Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Tabs Sept. 16 For The Debut Of 4K Ultra HD Editions Of Writer/Director Steven Lisberger's Tron & Director Joseph Kosinski's Tron: Legacy

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has a quick turn on its 4K Ultra HD SteelBook Combo Pack (with Blu-ray) announcement for writer/director Steven Lisberger’s 1982 sci-fi thriller, Tron.   The film, starring Jeff Bridges, David Warner, Bruce Boxleitner and the late Cindy Morgan, will be available on Sept. 16.

 

Nominated for two Oscars — Best Costume Design and Best Sound — this new 4K restoration of Tron was supervised by filmmaker Lisberger.

Bonus features include the multi-part “The Making of Tron” featurette series (with “Design” introduction by Lisberger) and two stand-alone featurettes — “Photo Technology” and “The Tron Phenomenon.”

Also get a 4K Ultra HD SteelBook Combo Pack (with Blu-ray) release on Sept. 16 is director Joseph Kosinski’s 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy.

Bonus features include the Daft Punk music video, “Derezzed,” and six featurettes — “The Next Day,” “Special Look at Tron: Uprising,” “Launching the Legacy,” “Disc Roars,” “Visualizing Tron” and “Installing the Cast.”

Deaf Crocodile Looks To Nov. 11 For The Special Edition Blu-ray Release Of Lev Atamanov’s The Snow Queen, The Scarlet Flower & The Key: Treasures Of Soviet Animation, Volume 2

Deaf Crocodile, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a nice surprise for fans of film animation scheduled for Blu-ray distribution on Nov. 11.

The Blu-ray collection is titled Lev Atamanov’s The Snow Queen, The Scarlet Flower & The Key: Treasures of Soviet Animation, Volume 2.

Following World War II, but behind the “Iron Curtain,” there was a filmmaker who specialized in animated fairy tales.  His name was Levon “Lev” Atamanyan (Atamanov) and his work from the period is now widely regarded as excellent; superb; genius.   Sadly, during the 1950s his work was virtually unknown in the United States because of the “Cold War” and political tensions at the time.   Except for one film.

You may actually know Atamanyan’s most famous animated film and not realize it.  In 1957 he made Snezhnaya Koroleva, which was based on Hans Christian Andersen’s 1844 story, “The Snow Queen.”   

In early August of 1959, there is a short blurb in American newspapers from syndicated gossip columnist Louella Parsons that reads: “I didn’t know the Russians went in for anything as light as a Disney-like animated cartoon in full length.   Most of their movies are overloaded with Communist propaganda.”

She continues, “But, not only has Universal-International bought from the Soviets a charming cartoon fantasy, Hans Christian Anderson’s ‘The Snow Queen,’ but the studio’s own teenage queen Sandra Dee will dub the title role in English.”

There is no mention of Atamanyan in her column.   By September of 1959, we learn that Art Linkletter has been recruited by the studio to do a special prologue and The Bad Seed star, Patty McCormack, has also been added to the voice-dubbing cast ... still no mention of Atamanov/Atamanyan.

The film has its "World Premiere" on April 1, 1960 at the Colfax Theatre in South Bend, Indiana.  There's a certain irony in having a "World Premiere" of a film that had been around since 1957 on April Fool's Day!

The credits says that The Snow Queen features the voices of Sandra Dee, Patty McCormack and Tommy Kirk.  The credits also herald Art Linkletter as "starring" in the film's prologue (is that a unique credit in film history?).   If you read the small print, Alan Lipscott and Bob Fisher were the writers and Robert Faber was the producer ... "Cartoons, Animation and Screenplay by Soyuzmultfilm Productions," but no mention of Atamanov.

Patty McCormack was the on-stage celebrity for the 8:30 performance ... and there was a big parade the next day at 9AM in downtown South Bend! 

The Snow Queen arrived in the Los Angeles area in 13 theatres on July 6 … and expanded around the country with addition theatrical dates through December of 1960.   The film was a hit for Universal-International … perhaps Atamanyan received some royalties (perhaps film historian Rolf Giesen’s commentary track on the Deaf Crocodile Blu-ray release on Nov. 11 will shed some light).

As to the Blu-ray collection, these are all new film restorations of the original Russian-language versions (with English subtitles).   The Snow Queen is voice by Yanina Zheymo (no Sandra Dee, no catchy songs …), also included are Atamanov’s 1952 release of The Scarlet Flower and his 1961 animated treat, The Key. 

Bonus features include commentary on all three films by film historian Rolf Giesen and two newly-prepared video essays — “Written with Ice Crystals: Master Soviet Animator Lev Atamanov and The Snow Queen” (by film historian Evan Chester) and “Innocence & Cynicism: The Snow Queen and Hayao Miyazaki: (by “Animation Obessive” expert John Adkins).

