Universal Studios Home Entertainment Ready On May 31 With Blu-ray And DVD Editions Of Director Stephen Hopkins' Race

Director Stephen Hopkins’ biopic, Race, the story of Jesse Owens (played by Stephan James — Selma, When the Game Stands Tall) and the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany will be arriving in the home entertainment market place as both DVD and Blu-ray selections on May 31 courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

The ARR is 102 days and box office receipts were a lackluster $18.8 million.

The son of a sharecropper, acclaimed track athlete at The Ohio State University (he paid his own way through school) — he set three world records against “That School Up North” in a 45-minute period on May 25, 1935 — and would go onto win four Gold Medals at the 1936 Olympics.   Race follows these events and backs them with some solid CGI that gives the view a sense of being in Berlin with The Fuhrer lording over the proceedings.

Other cast members include Jason Sudeikis as the legendary Buckeye coach Larry Snyder, Jeremy Irons as Avery Brundage and Carice van Houten as the iconic German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl.

Bonus features include a pair of featurettes that are common to both the DVD and Blu-ray editions — “Becoming Jesse Owen” and “The Owens Sisters.”  Exclusive to the Blu-ray SKU is the featurette titled “The Making of Race.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Picks May 31 For 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack Day/Date Release Of Writer/Director Burr Steers' Pride + Prejudice + Zombies

Jane Austen meets George A. Romero … that’s what is in store for genre fans (genre fans with a touch of class, that is) on May 31 as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment unleashes a three-SKU helping of writer/director Burr Steers’ film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 parody novel, Pride + Prejudice + Zombies.

The ARR is 116 days and box office receipts were a bit light at just $10.9 million, but that won’t detour Sony from including a day/date release of the newly launched 4K Ultra HD format (a Blu-ray combo pack is in the mix) as part of the product mix.   DVD and Blu-ray editions will also be available.

Colonel Darcy (Sam Riley — Maleficent, Control, etc.) is hot the trail of a 19^th Century zombie outbreak, which leads him to the Bennet sisters and lovely Elizabeth (Lily James — as Lady Rose MacClare in the Downton Abbey television series, plus such films as Burnt, Cinderella and Wrath of the Titans), who is skilled in martial arts and, of course, social manners.

Bonus nuggets include a pair of featurettes that are common to all three SKUs — “Courtship, Class and Carnage: Meet The Cast” and “From Austen to Zombies: Adapting a Classic.”   

Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack editions include four additional featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

And speaking of 4K Ultra HD, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has picked June 7 for the release of new 4K restorations of both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II … timed to take advantage of the new female re-launch of the franchise on July 15.

Bonus goodies for the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack release of Ghostbusters includes commentary from director Ivan Reitman, writer Harold Ramis and producer Joe Medjuck, the iconic music video from Ray Parker, Jr., ten deleted scenes, four featurettes and part one of a video session with Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd titled, “Who You Gonna Call: A Ghostbusters Retrospective.”

The second part of the session, titled “Time Is But A Window: Ghostbusters II and Beyond,” is featured on the 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack of Ghostbusters II.   Other bonus goodies for that SKU include deleted scenes and the Bobby Brown music video, “On Our Own.”

Jordan's Official Entry In The 2015 Oscar Derby For Best Foreign Language Film, Theeb, Will Be Available From Film Movement As Blu-ray And DVD Selections On May 17

One nice thing about home entertainment is the availability of arthouse and foreign language imports that rarely make it out to the suburbs.  

Of the 2015 crop of Best Foreign Language contenders, Sony Pictures was the first out with a release date for what proved to be the Oscar-winner, Son of Saul (the official entry from Hungary), which streets on Apr. 26.   Cohen Media Group will bring France’s selection, Mustang, to market on May 10, Magnolia Home Entertainment tabbed June 7 as the release for Denmark’s A War and last week Oscilloscope Laboratories selected June 21 for Colombian filmmaker Ciro Guerra’s stunning Embrace of the Serpent.

The list is now complete as Film Movement announced this week that both DVD and Blu-ray editions of Jordan’s Best Foreign Language entry, writer/director Naji Abu Nowar’s Theeb will be available for viewing on May 17.

