-Established 1997-		page updated: 6/25/09 The Rumor Mill! A Few Words About the Rumor Mill 6/25/09 Here's some news we think is pretty exciting: We've confirmed with our sources that Paramount is - at long last - finally preparing The African Queen: Centennial Collection with a tentative street date of 10/13 (date subject to change). [Editor's Note: We had direct confirmation on the record from the studio earlier this year that they were working on the transfer, but this is the first word we've had of the final release.] We believe this is currently a DVD only release, but a Blu-ray could still be planned for later in the year or next year. Also coming are new Centennial Collection DVD editions of Chinatown and Sorry, Wrong Number. We're told at least Chinatown is planned for Blu-ray release in 2010. Meanwhile, though it hasn't yet been announced, we're told once again that It's a Wonderful Life is tentatively planned for release on Blu-ray in November (the title is already available on DVD). Meanwhile, we also have word from our sources that Warner is still working on new Blu-ray catalog editions of the classic Logan's Run, as well as The Exorcist: The Version You've Never Seen and Heat, all for release sometime later in 2009. [Editor's Note: We have officially confirmed Logan's Run with Warner Home Video as of this afternoon, though the title is still TBA. It will be released on BD this year.] As always, the above information is to be considered unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned... 6/24/09 So you want some details on the extras that will be included on Paramount's forthcoming Star Trek Blu-ray Disc? Okay... The Bits and Trek Movie have DEFINITELY got 'em for you this morning. You can safely assume that much of this material will appear on the deluxe DVD version as well (though it's likely there will be movie-only full frame and widescreen DVDs too). As was the case with the previous Star Trek Blu-rays, this comes to us initially from European sources, via a pair of fine German DVD/Blu-ray websites (Area DVD and Filme-Bluray - and thanks to reader Ulrich H. for the heads-up). Such information commonly leaks out of the studios' European divisions early, and we've been able to confirm the general accuracy of it with our own sources (give or take a few English featurette name changes and the like - these are translated from German, but we're told some are exact and most are close). So here's a tentative list of what you'll get on the Star Trek Blu-ray... 1080p video (2.35:1 aspect ratio), Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio, audio commentary (with J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burke, Alex Kurtzman, Damon Lindelof and Roberto Orci), 6 behind-the-scenes featurettes (Casting, A New Vision: Savage Pressure, Equipment and Costumes, Sound, Music and Gene Roddenberry's Vision), 4 Where No Man Has Gone Before featurettes (including The Shatner Conundrum, The Red Shirt Guy, The Green Girl and Trekkie Alert!), 7 Starships featurettes (Warp Explained, Painting Work, Accelerated Bridge Construction, The Captain's Chair, Operating the Buttons, Shuttle Shuffle and Accelerated Narada Construction), 5 Aliens featurettes (The Alien Paradox, The Girl with the Big Eyes, Big Bro Quinto, Klingons and Drakoulias Anatomy 101), 2 Planets featurettes (Additional Business and Confidentiality), 9 deleted scenes (including Spock's Birth, Klingons Capture the Narada, Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank, Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock's Fight, Interrogation and Escape from Prison, Sarek and Amanda, Bedroom and Kobayashi Maru: Original Version, Kirk Apologizes to Green Girl and Sarek Sees Spock Prime), a gag reel, a BD-Java Starfleet Vessel Simulator, 4 trailers (Teaser, The Wait is Over, Prepare for the Beginning and Buckle Up), an Xbox 360 Star Trek: D.A.C. game trailer and BD-Live options (TBA) Note that Amazon.de currently has the street date for Star Trek set at 10/5, so you would expect the U.S. street date to be around the same time, although our sources suggest that the date could move into late October or even November, as Paramount juggles a busy new release slate for the 4th quarter (which - keep in mind - also includes Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Monsters vs. Aliens, Imagine That and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as well as a TON of big catalog titles). In any case, we'll certainly update you as soon as we have any additional information. In the meantime, here's the cover art Amazon.de is currently using for the Blu-ray version, which appears to use elements from the U.K. theatrical one sheet. We caution you that this is likely temp artwork only and the final U.S. artwork will almost certainly be different... While we're talking Star Trek this morning (and as you can see by the other covers above), we also have word that CBS has tentatively set Star Trek: Original Series - Season Two for Blu-ray release on 9/22 (Season Three is due to follow either at the very end of the year, or early in 2010). Also coming to both DVD and Blu-ray is the the 4-film Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection, as well as re-issue individual editions of the films Wrath of Khan, The Voyage Home, The Undiscovered Country and First Contact on both DVD and Blu-ray. The street date for those is still TBD, but will almost certainly be closely tied to the release of the Abrams film on disc. As always, please keep in mind that all of the information above should be considered unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make their official announcements. Stay tuned... 