Episode III DVD Set for November 1st Release

[Darth Fanboy]

LINKY

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Force will return to retail stores Nov. 1 with a double whammy: "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" will be released on DVD, and "Star Wars Battlefront II" will be made available for all the top video game platforms.

"Sith" is the year's top-grossing movie, with domestic box office earnings of $373.9 million (and an additional $425 million overseas). The two-disc set will include a full-length documentary; two new featurettes, one exploring the prophecy of Anakin Skywalker as the Chosen One and the other on the movie's stunts; and a 15-part collection of "Web documentaries."

The five previous "Star Wars" movies have sold "well in excess" of 100 million units on DVD and VHS, said Steve Feldstein, senior vp marketing communications at 20th Century Fox, which is partnering on the release with "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm production banner.

Lucas was personally involved in the creation of the "Sith" DVD and its bonus features, said Lucasfilm vp marketing and distribution Jim Ward.

"From the beginning of production, George wanted to be sure we chronicled everything that went into the making of 'Episode III' specifically to create an incredible DVD experience," Ward said. "This DVD has literally been three years in the making."

For video gamers, LucasArts' "Star Wars Battlefront II" will be available for Sony's PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, Microsoft's Xbox and Windows platforms. It is the sequel to the best-selling "Star Wars" video game of all time and adds all-new space combat, playable Jedi characters and never-before-seen environments from "Sith."

The game also offers a new single-player experience that takes the player through an epic saga centered on Darth Vader's elite 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. Every action the player takes has an impact on the battlefield and, ultimately, on the entire "Star Wars" galaxy.

The "Sith" DVD will include a demo of two levels from the game, playable only on Xbox.

sweeeeet sounding to me.

[Techno_Union]

Awesome awesome awesome. I really can't wait for this to come out.

Just to check: are they inlcuding deleted scenes with the bonus features?

[Noble Ire]

Definately worth buying, both of them.
I didnt know about the Battlefront 2 single player, sounds a whole lot better than the original.

[Vympel]

I want to know about Deleted Scenes.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

For those interested, you can see the cover here (link will probably change later today, but I'll fix it when it does):
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

[Admiral Bravo]

Very nice.

[Jack Bauer]

I'm totally stoked about Battlefront II. Can't wait for November. I loved Battlefront I, many hours of fun there.

[Zwinmar]

Saweeet, must get both

[Freeman's Trigger-Finger]

Tiny nitpick: I was hoping for a dark-Anakin on the cover of the DVD, hooded and cloaked as he is later on in the movie, but as I say, only a nitpick.

Otherwise, great news. It's released a mere three days before my birthday, most conveniant.

I didnt really enjoy the first Battlefront all to much, mainly due to the poor flying parts of the game and the lack of emphasis on battlefield tactics. I haven't really been following news on the sequel, I may pick it up, if it's improved since the last game.

[Brother-Captain Gaius]

Battlefront 2 on PSP? How does that work?

Anyways, a couple months ago I'd be ecstatic about it. Now, Battlefield 2 has spoiled me quite a bit on the subgenre, so I dunno if I'll be able to like 'Front 2 as much as I did the original.

[Kurgan]

LINKY

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The Force will return to retail stores Nov. 1 with a double whammy: "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" will be released on DVD, and "Star Wars Battlefront II" will be made available for all the top video game platforms.

"Sith" is the year's top-grossing movie, with domestic box office earnings of $373.9 million (and an additional $425 million overseas). The two-disc set will include a full-length documentary; two new featurettes, one exploring the prophecy of Anakin Skywalker as the Chosen One and the other on the movie's stunts; and a 15-part collection of "Web documentaries."

The five previous "Star Wars" movies have sold "well in excess" of 100 million units on DVD and VHS, said Steve Feldstein, senior vp marketing communications at 20th Century Fox, which is partnering on the release with "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' Lucasfilm production banner.