The ARR is 193 days and domestic ticket sales currently stand at $276,327.

100 years ago and war rages in the Middle East — ironically, not much has changed — and a Bedouin named Hussein (played by Hussein Salameh Al-Sweilhiyeen) agrees to guide a British Officer by the name of Edward (Jack Fox — Privates, Blood Moon) on a clandestine mission to scout water resources in the desert.   Much to the chagrin of Hussein, his little brother, Theeb (Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat), decides to tag along … once discovered it is too late to turn back!

Bonus features include commentary by filmmaker Naji Abu Nowar (his debut) and the 2015 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Best Short Film-winner, Waves’98 (written and directed by Lebanese filmmaker Ely Dagher).

Both Theeb and Waves’98 are presented in Arabic with English subtitles.

Paramount Home Media Tabs June 7 For DVD And Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Editions Of Director Michael Bay's 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Director Michael Bay’s film adaptation of Michael Zuckoff’s book, “13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi” — which was retitled for the screen to the more provocative 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi — will be heading to the home entertainment market place as a stand-alone DVD presentation and as a double-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack edition on June 7.

The ARR works out to 144 days and box office receipts were an impressive $52.9 million.

The film is pretty much apolitical, which was also the trust of Zuckoff’s book.  The action on Sept. 11 and 12 of 2012 in Benghazi is presented from the POV of the CIA contractors (dubbed the Global Response Staff, or simply GRS — CIA speak for “hired guns’), who were there to defend the “Annex” (a CIA “listening post” set up to monitor events in Libya) and no mention is made of either the President or the Secretary of State by name, nor any overt reason for Stevens to be where he was other than to reach out to more moderate elements of the Libyan community.   

If you need a point of reference as to what the film is about, think along the lines of director Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down … both films are remarkably similar in tone.  Basically, you have two buildings a little over a mile apart in Benghazi, a place that has turned into the Wild West.   Muammar Gaddafi is gone, there is a power vacuum and everyone has guns … and Americans get caught up in the chaos as events unfold at these two locations. 

 

The aforementioned “Annex” is home to the CIA (about 20 or so technicians) and a six-member team of highly skilled ex-Navy and ex-Army personnel.   The other place was Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens’ “Special Mission” facility and it looked more like a Palm Springs luxury home than an official State Department Embassy compound.   Over 2,200 linear feet of perimeter walls made the place indefensible.  It was a seven-acre property, with an upscale central residence, and a very, very nice swimming pool.   

To give you some idea of what a seven-acre luxury “estate” would be like to defend, the Alamo was a 4.2 acre complex and 183 soldiers couldn’t hold it … in contrast, Stevens (played by Matt Letscher) had just three armed State Department men as his security detail, so the chances of fighting off any sort of attack was a fool’s errand from the get-go.   The local security was a joke, and frankly no one could tell the good guys from the bad guys.

That’s your set-up.   Stevens is there and when the attack begins his security men get him into the “safe room” along with an unarmed IT technician by the name of Sean Smith (Christopher Dingli).   The room works as it was designed to work and the attackers were unable to get at the Ambassador … so out of frustration they set fire to the place.    It would later be revealed that both Smith and Stevens died of smoke inhalation.

From the “Annex” they can see the smoke coming from the compound and after an internal debate between the CIA chief (played by David Costabile) and the GRS staff a rescue mission is launched.   The CIA guy — who is simply named “Bob” (played by David Costabile) — fears that if his security team is gone they will be undefended.   His fears are well-grounded.

When the GRS team returns with Smith’s body and the three State Department operatives make their way to the “Annex” the action shifts there.   Repeated assaults upon the compound are turned back by the GRS team during the balance of the night and into pre-dawn darkness of the following day.  Again, think Black Hawk Down. 

There’s a signature Michael Bay scene in the aftermath of the battle where the local women — wives, mothers, sisters — “poetically” search for their love ones (it’s actually quite effective, but so very Michael Bay).

Meanwhile, another GRS team arrives at the airport and begins negotiations with the local Libyan military command to render aid.   At dawn, the attackers are better able to zero in on the “Annex” with mortar rounds and it is at this time that GRS members Glen "Bub" Doherty (Toby Stephens — as Captain Flint in the Black Sails television series) and Tyrone S. "Rone" Woods (James Badge Dale — The Walk, World War Z, etc.) are killed.

