In release news today, Amazon.com is now taking pre-orders on CBS’ Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Seven on Blu-ray Disc. SRP is $120.99 but Amazon has it for $90.99. Street date is likely to be early November, but is still TBA. Meanwhile, here’s a look at the official trailer…

Also, Shout! Factory has announced the extras that you’ll find on their upcoming Pee-wee’s Playhouse: The Complete Series Blu-ray set that’s due in stores on 10/21. In addition to all 45 episodes restored from the original film negatives, you’ll get over 4 hours of new interviews and behind-the-scenes footage contained in a series of 10 newly-produced featurettes. These will include: Building the Playhouse, Opening the Playhouse, Writing for the Playhouse, The Look of the Playhouse, Music of the Playhouse, The Cast of the Playhouse, Puppets of the Playhouse, Animating the Playhouse, A Very Merry Christmas Special, and Fans and Memorabilia of the Playhouse. Among those interviewed for the set are actors Laurence Fishburne (Cowboy Curtis), S. Epatha Merkerson (Reba the mail lady), Lynne Marie Stewart (Miss Yvonne), and John Paragon (Jambi the genie), composers Mark Mothersbaugh and Danny Elfman, production designers Gary Panter, Wayne White, and Ric Heitzman, animation supervisor Prudence Fenton (Liquid Television), animators Peter Lord and David Sproxton (Wallace & Gromit), make-up artist Ve Neill, two of the show's writers, and additional cast and crew members. Here’s a look at the open box (you can pre-order it on Amazon by clicking on the image)…

Finally today, we’d like to take a quick moment here at The Bits today to acknowledge the passing of actress and comedian Joan Rivers earlier today, after apparent complications arising from surgery last week. She was 81. More here at The New York Times.

Here’s a look at the cover artwork and Amazon pre-order links for Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season Seven, The Purge: Anarchy (due 10/21), and Captain America: The Winter Soldier on Blu-ray 3D (due next Tuesday and finally up for pre-order on Amazon)…

Stay tuned...

- Bill Hunt