Lucas was personally involved in the creation of the "Sith" DVD and its bonus features, said Lucasfilm vp marketing and distribution Jim Ward.

"From the beginning of production, George wanted to be sure we chronicled everything that went into the making of 'Episode III' specifically to create an incredible DVD experience," Ward said. "This DVD has literally been three years in the making."

For video gamers, LucasArts' "Star Wars Battlefront II" will be available for Sony's PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, Microsoft's Xbox and Windows platforms. It is the sequel to the best-selling "Star Wars" video game of all time and adds all-new space combat, playable Jedi characters and never-before-seen environments from "Sith."

The game also offers a new single-player experience that takes the player through an epic saga centered on Darth Vader's elite 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. Every action the player takes has an impact on the battlefield and, ultimately, on the entire "Star Wars" galaxy.

The "Sith" DVD will include a demo of two levels from the game, playable only on Xbox.

sweeeeet sounding to me.

The video game stuff is needless padding. I'd much rather see something related to the film than that crap. AOTC didn't need it. TPM had the Episode I Star Fighter stuff, OT had the Episode III game AND Battlefront. This is getting out of hand... oh well, more $$$ for micro$oft!

Simultaneous release with a SWBF title? Potentially very bad news both for game fans and for ROTS fans. Remember the OT DVD set? 'nuff said.

Originally I heard it was going to be Nov. 6 or 8. Not that an extra week would make a whole lot of difference, but in the case above, any extra testing would have helped. ;p

[Noble Ire]

The video game stuff is needless padding. I'd much rather see something related to the film than that crap. AOTC didn't need it. TPM had the Episode I Star Fighter stuff, OT had the Episode III game AND Battlefront. This is getting out of hand... oh well, more $$$ for micro$oft!

Simultaneous release with a SWBF title? Potentially very bad news both for game fans and for ROTS fans. Remember the OT DVD set? 'nuff said.

Originally I heard it was going to be Nov. 6 or 8. Not that an extra week would make a whole lot of difference, but in the case above, any extra testing would have helped. ;p

I assume you disliked BF1. And the OT DVD.

Certainly, extra testing wouldnt hurt, but its not like setting a release date like that is going to make or break either the game or the DVD. They were working on the OT:DVD for years, and as you say, another week wouldnt have changed that. And there's nothing unusual about the DVD release date. Most new films get released after half a year now.

AS for the game ads, boo hoo, you dont have to watch them. Its not like they would have added any other movie-related stuff if they hadnt put in the promo.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

The OT DVD set was finished more or less by early Summer 2004, since the DVDs were leaked in final form around June, about three months before the set was released.

I would assume that the RotS DVD, at least for the film itself, is probably already or nearly finished at this time.

Besides, on a DVD, it's not like the game material actually takes up that much space. There'd be more than likely no difference to any of the DVDs if they were absent: it's more or less just filling up empty space.

[JME2]

Excellent. My friends and I now know when to schedule our saga marathon...

[Kurgan]

The video game stuff is needless padding. I'd much rather see something related to the film than that crap. AOTC didn't need it. TPM had the Episode I Star Fighter stuff, OT had the Episode III game AND Battlefront. This is getting out of hand... oh well, more $$$ for micro$oft!

Simultaneous release with a SWBF title? Potentially very bad news both for game fans and for ROTS fans. Remember the OT DVD set? 'nuff said.

Originally I heard it was going to be Nov. 6 or 8. Not that an extra week would make a whole lot of difference, but in the case above, any extra testing would have helped. ;p

I assume you disliked BF1. And the OT DVD.