The 75th Anniversary Of Atom Man Vs. Superman Coincides With The Release Of Writer/Director James Gunn's Superman • Full-Spead Physical Media Launch On Sept. 23

Whether it was coincidence or just happenstance, 2025 in the 75th anniversary of director Spencer Gordon Bennet’s 15-chapter serial, Atom Man vs. Superman, starring the original Superman, Kirk Alyn.   2025 is also the release year of the latest Superman feature film, writer/director James Gunn’s Superman, toplining David Corenswet as the alien good guy from the planet Krypton.

After Kirk Alyn, George Reeves was the television Superman, but he also did one feature film in 1951, Superman and the Mole Men, and then there was a 27-year break until Christopher Reeve relaunched the series with four films, beginning with Superman in 1978 (’78 to 1987). 

Brandon Routh did a one-off in 2006, Superman Returns, and then Henry Cavill did two “Superman” films and appeared in two “Justice League” entries as the “Man of Steel.”   So doing the math, Corenswet is the sixth Superman to appear on film theatrically … Dean Cain, Tom Welling and Tyler Hoechlin were TV versions.  

Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment has selected Sept. 23 as the street date for a full-spread physical media rollout of Gunn’s Superman.   That yields an ARR of 74 days … the domestic box office haul stands at an impressive $349 million.

There will be four physical media purchasing options.   There are DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD stand-alone selections, as well as a 4K Ultra HD SteelBook Combo Pack (with Blu-ray) edition.

Bonus features, which are limited to the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray SKUs are the feature-length making-of presentation titled Adventures in Making Superman and an astounding nine featurettes — “Krypto Saves the Day!: School Bus Scuffle,” “Icons Forever: Superman’s Enduring Legacy,” “Lex Luthor: The Mind of a Master Villain,” “Kryptunes: The Music of Superman,” “Paws to Pixels: Krypto is Born,” “Breaking News: The Daily Planet Returns,” “The Ultimate Villain,” “The Justice Gang” and “A New Era: DC Takes Off.” 

Note: Atom Man vs. Superman is also available from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Has A Full-Spread Physical Media Selection Of Bob Odenkirk's Nobody 2 Ready For Fan To Enjoy On Oct. 7

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be bringing Bob Odenkirk’s second round of “retirement” adventures home on Oct. 7 with the full-spread physical media launch of director Timo Tjahjanto’s Nobody 2.

The ARR is a swift-to-market 53 days — just 53 days from its theatrical debut to its arrival as stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions, as well as a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (with Blu-ray) purchasing option.   

The domestic box office gross stands at $20.6 million.

Bonus goodies include eight deleted scenes and a pair of featurettes — “Nobody 2: The Fight Continues” and “Nobody Does Stunts Like Us.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Looks To Sept. 23 For The Full-Spread Physical Media Rollout Of Director Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has a full-spread of physical media purchasing options ready for genre fans on Sept. 23 with the release director Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic thriller, 28 Years Later, the third installment in the series (a fourth release, 28 Years Later: Bone Templar, is planned for an early 2026 theatrical launch).

The ARR comes in at 95 days and ticket sales in the domestic market currently register $70.4 million.

Planned for release are stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray editions, plus two 4K Ultra HD Combo Packs (with Blu-ray) — standard or SteelBook.

Bonus features are five featurettes — “Days to Years,” “Capturing the Chaos,” “The Survivors,” “Becoming the Infected” and “Behind the Cameras.”

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment Picks Oct. 7 For The Full-Spread Physical Media Launch Of The DreamWorks Animation Release Of The Bad Guys 2

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be guiding the Dreamworks Animation release of the directing team of Pierre Perifel and JP Sans’ The Bad Guys 2 to market as a full-spread physical media rollout on Oct. 7.

 

The ARR works out to 67 days and the domestic box office currently registers $74.6 million in ticket sales.   

Planned for distribution are stand-alone DVD and Blu-ray selections, plus a 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack (with Blu-ray) purchasing option.

Bonus goodies kickoff with commentary from Perifel and Sans, who are joined by the head of character animation, Benjamin Willis, the head of story, Katherine de Vries and layout cinematographer Théophile Bondoux.

There are also deleted scenes, the interactive feature titled “Sketching the Bad Girls” (how to draw Kitty, Doom and Pigtail), the animated short film titled Little Lies and Alibis and six featurettes — “Bad Guys: Out of Line,” “Double Jeopardy; The Making of The Bad Gus 2,” “Meet the Gang,” “Double Trouble: The Animals Behind The Bad Guys 2,” “Causing a Scene” and “Planning the Heist.”