First though, our own Russell Hammond has updated the Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD and Video Game cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from the retailer after clicking through to them from our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we greatly appreciate it!
Also… before we get to the official announcements and while we’re on the topic of Amazon, the online retailer is now taking pre-orders on a number of new and as-yet-unannounced film and TV titles, including World War Z, Despicable Me 2, White House Down, The Hangover III, This Is the End and Bates Motel: Season One (street date 9/17). Click on the links to pre-order and for additional details and (in some cases) temp artwork.
Now then… the biggest title to be officially announced in the last few days is Marvel and Disney’s Iron Man 3. On 9/24, you’ll get Blu-ray 3D Combo, Blu-ray Combo and DVD versions of the title (SRP $49.99, $44.99 and $29.99). Extras on the Blu-ray versions will include audio commentary with writer Drew Pearce and director Shane Black, a gag reel, deleted and extended scenes and 3 featurettes (Deconstructing the Scene: Attack on Air Force One, Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look – Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World and Marvel’s Iron Man 3 Unmasked) and more TBA.
Disney has also set Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas for release as a 20th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray 3D combo, Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 9/10. There’s little information yet on new extras, but it appears that the set will at least include all the extras from the previous versions.
Note that Disney has also set a number of TV titles for DVD only release on September, including Scandal: The Complete Second Season on 9/3, Army Wives: The Complete Seventh Season and Castle: The Complete Fifth Season on 9/10, Nashville: The Complete First Season on 9/17 and The Neighbors: The Complete 1st Season on 9/24.
Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has set Homeland: Season Two for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 9/10. Extras on the Blu-ray will include 4 featurettes (Return to the Homeland: Filming in Israel, Damian Lewis: A Personal Video Diary and The Choice: The Making of the Season Finale), deleted scenes and a video prologue to the upcoming Season Three called The Border.
Fox has also set Sons of Anarchy: Season Five for Blu-ray and DVD release on 8/27. Extras will include audio commentary on 2 episodes, deleted scenes, a gag reel and 3 featurettes.
HBO has officially confirmed that Game of Thrones: Season Three will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on 2/18/2014, set to help promote the debut of Season Four on the pay cable network. Click here for additional details, including word of fan voting on exclusive cover artwork.
Paramount has set the comedy/actioner Pain & Gain for release on Blu-ray Combo and DVD on 8/27. Based on the press releases and the studio press site, it appears that there are no extras to speak of on the set whatsoever, beyond an UltraViolet digital copy.
CBS and Paramount have also announced the extras that will be included on CBS’ Star Trek: Enterprise – Season Two Blu-ray release on 8/20. In addition to all the extras from the Season Two DVD release (including the Best Buy-exclusive featurette), you’ll get the following all-new features: Audio commentary by Chris Black and Mike & Denise Okuda on Carbon Creek, audio commentary by John Billingsley and Bonita Friedericy on Regeneration, audio commentary with Chris Black and Mike and Denise Okuda on First Flight, the In Conversation: The First Crew complete cast reunion documentary moderated by Brannon Braga (approx. 94 minutes in length – we hear this includes very candid discussion of the controversial series finale, as well as the actors thoughts on the show’s strengths and weaknesses and much more) and the 3-part Uncharted Territory documentary on the production of Season Two (90 minutes total, including Part 1: Destination Unknown, Part 2: First Crew and Part 3: Course Correction).
Shout! Factory has set the BBC’s Sapphire & Steel: The Complete Series for DVD release on 8/27.
And finally, Entertainment One has set Femme Fatales: The Complete Second Season for DVD only release on 7/16. Extras will include audio commentary on every episode, the international version of the episode Libra with commentary, deleted scenes, video of the Comic-Con 2012 panel and the second season premiere and 6 featurettes (It’s Not Personal, It’s Just Business: The Making of Family Business, Libra Rising: The Making of Libra, Defining Femme Fatales, Lilith: Daughter of Darkness and The Femmes of Femme Fatales).
Here’s a look at the Blu-ray cover art for Fox’s Homeland: Season Two, Paramount’s Pain & Gain, Disney’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: 20th Anniversary Edition (BD3D), both BD versions of Disney’s Iron Man 3 and CBS’ Star Trek: Enterprise – Season Two…
Stay tuned…
- Bill Hunt