6/18/09 (UPDATED 6/19/09) We just wanted to post a quick update today on yet-to-be-announced catalog Blu-ray titles for the rest of 2009 - those that are likely for this year, and those which our sources have been able to confirm have been bumped into 2010. Here's the breakdown of titles that are still tentatively set for release this year (watch for official announcements in the next month or two): Braveheart, Gladiator: Extended, Forrest Gump, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, It's a Wonderful Life, TNG Star Trek films, Star Trek: TOS - Season 2 (Paramount), Galaxy Quest (DreamWorks), Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Quick and the Dead, Easy Rider, Sex, Lies and Videotape, Punch Drunk Love (Sony - titles in Yellow newly added), Gone with the Wind, North by Northwest, Heat (Warner Bros.), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Theatical Editions, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Green Mile (New Line) The following titles have been moved into 2010 (or later, or were already tentatively set for 2010)... To Live and Die in L.A. (MGM - Feb), Alien Quadrilogy, more Rogers & Hammerstein musicals (Fox - 2010), The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Chinatown, Flashdance (Paramount - TBA 2010), Ben-Hur, King Kong, Goonies (Warner Bros. - TBD - note that Goonies sees its 25th anniversary in 2010), Toy Story 1 & 2, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Fantasia, Fantasia 2000, Destino, Beauty and the Beast (Disney - TBA 2010), Back to the Future Trilogy (Universal - strongly rumored, as 2010 marks the original film's 25th anniversary) As always, all of the above information is to be considered unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned. 6/4/09 We've got some updated street dates for more forthcoming Paramount and DreamWorks catalog Blu-ray titles, and it looks like it's going to be a great line-up. Among those BD releases due later this year are Braveheart (9/1), Deep Impact, Escape from L.A. and 48 Hours (9/15), Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 2, Gladiator: Extended Edition and Galaxy Quest (9/22), and Forrest Gump and It's a Wonderful Life (11/3). What's more, the Star Trek: The Next Generation - Original Motion Picture Collection (which will include Generations, First Contact, Insurrection and Nemesis) is planned for release sometime in November or December, timed to coincide with the DVD/Blu-ray release of J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek (still TBA). Some of the classic Trek films (released on Blu-ray last month as part of the box set) will be available as single-film BD releases at that time as well. We'll post more details as they come in. As always, all of the above information should be considered unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned. 4/27/09 Our industry sources have informed us that Braveheart is due to arrive on Blu-ray Disc on 8/11 from Paramount. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Brugundy, Gladiator and Galaxy Quest are all tentatively planned for Blu-ray release in September, followed by South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut likely in October and Forrest Gump in November. And with a little luck, a Star Trek: Next Generation Motion Picture Collection will arrive sometime before the end of the year (likely around the same time as J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek and Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 2 & 3), containing Star Trek: Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis. Also today, sources are telling us to expect Warner to release New Line's Rush Hour on Blu-ray on 7/7, followed by Rush Hour 2 in early August. Also tentatively due in August are Chuck: Season 2, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 2 and Fringe: Season 1. Additional catalog titles we've been told to expect on Blu-ray before the end of the year from Warner and New Line include Nightmare on Elm Street, Snakes on a Plane, Sphere, Gremlins, Magnolia, Heat, Boogie Nights, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Logan's Run, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, The Green Mile, North by Northwest and more (all TBA). As always, all of the above information is to be consider unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned. 4/16/09 Okay... this is a quick one. Sources are confirming that Warner is soon to announce the DVD and Blu-ray release of Watchmen on 7/28. Also expected on Blu-ray from Warner (and New Line) sometime in July and August are Rush Hour 1 & 2, Grumpy Old Men, the long awaited 300: Ultimate Edition BD (likely 7/28 as well) and the previously revealed Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles titles. As always, all of the above information is to be consider unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned. 3/16/09 Here's some news that you Lord of the Rings fans have been waiting for. Word from a couple of readers is that select FYE stores had signs up last week revealing that Warner Home Video will be releasing New Line's Lord of the Rings Trilogy on Blu-ray Disc in December. Some stores may even have begun taking preorders. This includes all three films. The