You assume incorrectly. I felt SWBF (is that what you meant by "BF1"? If you mean Battlefield 1942 I've never played that game) was a mediocre game actually. Lots of promise in concept but definately overhyped and unpolished in the final execution. It still leaves much to be desired from what it was marketed as. I liked the OT DVD, but like many fans not only was I displeased that Lucas stubbornly refuses to release the original movies on DVD alongside his tweaked versions but also that Lowry Digital and anyone else in charge of production screwed up in so many obvious areas like the color balancing/timing, lighting and sound gaffes in what should have been the "ultimate home release" of the trilogy in 15 years (not to mention skimping on actual bonus material... when you had the TPM and AOTC DVD's setting the bar for extra content).

If I'm buying the OT DVD's I honestly could care less about Battlefront or the Episode III Video game. Like I said, it's needless padding. I'd much rather have some deleted scenes, interviews, behind the scenes about (hello!) the movies I'm buying. It's not like Lucas couldn't have used the space with the entire libraries of said material that's already been done, for completeness sake. That's my beef, not some hidden dislike of Star Wars (SWBF didn't suck, it was just a let-down from what was promised). Clearly both SWBF and the OT DVD's were rushed to coincide with each other as a commercial media event, thus hurting the quality of both products.

Certainly, extra testing wouldnt hurt, but its not like setting a release date like that is going to make or break either the game or the DVD.

Like it or not, both products show signs of being rushed to get the optimum "sales window" and media event. Since both products are seperate (different teams, different talents and budgets, etc) they have different needs. Tying them needlessly together (in an attempt to make more money of course) forced two disimilar products to release at the same time, necessitating the cutting of corners in testing, and other problems. The DVD's can't be "corrected" and patching a console game is rather difficult to implement, even today. The PC game was patched but seems to be on hiatus in mid-beta. They've all but admitted that the Multiplayer for the pc game is basically unfinished.

They were working on the OT:DVD for years, and as you say, another week wouldnt have changed that. And there's nothing unusual about the DVD release date. Most new films get released after half a year now.

Maybe, maybe not. That extra week they probably would have sat on the shelves or in the back of the store in boxes. Another month perhaps. Sometime before the final approval and sending it to pressing. One run through of each of the movies (which would take a total of about 6 hours) with one or two people who paid attention and weren't color-blind would reveal the obvious errors. The sound thing would be harder to catch for somebody who wasn't super savy, but oh well. Have a sound guy listen to each track of the movies, etc. You could save time by having a group of people in a room doing it while another group is doing the same thing in another room with another setting, etc. With the manpower they've got access to they could hammer out the mistakes in a day.

AS for the game ads, boo hoo, you dont have to watch them. Its not like they would have added any other movie-related stuff if they hadnt put in the promo.

Yeah, no deleted scenes, interviews or other content related to the movies for you. Instead you get space filler with Xbox game demos, videos of those games, and production about those games. Suck it up fanboy!

That's like releasing The Terminator for the first time on DVD and devoting half the disc to the Terminator 3 console game. Filler. F-i-l-l-e-r (and shameless to boot). Yes, it's extra bad because the SWBF stuff rubs in the reminder of a major reason why there were so many production goofs in the DVD set. The Episode III game apparently turned out pretty good, but of course PC game fans like myself could care less.

Lucas can win back my respect by putting some Classic Trilogy deleted scenes and other bonus content on the ROTS DVD I guess.

[Kurgan]

The OT DVD set was finished more or less by early Summer 2004, since the DVDs were leaked in final form around June, about three months before the set was released.

I would assume that the RotS DVD, at least for the film itself, is probably already or nearly finished at this time.

Besides, on a DVD, it's not like the game material actually takes up that much space. There'd be more than likely no difference to any of the DVDs if they were absent: it's more or less just filling up empty space.

The "screener" dvd is already leaked. Maybe you're right.

Yeah and the OT bonus content that could have replaced it similarly wouldn't take up that much space either. But at least it would be something people want AND actually fit with the package. It's definately filler, so I'd rather have "topical filler", wouldn't you?

warning: bias detected!
PS: Maybe I am spoiled, because I get free copies of LucasArts games like SWBF (and soon SWBF2) so an Xbox only demo doesn't really tempt me.