The movie ends with the “Annex” rescue and the surviving GRS team members standing guard over the fallen on the tarmac at the airport (again, a Michael Bay signature scene).

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is a well-produced, action-oriented re-telling of the events of the day.   If you come the film looking for answers as to the “why of it” … you’ll have to look elsewhere.

As to bonus features, these are limited to the Blu-ray SKU.  There is over an hour’s worth of material on a companion Blu-ray disc to the film itself that breaks down in to three components — “For the Record: Finding the Truth Amid the Noise,” “Uncovering Benghazi’s Secret Soldiers” and Preparing for Battle: Behind the Scenes of 13 Hours.”

Mill Creek Entertainment Has A Mega-Pack Bonanza Planned For June 7

It will be Mega-Packs galore on June 7!!!  

That’s what Mill Creek Entertainment has planned for those looking to build instant film libraries at very attractive pricing with 14 new multi-film collections, plus the complete 2000 mini-series, Arabian Nights (starring Mili Avital as Scheherezade, Alan Bates as the “Storyteller,” Jason Scott Lee as Aladdin and none other than John Leguizamo as the Genie). 

As has been Mill Creek Entertainment’s tradition over the years, the June 7 release calendar includes two new 50-film Mega Packs — 10 disc collections that are titled 50 Movie Collection: Mad Scientist Theater and 50 Movie Collection: Cowboy Legends.   

The SRP for each collection is just $29.98, which works out to just 60 cents per movie selection … and that’s before discounts at retail.

50 Movie Collection: Mad Scientist Theater features such vintage sci-fi and horror gems as King of the Zombies (1941, teaming Dick Purcell and Joan Woodbury with Mantan Moreland and Henry Victor as Dr. Sangre), The Brain That Wouldn’t Die (1962, starring Virginia Leith) and The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955, starring Kent Taylor, Cathy Downs and Michael Whalen, with Helene Stanton as the sinister Wanda). 

Plus there are three films from the Silent Era included in this collection — The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (also 1920) and Metropolis (1927).

The 50 Movie Collection: Cowboy Legends features such Western classics as five early John Wayne films (Winds of the Wasteland, Riders of Destiny, ‘Neath the Arizona Skies, The Dawn Rider and Angel and the Badman), plus five starring Roy Rogers (Days of Jesse James, Hands Across the Border, King of the Cowboys, The Ranger and the Lady and South of Santa Fe) and five more showcasing the talents of Gene Autry (Boots and Saddles, The Cowboy and the Indians, Git Along Little Doggies, Oh Susanna! and The Old Corral).

On June 7, Mill Creek Entertainment has cleverly packaged film collections for all budgets and tastes.   For example the double-disc 5 Movie Collection: Beasts from the Dark is priced at just $9.98 and includes Anaconda, Dragon Wars, The Cave, She Creature and The Day the World Ended.  

These same five titles can also be had in the six-disc set titled 25 Movie Collection: Monsters Attack, which is priced at $19.98, which means that for additional ten bucks consumers can get 20 additional movies.  That’s one hell of a bargain.

The same deal applies to 25 Movie Collection: Riders of the Range and the 5 Movie Collection: Into the Sunset, with the five common premium films being: All The Pretty Horses, Old Gringo, Sunset, Don’t Come Knocking and Bloodworth.

Ditto for 5 Movie Collection: Deadly Suspects and its counterpart, 25 Movie Collection: Murder in the Night, with the five common premium films being The Devil's Own, Lonely Hearts, One False Move, Perfect Strangers and True Believer. 

For a complete listing of all 15 SKUs in this June 7 film bonanza please see the Mill Creek Entertainment listings beginning on page six of this week’s report or visit the company’s website for more details … and more great DVD and Blu-ray bargains.

Oscilloscope Laboratories To Release Embrace Of The Serpent — Best Foreign Language Film Nominee — On DVD And Blu-ray This Coming June 21

Oscilloscope Laboratories has targeted June 21 as the street date for both DVD and Blu-ray editions of director Ciro Guerra’s Best Foreign Language contender (the official submission by Colombia) in this past year’s Oscar derby, Embrace of the Serpent.