titles are not yet listed on the company's website, but our industry sources have informed us that the studio's current plans do indeed call for all three films, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, to be released on Blu-ray in early December on Blu-ray in their original theatrical versions. There will likely be little in the way of extras, as both the extended versions and the special edition material are being held by director Peter Jackson for use in a future "ultimate edition" BD box set, planned for release when the two Hobbit films arrive in theatres and on DVD and Blu-ray starting in 2012. As you know, Warner alluded to the Rings films arriving on Blu-ray in 2009 late last year, in promotional inserts included with some of their recent BD titles. Let's hope they aren't overly DNR-ed. (That's a little message for you guys doing the digital mastering for Warner/New Line HD titles, in case you did realize it. On behalf of Blu-ray fans everywhere, PLEASE get the message and dial back the Digital Noise Reduction knob!) Thanks to Bits reader Dan R. and others for the heads-up. Also, as many of you know, Anchor Bay is currently working to bring The Children of the Corn to Blu-ray sometime this summer. Our sources say that at least one other catalog title, a classic anime, may be released on Blu-ray later this year from Anchor Bay as well. Hint: The Net is vast and infinite, but the Major is always watching... As always, all of the above information is to be consider unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned. 3/12/09 Okay, let's have another update on Paramount's catalog Blu-ray plans for 2009. Our industry sources are now telling us that Fatal Attraction is coming in June from the studio, with the second and third installments of Friday the 13th following in July. Other titles we've recently confirmed are in the works for Blu-ray release this year from Paramount (street date TBA, but they ARE coming) include South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, the Gladiator: Extended Edition and Forrest Gump. And as we've reported in the daily column recently, the Braveheart: Special Collector's Edition is also expected this year from the studio. Those are great titles all, and on behalf of The Bits staff, let me just say to the Blu crew up on the Melrose lot how impressed we all by the number and overall A/V quality of your catalog titles in 1080p. May we put in a good word for Galaxy Quest (eventually), The Peacemaker and Once Upon a Time in the West? Finally, speaking of Paramount, our industry sources tell us that the studio will deliver David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on both DVD and Blu-ray Disc on 5/5, each as a 2-disc set. As always, all of the above information is to be consider unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned... 2/19/09 Okay, Alien fans... you'll be pleased with this. You may have read at the excellent Bloody Disgusting website today that the first three films in the Alien series are rumored for release later this year on Blu-ray by 20th Century Fox. We've actually hinted previously here that you might see them on BD in 2009. Now, however, we CAN confirm that our industry sources have informed us that Fox's current plans call for not just the first three films, but the ENTIRE Alien Quadrilogy set to be ported over to Blu-ray Disc for a late 2009 release. This would include all four films in the series - the complete set will all extras - and likely new material created exclusively for the Blu-ray release as well. We understand that the work is still on-going and (as always with these Rumor Mill posts) all of this is subject to change. But with a little luck, the Quad set should make its debut in 1080p before the year is out. Stay tuned! 2/11/09 Those of you into genre TV will be pleased to learn that Warner and the BBC are currently planning the DVD and Blu-ray release of Torchwood: Season 3 in July. Beyond that, Warner is working on Chuck: Season 2, Fringe: Season 1 and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season 2 for release on both DVD and Blu-ray sometime in the third quarter (likely August). And on the catalog film front, we've now hearing from our industry sources that Paramount is planning the May release of Paycheck, Changing Lanes and Three Days of the Condor in addition to those titles we mentioned last week. What's more, we have word that the studio is currently planning to release Braveheart on Blu-ray this summer as well. Any Star Trek fans in the house? Official announcements have yet to be made, but artwork has already started leaking out of European studio sources. We've posted the Blu-ray cover art for Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One Remastered previously here on the site, but when Season Two and Three are released, here's what they'll (likely) all look like... Finally, sources are telling us that Buena Vista is currently planning or starting work on new Blu-ray editions both Toy Story 1 and 2, in anticipation of the 2010 theatrical release of Toy Story 3, as well as the original Tron, planned to tie into the 2011 release of Tron 2.0. We also hear that work has finally begun on a new Blu-ray release of Armageddon, for release later in 2009 or early 2010. As always, all of the above information is to be consider unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make official announcements. Stay tuned... 