Now then... Disney and Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens 3D – Collector’s Edition Blu-ray is now listed on Amazon and we expect that it will soon be available for pre-order (click here or on the link below). And we have some brand new details as to exactly what its discs will include, so here’s the update. As you know, the regular 2D Blu-ray will now include an all-new feature-length audio commentary with director J.J. Abrams. The Blu-ray 3D disc doesn’t include any features. But the new Bonus Disc Blu-ray will include the following (and I’ll mark what’s new for this release):
- Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey documentary
- The Story Awakens: The Table Read featurette
- Crafting Creatures featurette
- Building BB-8 featurette
- Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight featurette
- ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force featurette
- John Williams: The Seventh Symphony featurette
- Force for Change featurette
- Deleted Scenes (x6 – existing)
- Deleted Scenes (x2 – all-new including Leia & The Resistance and Unkar Plutt at Maz’s Castle)
- Deleted Scene (x1 – former iTunes exclusive: Tunnel Standoff – new on disc)
- Foley: A Sonic Tale featurette (new)
- Sounds of the Resistance featurette (new)
- Dressing the Galaxy (former iTunes exclusive – new on disc)
- The Scavenger & the Stormtrooper: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley & John Boyega featurette (former Target exclusive – new on disc)
- Inside the Armory featurette (former Target exclusive – new on disc)
A number of you have asked whether the new Blu-ray 3D version will include the expanding 1.78:1 aspect ratios for the IMAX scenes. We’ve asked Lucasfilm and we’ll update you here as soon as we know. [Editor’s Note: We’ve confirmed that the 3D presentation will be straight 2.40:1 – no variable ratios.] Meanwhile, here’s a look at the expanded packaging and you can see the final cover art below (click on either image to pre-order on Amazon). Note that this is the European version – the U.S. version has a 4th disc that’s a DVD version of the film. But this is a good look at the interior artwork...
By the way, here are the latest international release dates for the title: Holland, France, Sweden & U.K. (10/31), Spain & Italy (11/2), Australia (11/9), U.S. & Canada (11/15), Brazil (11/16), Germany (11/24). Adjust your plans accordingly.
In other news today, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has officially announced Central Intelligence for Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on 9/27, with the Digital HD release due on 9/13. Extras will include director’s audio commentary, a gag reel, alternate scenes, Line-o-Rama, the Couch Scene, and a Dance-Off. You can see the cover artwork below.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has also made Suicide Squad available for pre-order on Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray formats. No street date is yet announced (but click on the format links in the previous sentence to pre-order on Amazon).
Meanwhile, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has set Captain Fantastic for Blu-ray and DVD release on 10/25.
Universal’s Jason Bourne is also up for pre-order on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray formats and we’re hearing from retail sources that the street date will be 11/22 (-ish).
Olive Films has announced their two new Olive Signature Edition Blu-ray titles for October. Look for John Ford’s The Quiet Man (1952) and Joseph Pevney’s The Night of the Grizzly (1966) on 10/25.
Lionsgate has set a Waxwork/Waxwork II: Lost in Time – Collector’s Series Double Feature for release on 10/18 as part of their Vestron Video series.
Lionsgate has also moved the Digital HD release of Now You See Me 2 to 8/19, with 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD still due on 9/6.
And HBO has set Looking: The Movie for Blu-ray and DVD release on 11/15, with Digital HD due on 8/22.
Here’s a look at new Blu-ray (and 4K) cover artwork for a number of the titles mentioned above. Click on the links provided to pre-order them on Amazon if pre-orders are available...
Don’t forget that the new Rogue One: A Star Wars Story trailer will go live tonight during the Olympics on NBC and probably on Star Wars.com. And if you have clear skies this evening where you live, make sure you peek outside after midnight. The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight and there are some predictions that there could be as many as 200 shooting stars an hour during the peak. It could be pretty amazing and a once in a decade show.
Stay tuned...!
- Bill Hunt (@BillHuntBits)