio commentary by director James Cameron, producer Gale Anne Hurd, alien effects creator Stan Winston, visual effects supervisors Robert Skotak and Dennis Skotak, miniature effects supervisor Pat McClung, and actors Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn and Christopher Henn
  • Final theatrical isolated score by James Horner
  • Composer’s original isolated score by James Horner
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • MU-TH-UR Mode interactive experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc Three: Alien3

  • 1992 Theatrical Version
  • 2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
  • Audio commentary by cinematographer Alex Thomson, B.S.C., editor Terry Rawlings, alien effects designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., visual effects producer Richard Edlund, A.S.C., and actors Paul McGann and Lance Henriksen
  • Final theatrical isolated score by Elliot Goldenthal
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • MU-TH-UR Mode interactive experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc Four: Alien Resurrection

  • 1997 Theatrical Version
  • 2003 Special Edition with Jean-Pierre Jeunet introduction
  • Audio commentary by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, editor Herve Schneid, A.C.E., alien effects creators Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff, Jr., visual effects supervisor Pitof, conceptual artist Sylvain Despretz, and actors Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
  • Final theatrical isolated score by John Frizzell
  • Deleted and extended scenes
  • MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream

Disc Five: Making the Anthology

  • The Beast Within: Making Alien
    • Star Beast: Developing the Story
    • The Visualists: Direction and Design
    • Truckers in Space: Casting
    • Fear of the Unknown: Shepperton Studios, 1978
    • The Darkest Reaches: Nostromo and Alien Planet
    • The Eighth Passenger: Creature Design
    • Future Tense: Editing and Music
    • Outward Bound: Visual Effects
    • A Nightmare Fulfilled: Reaction to the Film
    • Enhancement Pods
  • Superior Firepower: Making Aliens
    • 57 Years Later: Continuing the Story
    • Building Better Worlds: From Concept to Construction
    • Preparing for Battle: Casting and Characterization
    • This Time It’s War: Pinewood Studios, 1985
    • The Risk Always Lives: Weapons and Action
    • Bug Hunt: Creature Design
    • Beauty and the Bitch: Power Loader vs. Queen Alien
    • Two Orphans: Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn
    • The Final Countdown: Music, Editing and Sound
    • The Power of Real Tech: Visual Effects
    • Aliens Unleashed: Reaction to the Film
    • Enhancement Pods
  • Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien3
    • Development Hell: Concluding the Story
    • Tales of the Wooden Planet: Vincent Ward’s Vision
    • Stasis Interrupted: David Fincher’s Vision
    • Xeno-Erotic: H.R. Giger’s Redesign
    • The Color of Blood: Pinewood Studios, 1991
    • Adaptive Organism: Creature Design
    • The Downward Spiral: Creative Differences
    • Where the Sun Burns Cold: Fox Studios, L.A. 1992
    • Optical Fury: Visual Effects
    • Requiem for a Scream: Music, Editing and Sound
    • Post-Mortem: Reaction to the Film
    • Enhancement Pods
  • One Step Beyond: Making Alien Resurrection
    • From the Ashes: Reviving the Story
    • French Twist: Direction and Design
    • Under the Skin: Casting and Characterization
    • Death from Below: Fox Studios, Los Angeles, 1996
    • In the Zone: The Basketball Scene
    • Unnatural Mutation: Creature Design
    • Genetic Composition: Music
    • Virtual Aliens: Computer Generated Imagery
    • A Matter of Scale: Miniature Photography
    • Critical Juncture: Reaction to the Film
    • Enhancement Pods
    • MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience to Access and Control Enhancement Pods

Disc Six: The Anthology Archives

  • Alien
    • Pre-Production
      • First Draft Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon
      • Ridleygrams: Original Thumbnails and Notes
      • Storyboard Archive
      • The Art of Alien: Conceptual Art Portfolio
      • Sigourney Weaver Screen Tests with Select Director Commentary
      • Cast Portrait Gallery
    • Production
      • The Chestbuster: Multi-Angle Sequence with Commentary
      • Video Graphics Gallery
      • Production Image Galleries
      • Continuity Polaroids
      • The Sets of Alien
      • H.R. Giger’s Workshop Gallery
    • Post-Production and Aftermath
      • Additional Deleted Scenes
      • Image & Poster Galleries
      • Experience in Terror
      • Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
      • The Alien Legacy
      • American Cinematheque: Ridley Scott Q&A
      • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Aliens
    • Pre-Production
      • Original Treatment by James Cameron
      • Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Videomatics with Commentary
      • Storyboard Archive
      • The Art of Aliens: Image Galleries
      • Cast Portrait Gallery
    • Production
      • Production Image Galleries
      • Continuity Polaroids
      • Weapons and Vehicles
      • Stan Winston’s Workshop
      • Colonial Marine Helmet Cameras
      • Video Graphics Gallery
      • Weyland-Yutani Inquest: Nostromo Dossiers
    • Post-Production and Aftermath
      • Deleted Scene: Burke Cocooned
      • Deleted Scene Montage
      • Image Galleries
      • Special Collector’s Edition LaserDisc Archive
      • Main Title Exploration
      • Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright
      • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Alien3
    • Pre-Production
      • Storyboard Archive
      • The Art of Arceon
      • The Art of Fiorina
    • Production
      • Furnace Construction: Time-Lapse Sequence
      • EEV Bioscan: Multi-Angle Vignette with Commentary
      • Production Image Galleries
      • A.D.I.’s Workshop
    • Post-Production and Aftermath
      • Visual Effects Gallery
      • Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
    • Alien3 Advance Featurette
    • The Making of Alien3 Promotional Featurette
    • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Alien Resurrection
    • Pre-Production
      • First Draft Screenplay by Joss Whedon
      • Test Footage: A.D.I. Creature Shop with Commentary
      • Test Footage: Costumes, Hair and Makeup
      • Pre-Visualizations: Multi-Angle Rehearsals
      • Storyboard Archive
      • The Marc Caro Portfolio: Character Designs
      • The Art of Resurrection: Image Galleries
    • Production
      • Production Image Galleries
      • A.D.I.’s Workshop
    • Post-Production and Aftermath
      • Visual Effects Gallery
      • Special Shoot: Promotional Photo Archive
    • HBO First Look: The Making of Alien Resurrection
    • Alien Resurrection Promotional Featurette
    • Trailers & TV Spots
  • Anthology
    • Two Versions of Alien Evolution
    • The Alien Saga
    • Patches and Logos Gallery
    • Aliens 3D Attraction Scripts and Gallery
    • Aliens in the Basement: The Bob Burns Collection
    • Parodies
    • Dark Horse Cover Gallery
    • Patches and Logos Gallery
    • MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience
Robert Saucedo is an avid movie watcher with seriously poor sleeping habits. The Mikey from Life cereal of film fans, Robert will watch just about anything — good, bad or ugly. He has written about film for newspapers, radio and online for the last 10 years. This has taken a toll on his sanity — of that you can be sure. Follow him on Twitter at @robsaucedo2500.