2/2/09 Good news for you Indy fans... our industry sources have confirmed that the planned Indiana Jones Trilogy Blu-ray release this holiday season is the real deal. Look for it in the 4th quarter, obviously from Paramount and Lucasfilm. While we're looking ahead, our sources tell us that Paramount also has both Wayne's World films planned for Blu-ray release in the next few months (likely in May), along with Enemy at the Gates and The Machinist. All are already available on DVD. We're hearing early word that Collateral and both Riddick films (Pitch Black and The Chronicles of Riddick) are coming to Blu-ray in the next few months (from DreamWorks and Universal respectively). Sources tell us that Buena Vista will debut Doubt on both DVD and Blu-ray in early April (likely 4/7), and that Genius Products and The Weinstein Company have The Reader planned for April as well (both formats, likely 4/14). Finally, /film is reporting on a comment by director Quentin Tarantino at the recent Sundance Film Festival that his Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is still planned for release at some point in the future. /film has posted a video clip in which he talks about a new animated sequence he produced for the cut with Production IG. Do check it out. The title will eventually be released by Genius and Weinstein, presumably on both DVD and Blu-ray. We haven't confirmed this particular bit of info, but as it comes from Tarantino himself, it's worth repeating here. Thanks to Bits reader Chris M. for the link. As always, everything we've reported above from our sources should be considered unofficial and subject to change until the studios in question make actual announcements and issue the relevant press releases. Stay tuned... 1/30/09 Okay... here's an interesting bit of information that leaked on the Net yesterday. The Cool Toy Review website posted shots from a Lucasfilm sales presentation that revealed the Holiday 2009 release of a second LEGO Indiana Jones video game... and the complete Indiana Jones Trilogy on Blu-ray Disc. The post was pulled down faster than you can say Lost Ark, but a few other sites still link to the URL it was at, including The Private Universe. We're trying to confirm this with our industry sources, so we'll let you know when we do. Lucasfilm has already let it be officially known that Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season One is coming to Blu later this year via Warner (our sources say it will likely hit stores in November), so this would mean that Lucasfilm is embracing the format in a big way this year. Our sources have previously informed us that at least some of the Star Wars films may be on deck for Blu-ray release starting in 2010, but that's still a ways off. As is always the case with Lucasfilm news, we'll believe it all when we see the actual discs on the shelf. Speaking of Warner, our friends over at Blu-ray.com have recently indicated that Heat is being remastered for Blu-ray release this year. We can confirm it - watch for it to street very late in 2009. Other cool catalog titles that we know to be in the works at the studio include Sphere, Grumpy Old Men and Logan's Run. This is in addition to the MAJOR classic titles that Warner confirmed last year were likely to hit Blu-ray in 2009, including The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind and North by Northwest. As always, all these titles are to be considered unofficial and subject to change until actually announced by the studios in question. Stay tuned... 1/27/09 Industry sources are telling us that Paramount is getting ready to announce a number of new catalog Blu-ray titles for release in March and April, including Things We Lost in the Fire, A Mighty Heart, Mean Girls, The Last Kiss and Strange Wilderness. Primal Fear and South Park: Season 12 are already announced for Blu-ray release on 3/10, with Van Wilder: Freshman Year Unrated following on 3/17, The Kite Runner on 3/24, and Arctic Tale on 4/21. You MAY see the official Star Trek Blu-ray announcement in the next few weeks as well. Also, we expect that 20th Century Fox will make their new X-Men Trilogy Blu-rays official in the next week or two with a detailed press release and cover art. They're currently expected to street in April (likely on 4/21). We'll post all the details in our daily My Two Cents column as soon as the come in. As always, all of this information should be considered unofficial until actual studio announcements are made. Stay tuned... 1/21/09 Industry sources are telling us that Warner is soon to announce a pair of animated Watchmen-related titles for release on DVD and Blu-ray in March, including Watchmen: Motion Comics and the Watchman: Black Freighter/Under the Hood double feature. This is part of a promotion/tie-in to the theatrical release of the new live action film on 3/6. Watch for official details in the next few weeks. Speaking of Watchmen, word is that when Warner releases the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film later in 2009, they'll also release a more elaborate and updated Blu-ray version of 300, presumably with those new interactive special features that director Zack Snyder said he was planning back at Comic-Con 2007. Also, sources have confirmed that HBO's Blu-ray slate for 2009 will include both the recent John Adams and Generation Kill miniseries. Look for them to arrive in stores likely in June. Stay tuned... 