SWBF2 will have a long way to go to impress me after the disappointment that was SWBF1. But who knows, maybe they'll pull it off. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now...

[DoctorPhanan]

Hopefully, they release the "Final" boxed set with all 6 movies, plus (of course) 1 more for the bonus conent, perhaps with the "Empire of Dreams" documentary, and that other documentary they released right before RotS.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Hopefully, they release the "Final" boxed set with all 6 movies, plus (of course) 1 more for the bonus conent, perhaps with the "Empire of Dreams" documentary, and that other documentary they released right before RotS.

Not until about 2007 or 2008.

[Kurgan]

Hopefully, they release the "Final" boxed set with all 6 movies, plus (of course) 1 more for the bonus conent, perhaps with the "Empire of Dreams" documentary, and that other documentary they released right before RotS.

Not until about 2007 or 2008.

On High Def (HD-DVD or Blu-Ray, whichever one wins?) and in 3-D?

Luca$ is a money-making genius!

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Never in 3D for the home market, because the specific 3D conversion process is incompatible with home theatre equipment, primarily because current monitors and projectors have too slow of a refresh rate than is required for the process to work.

[Kurgan]

Never in 3D for the home market, because the specific 3D conversion process is incompatible with home theatre equipment, primarily because current monitors and projectors have too slow of a refresh rate than is required for the process to work.

Why couldn't they do it like those 3-D glasses they currently have for Video games? Or even the 3-D movies they already have on the home market (although I admit the ones I know of use more primitive methods than the polorized rayban style sunglasses style lenses you use at IMAX 3-D like the red/blue tints for example).

I'm not an expert on 3-D technology, but I thought all this process did was create two images and then layer them on top through the glasses. That's what the Video game glasses do as well, if I'm not mistaken. Or is this some all-new never-before-seen process Lucas is saying he'll be using that's too amazing for the home market?

If not, they could always do it in some "inferior" process for the home market. I mean why not?

[Spanky The Dolphin]

I'm not an expert on 3-D technology, but I thought all this process did was create two images and then layer them on top through the glasses. That's what the Video game glasses do as well, if I'm not mistaken. Or is this some all-new never-before-seen process Lucas is saying he'll be using that's too amazing for the home market?

It's a brand-new process that can more or less literally "convert" regular 2D films into 3D ones, but also allows filming in 3D as well. And one important factor happens to be concerning refresh rate. It was literally just developed last year and this year, and is the same thing that James Cameron wants to shoot his Battle Angel Alita film in.

It's not that it's "too amazing for the home market," it's that it simply doesn't work on current standard home theatre equipment. You'd have to design and sell new monitors and projectors that take the process' specs into consideration.

I suppose I could go searching and scrounge up all the news about it back when it broke around April-May, but I really don't want to.

[Kurgan]

I'm not an expert on 3-D technology, but I thought all this process did was create two images and then layer them on top through the glasses. That's what the Video game glasses do as well, if I'm not mistaken. Or is this some all-new never-before-seen process Lucas is saying he'll be using that's too amazing for the home market?

It's a brand-new process that can more or less literally "convert" regular 2D films into 3D ones, but also allows filming in 3D as well. And one important factor happens to be concerning refresh rate. It was literally just developed last year and this year, and is the same thing that James Cameron wants to shoot his Battle Angel Alita film in.

It's not that it's "too amazing for the home market," it's that it simply doesn't work on current standard home theatre equipment. You'd have to design and sell new monitors and projectors that take the process' specs into consideration.

I suppose I could go searching and scrounge up all the news about it back when it broke around April-May, but I really don't want to.

Okay, I really didn't want to look it up either.

If it's a completely new process fine, when I heard about it, it didn't sound like it was anything that hadn't been done before. Maybe it wouldn't work on regular TV's, but I figured modern computer monitors and HD TV's would be up to the task. Oh well...