The ARR is 123 days and domestic box office receipts for this Spanish-language import currently stands at $944,150.

For film lovers, Embrace of the Serpent is something very special … and for those who are only casual viewers and not likely to be willing to sit through either a film in another tongue or one shot in glorious black and white, this should be, if nothing more, the once per year exception.

Filmmaker Ciro Guerra has crafted an engaging narrative based on the diary writings of two different scientists — a generation apart — on the same quest in the Colombian regions of the Amazon.   

The first, Theodor Koch-Grunberg (played by Jan Bijvoet — Dirty Mind, Borgman) was a German explorer and ethnologist who visited the region prior to World War I and wrote extensively about his encounters with people indigenous to area on his two breathtaking expeditions in the Amazonian region over a ten-year period (circa 1903 – 1913).  He was also the subject of Portuguese filmmaker Silvino Santos’ 1925 documentary, No Rastro do Eldorado (his third South American expedition where he died tragically from issues related to his health).

The second scientist to visit the area was Richard Evans Schultes (portrayed by Brionne Davis), an American biologist whose lifelong research on medicinal uses of plants made him the “Father of Modern Ethnobotany” … one of his most famous of his publications is “The Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers,” which he co-authored with the scientist who discovered LSD, Albert Hofmann.

What the two men have in common — and Ciro Guerra’s screenplay handles this so beautifully — is their contact with shaman Karamakate (played generationally by actors Nilbio Torres and Antonio Bolivar), who serves as their guide, their mentor and as a fellow scientist.   

Embrace of the Serpent could have been a dull documentary — especially with that black and white touch — but Guerra infuses the narrative with adventure, drama and always keeps us, the armchair travel, engaged. 

Shot entirely on location in Colombia and presented in Spanish with English subtitles.

Paramount Home Media Selects June 7 For The DVD Debut Of The Shannara Chronicles: Season One

Paramount Home Media announced this past week that the first ten episodes of the television series adaptation of writer Terry Brooks’ series of futuristic/fantasy novels, The Shannara Chronicles: Season One, will be available as a four-disc set on June 7.

Set in in unspecified future — a fantasy world if you will — The Shannara Chronicles is a nifty blend of post-apocalyptic landscapes and Lord of the Rings-like characters and quests.   

“It has begun …” ominously enough when the ancient Ellcrys tree shows signs of dying.   This is the catalyst that sends our teenage heroes, Wil (Austin Butler — a veteran of such TV series as Arrow, The Carrie Diaries, Switched at Birth, etc.), who is something of a human hybrid, Amberle (Poppy Drayton — Down Dog, Unhallowed Ground, Writers Retreat), an elf princess and Eretria (Ivana Baquero — Another Me, The New Daughter), a very resourceful human on a quest to restore the balance in nature before unleashed monsters can lay claim to the world.

This wonderfully inventive series comes to DVD with a behind-the-scenes featurette, a video session with writer Terry Brooks and two additional featurettes — “Meet the Characters” and “Making of the Dagda Mor.”

Also on the June 7 release calendar from Paramount Home Media is the double-disc collection of Comedy Central’s Kroll Show: Season Three.   Fans know that no television series or reality series, TV commercial, self-important celebrity or all-knowing corporate giant is safe from the mocking, satrical jabs and outright lampooning served up by standup comedian Nick Kroll and his band of cohorts.

All 11 hilarious episodes are included here, plus such bonus delights as “Chairs: Matt and Ben,” Bryan La Croix (aka: Nick Kroll) performs “Ottowana Go to Bed” (think: Justin Bieber) and Bobby Bottle Service and Peter Paparazzo (aka: Jon Daly) go “Country” with their no-hold-barred delivery of “Broin Country.”

Ready for DVD on June 14 is the Sundance Selects film production of Andrew Haigh’s film adaptation of David Constantine’s short story, “In Another Country,” which was titled for the screen as simply 45 Years.

This indie film release arrives on DVD with an ARR of 172 days and a domestic box office take of $4.1 million.