12/31/08 A few of our retail sources have checked in over the last few days to report that Warner is tentatively planning to release the CG-animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Season One, Volume One on DVD (and possibly Blu-ray Disc) on 3/25. This would presumably include the first 10 or 12 episodes of the series only (and be the first release of several), as the season is continuing well into 2009. We're checking with the studio, so consider this strictly grain-of-salt until we get direct confirmation or an official announcement is made. Still, potentially cool news. Stay tuned... 12/11/08 This is just a quick update to let you all know that our industry sources tell us that 20th Century Fox is getting ready to release The Robe (1953) and The Sound of Music (1965) on Blu-ray Disc in early 2009! [Editor's note: Shortly after we posted this, our sources came back with word that it's actually South Pacific, not Sound of Music, that's up for BD release first. We'll look into it further.] Neither title is yet official, but both are tentatively planned for release in March or April, so watch for announcements in the next few weeks. As always, keep in mind that these titles and dates ARE unofficial and are subject to change until they're actually officially announced by the studios in press releases and retail solicitations. Stay tuned... 12/3/08 Our sources have reported to us that Universal and DreamWorks are working on a Blu-ray version of Ridley Scott's Gladiator for release sometime in the first half of 2009. We've actually been hearing this from our sources here for a while, but Bits reader Christian O. e-mailed us this morning from Germany to report that copies of Universal's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor there include a promotional flyer that reveals the title as "coming soon" to the format, so we felt this would be a good time to mention it. We've also been hearing recently that the folks at Disney and Pixar are already hard at work on the eventual Blu-ray releases of Toy Story and Toy Story 2 (possibly due in late 2009, but more likely 2010), which are designed be part of the build-up to the theatrical release of Toy Story 3 in 2010. And our studio sources have confirmed that Warner Home Video is getting ready to bow a Gremlins: 25th Anniversary Edition Special Edition Blu-ray in sometime in early 2009 as well. We're also told that a similar edition of The Goonies is not far behind. (The Goonies is already available in Japan - it streeted there in October). For those of you who have recently made the leap to Blu-ray Disc, we thought we'd give you a little round-up/update/summary today of some of the great titles you can look forward to on the format in the next year or so. Many of these titles we've reported here at The Bits previously, while a select few of them we're revealing for the first time. All are known to us to be in the planning or production stages for release on Blu-ray, and much of this information has come to us directly from studio sources... though please keep in mind that none these titles are as yet set in stone. That said, titles to watch out for in the next 12 months or so include Escape from New York, The Silence of the Lambs, a Star Trek "Kirk and Spock" box set (including films 1-6), six more catalog Bond titles (see Monday's Rumor Mill post), the theatrical versions of The Lord of the Rings films, possibly some or all of the Alien films, Sin City, Chinatown, Deep Impact, The Ten Commandments, Sunset Boulevard, Apocalypse Now, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Stardust, The Longest Yard (remake), Saturday Night Fever, Flashdance, The Elephant Man, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), possibly Titanic, Gigi, An American in Paris, Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai, Dr. Strangelove, Ghostbusters 1 & 2, Mutiny on the Bounty, The Matix: 10th Anniversary, a more elaborate version of 300, the original King Kong, Rush Hour, Forbidden Planet, Grand Prix, Excalibur, The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Woodstock, North by Northwest, Ben-Hur, all the major theatrical releases for the next year and much, much more. The point is, if you love Blu-ray, there's a LOT of great titles in the works. As always, keep in mind that these titles and dates ARE unofficial and are subject to change until they're actually officially announced by the studios in press releases and retail solicitations. Stay tuned... 12/1/08 So... here's the latest on the next round of James Bond catalog Blu-ray releases from our industry sources. It appears that Fox and MGM have tentatively set the following titles for the second wave of Blu-rays: Goldfinger, GoldenEye, License to Kill, The World Is Not Enough, Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker. As with their excellent first round of titles, these will include all of the previous DVD extras along with a few new features and select featurettes upgraded to full 1080p. And here's the best news: You won't have long to wait for them. Word is they're tentatively set to street sometime in March or April, timed to coincide with the DVD and Blu-ray Disc release of the latest film, Quantum of Solace, which is currently in theatres. Nice! As always, keep in mind that these titles and dates ARE unofficial and are subject to change until they're actually officially announced by the studios in press releases and retail solicitations. Stay tuned... Archived Posts
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