Avatar Blu-ray Officially Announced
After weeks of speculation and rumors, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced Avatar on Blu-ray. As James Cameron himself revealed a month ago (see blu-ray.com, February 18), the release date has been set for Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day). In a first for a major theatrical release on Blu-ray, the studio will go Superbit on James Cameron's megablockbuster and release it without any special features of any sort, in order to maximize audio and video quality. A DVD will be included with the BD.
Avatar producer Jon Landau explained to the Los Angeles Times that they told Fox that "we wanted to do something really special and reach for the best presentation of any film in the history of the format." Landau adds, "Everything that is put on a disc takes up room – the menus, the extras, the trailers and studio promotions – and we got rid of all of that so we could give this movie the best picture and sound possible." Extra time and care have been devoted to this project, with the video compression sessions taking six weeks, as opposed to the usual two weeks for a typical theatrical release.
A multidisc "ultimate version" Blu-ray is planned for November. Details will be given during a press event in March 23, which will be attended by Landau and Cameron.
Regarding a 3D release, Fox sources again denied reports that it would come out later this year. The Digital Bits hazards a guess that it will probably come "in a third dip a year or two from now", once there is a market for 3D on Blu-ray.
Avatar release dates in other territories are:
Belgium: April 21
France: April 21
Netherlands: April 21
Spain: April 21
Brazil: April 22
Canada: April 22
China: April 22
Russia: April 22
Germany: April 23
Japan: April 23
Mexico: April 23
Switzerland: April 23
UK: April 26
Denmark: April 27
New Zealand: April 28
Norway: April 28
Sweden: April 28
Australia: April 29
Finland: April 30
Italy: May 6
La blague du jour quoi !!!
!!! cameron et la fox ils y tiennent a leurs vache a lait . en gro sla ils sorte le film sur un bluray , sans aucun splement , mais bon ils vont mettre un dvd de bonus pour dire que ... et pis ils on annoncer une editrion ultimate pour novembre et la version 3D plus tard.
ah oui et cameron va resortir le film en salle cet ete avec des " never seen beofre extra footage " .....
c'est obn on s'en bat les cluilles quoi il y aura the expendables