Veteran actress Charlotte Rampling, who was all the rage in the 1960s and 70s for her performances in such films as The Damned, Zardoz, The Night Porter and more, finally got a long overdue Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance as Kate (opposite Tom Courtenay), a woman who is nearly overwhelmed by revelations of her husbands love affair before their marriage (they are celebrating their 45^th anniversary … hence the title). 

And speaking of Academy Award contenders, Paramount Home Media announced this week that writer/director Charlie Kaufman’s Best Animated Film nominee, Anomalisa, has been moved from its original May 3 date to that of June 7.   Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and DVD product offerings will be available on that date.

Bonus features for this animated wonder include a trio of featurettes that are exclusive to the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack — “None of Them are You: Crafting Anomalisa,” “Intimacy in Miniature” and “The Sound of Unease.”

           

Vinegar Syndrome Announces A 2K Restoration Of Director Steve Scott's 1985 Adult Classic Trashy Lady For Release As A Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack On Apr. 26

Vinegar Syndrome has announced a new 2K scan from original 35mm film elements of director Steve Scott’s Trashy Lady — a 1985 adult film vamp of director Stanley Donen’s 1975 film, Lucky Lady (starring Gene Hackman, Burt Reynolds and Liza Minnelli) — that will be available for Ginger Lynn affectionados to savor as Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on Apr. 26.

Trashy Lady is one of Steve Scott’s shot-on-film adult features.  If you are unfamiliar with why that is important, find a copy of writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights (which, ironically stars Burt Reynolds) and watch it … all will become clear.

The film itself stars such adult luminaries of this Golden Age of adult entertainment as the aforementioned Ginger Lynn, the late Harry Reems, Amber Lynn, Herschel Savage and Bunny Bleu.   

As to bonus features, there are two commentary options — one featuring director of photography Tom Howard, who is joined by filmmaker David McCabe, and the second featuring actor Herschel Savage and Bill Margold, XRCO co-founder.

Vinegar Syndrome is also including a second film from director Steve Scott (with cinematography by Tom Howard) in this release package … and that would be his 1971 adult Western, Coming West.

Mug-Shot Productions Preps Amateur Night at City Hall: The Story of Frank L. Rizzo For A DVD Debut On June 28

Mug-Shot Productions, with sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment, has a human interest documentary ready for DVD on June 28 that is perfectly timed for this very controversial election year.  The title in question is Amateur Night at City Hall: The Story of Frank L. Rizzo.  

For residents of Philadelphia the name of Frank Rizzo is no stranger and documentary filmmaker and producer Robert Mugge profiles this “colorful” Philly political legend — sort of a distant cousin of the Daleys of Chicago.  

From cop-on-the-beat to Mayor of Philadelphia, with all of the controversies that trailed in his larger than life wake, his no-nonsense, cut-to-the-quick manner of speaking managed to offend numerous groups over the years … and is highly reminiscent of a certain candidate in this year’s presidential election (one wonders if he has seen Mugge’s film).   

 

And from the vaults and also available on DVD is a restored presentation of writer/director Robert Mugge’s 1976 documentary, George Crumb: Voice of the Whale.  

This is an interesting look at the life and works of avant-garde composer (Grammy Award-winner), writer (Pulitzer Prize-winner) and college professor, George Crumb … literally filmed at the height of his career.   

Elements of Mugge’s film include interaction with fellow composer Richard Wernick and performances of several of Crumb’s notable works, including “Vox Balaenae for Three Masked Players.”

Writer/Director Robert Eggers' The Witch On DVD And Blu-ray From Lionsgate Home Entertainment On May 17

Lionsgate Home Entertainment continues to struggle with its A24 Films output deal when it comes to Blu-ray and DVD.  The latest example is writer/director Robert Eggers’ elegantly mounted 17^th Century horror tale, The Witch.

Apparently May 17 is the street date for both DVD and Blu-ray editions, although we’ve yet to see any sort of formal announcement coming from Lionsgate Home Entertainment (the same happened with Room).   

The ARR for that date is 88 days and currently box office receipts total $23.8 million.

Bonus features include commentary from filmmaker Robert Eggers, a Q&A session titled “Salem Panel” and featurette titled “The Witch: A Primal Folklore.”

Arrow Video Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Release Of A Restored Presentation Of Director Nico Mastorakis’ The Zero Boys Ready On Apr. 26

Arrow Video, with domestic sales and distribution expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has added writer/director Nico Mastorakis’ 1986 indie cult thriller, The Zero Boys, to its Apr. 26 release calendar.

This newly prepared 2K restoration (supervised and approved by filmmaker Nico Mastorakis) finally does justice to this clever spin on writer Richard Connell’s iconic 1924 short story, “The Most Dangerous Game.”   

The Zero Boys went the direct-to-video route on VHS (through a long-forgotten label) for its initial release and then had a couple of less than stellar DVD releases (if you remember Simitar Entertainment then you have a pretty good idea of just how bad something can be on DVD), but now Arrow Video comes through with an edition that genre fans can finally enjoy in all of its glory.

Basically you have a victim pool, which is common to many horror-themed film releases, that serves as the backbone to this story.  In this case it is a team of paint ball players — Steve (Daniel Hirsch — My Chauffeur, Night Visitors), Larry (Tom Shell — Surf Nazis Must Die, Terminal Force) and Rip (Jared Moses) — and the appropriate knockout girlfriends … yes, that includes Night of the Comet’s Kelli Maroney.   

After a big paint ball contest, which serves to foreshadow their “combat” skills, the victim pool heads out to a secluded spot (actually filmed in the foothills around Los Angeles) to celebrate (you know what that means).   It is on this sojourn that they discover a remote cabin and a cache of dead bodies, which leads to the realization that they are being hunted … and not all will survive the night!

Bonus features include a trio newly-minted video sessions featuring filmmaker Nico Mastorakis, Kelli Maroney and Nicole Rio (Sue) a commentary track featuring Mastorakis and Shock Till You Drop’s Chris Alexander and a gallery of stills.

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice Blu-ray And DVD Release Date Erroneously Reported As July 16 — Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Says Definitly Not July 16

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will “definitely not” be released on Blu-ray and DVD on July 16, so says a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.   Period.

Despite stinging reviews from the major market media critics, director Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had an eye-popping opening weekend of over $170 million.   Since Superman is bulletproof, so too is any movie that features him … so much for the critics and their opinions.

Simultaneously with the release of the film in theatres nationwide, Mark Hughes at Forbes (Magazine) trumpeted a home entertainment launch on July 16 that would include an “Ultimate Cut” — meaning an “R-rated” version — of the film.

Mark Hughes has subsequently revised his online piece.   Link here: Forbes - Mark Hughes

While we suspect that future release dates for major new theatrical releases are being inadvertently triggered these days by VOD/HD release agreements, which trigger online retailers — such as amazon.com — to start taking orders, we suspected that Hughes claim of a July 16 launch date was in error (while likely to be in the ballpark).

July 16 is a Saturday.   We’re not saying that he just grabbed that particular date out of his hat — we could accept July 12, July 15 (a Friday) or July 19 — but unless Warner Bros. Home Entertainment had some national retail event under wraps, which they’ve denied, a Saturday launch would be news indeed. 

A close reading of Hughes’ piece — which has been accepted online as gospel and repeated over and over again — doesn’t offer any source for his “official street date” pronouncement.   Indeed, he refers to the November 2009 “Ultimate Cut” of director Zack Snyder’s Watchman as an example of the type of treatment that a similar presentation of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice could follow — not anything in particular from Warner Bros.   So that much appears to have been speculation, however Snyder himself has confirmed publicly that something is in the works (a ton of extra material is available).

Also missing from the Forbes piece is any reference to the newly launched 4K Ultra HD format of which Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is an early proponent.   Clearly, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice would be a prime candidate for 4K Ultra HD treatment.

What is more reasonable is that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release DVD, Blu-ray and perhaps 4K Ultra HD SKUs in July (the window would be in line with current studio release patterns) and then follow up during the Christmas selling season with an “Ultimate” edition of the film.   That’s the pattern followed for Watchman.

In other release news, which has been confirmed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, a pair of Clint Eastwood films will be making their Blu-ray debut on May 3.   These are City Heat (1984, directed by Richard Benjamin and co-starring Burt Reynolds) and his 1999 film adaptation of Andrew Klavan’s novel, True Crime.