Universal Pictures Home Entertainmen To Release Both Downton Abbey And Abominable On Dec. 17

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment joins Christmas-season holiday mix with not one, but two Dec. 17 recent theatrical releases for this mid-December street-date Tuesday window.

The first of these is director Michael Engler’s theatrical release of the popular PBS television series, Downton Abbey.  The original cast returns for this theatrical event and audiences responded to the tune of $94.5 million in domestic ticket sales.  

The ARR is a swift-to-market 88 days.  Planned for release are a stand-alone DVD edition as well as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack.

Bonus goodies include commentary from director Michael Engler (three-time Emmy nominee … once each for episodic direction for Downton Abbey, 30 Rock and Sex and the City), deleted scenes, a recap of the television series and a half-dozen production featurettes — “Cast Conversations,” “The Royal Visit,” “True to the Twenties” “Welcome to Downton Abbey,” “The Brilliance of Julian Fellowes” and “The Royal Visit.”

The second film hitting the bricks on Dec. 17 is the animated treat from the directing team of Jill Culton (who also wrote the script) and Todd Wilderman, Abominable. 

The ARR is remarkably quick at just 81 days.   Domestic box office receipts came in at $58.5 million, plus there was just over $100 million pulled in from overseas markets.

There will be a three-SKU selection of home entertainment packaged media product choices for consumers to select from.   Abominable will be available as a stand-alone 4K Ultra HD selection (oddly, no Blu-ray with it), plus there will be a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and the traditional stand-alone DVD product offering.

As to bonus goodies, there are roughly 10 minutes worth of deleted scenes and a half-dozen featurettes — “Meet the Cast,” “Marooned,” “Your Yeti Care Guide,” “Courage to Dream,” “Making a Myth” and “Animating Abominable.”

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Has Writer/Director Alex Kendrick's Overcomer Lined Up For A Dec. 17 DVD And Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack Release

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment looks to Dec. 17 as the release date for the faith-based, feel-good film from writer/director (and star) Alex Kendrick, Overcomer.

The critics didn’t hate it, they just were so-so about it (snobs to be sure), but audiences responded to it in a big way and gave it rave reviews.   The result was a strong word-of-mouth box office performance that rang up $34.6 million in ticket sales.   The ARR works out to 116 days.

Planned for release will be a stand-alone DVD edition as well as a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack.

Overcomer comes packed with bonus goodies.   Common to both SKUs are commentary from filmmaker Alex Kendrick and producer/co-writer Stephen Kendrick, about ten minutes worth of additional scenes (with introductions by the Kendrick Brothers), a blooper reel, outtakes, five featurettes — “The Making of Overcomer,” “The Theme of Identity,” “The Power of Forgiveness,” “Overcomer in 60 Seconds” and “Overcomer Resources Video” — and Mandisa’s “Overcomer” lip-sync music video.

Exclusive to the Blu-ray SKU are five additional featurettes — “The Heart of Overcomer,” “Creating the Opening Drone Shot,” “Working with the Kendricks” “Looks Behind-the-Scenes” and “Don’t Mess With the Editors” — and the Koryn Hawthorne inspirational music video titled “Enough.”

Lionsgate Home Entertainment Picks Christmas Eve For The Home Entertainment Launch Of Director Rupert Goold's Judy

Lionsgate Home Entertainment has tabbed Christmas Eve — for those last minute shoppers — as the street date for director Rupert Goold’s Judy, a look at the life of screen legend Judy Garland, as interpreted by Renée Zellweger.

The ARR is a jump-to-market 88 days and ticket sales were light at just $22.9 million.

Consumers will be able to select from either a stand-alone DVD edition or a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack as they scurry through stores in search of stocking stuffers as Santa and his reindeer make their annual sleigh ride preparations.   

In a weak year for female screen performances, Zellweger is all but certain to be nominated for Best Actress for her turn as Garland.   Indeed, it is likely, as things currently stand, that she will have little in the way of competition, with the only downside being that Zellweger actually looks too healthy for her 1968 London performance … Garland, by then, was on shaky ground and in very poor health (she died the following year at just 47 years of age).   

As to bonus materials, there is the featurette titled “From the Heart: The Making of Judy” and a gallery of stills from the film.

For the period ending October 31, 2019 ... New DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD selections added to the DVD & Blu-ray Release Report's database

 

DVD New Additions

 

1091 Media (MOD)

10/15/19 — Released Cat Rescuers

10/29/19 — Released Sister Aimee

Acid Bath Productions (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released James Balsamo Knows How To Rock

Acorn Media

10/29/19 — Released Discovery of Witches, Series 1 (2 disc set) and Queens of Mystery, Series 1 (2 disc set)

Annie’s Crafts

10/22/19 — Released Learn to Make a Bargello Quilt with Precuts

12/03/19 — Sets Color Theory for Quilters

Blue Forge Films (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Feast of Souls (31 short films) (2 disc set)

Championship Productions

10/29/19 — Released Offensive Framework: A Dynamic Alternative to Set Plays and Zone Defense with a Rover

Cleopatra Entertainment

01/21/20 — Sets Mrs. Lowery & Son

Conscious Films (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Dr. Amos Wilson: Black Love, Part 1

Eastern Star

10/29/19 — Released Kemono Friends: The Complete First Season (2 disc set) and Lupin III: Goemon's Blood Spray

Get Digital World (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Amazon S3 Hosting for Beginners, How to Set Up Your Own Social Network, Making Money with Affiliate Marketing for Dummies, Membership Launch Formula, Successful Internet Marketing Blueprint for Business People, Traffic Generation 2018 Made Easy, Web Conversion for Dummies and YouTube Marketing for Major Cash Made Easy

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Blue, Passing Parade and Viewer Direction Advised

10/29/19 — Released 101 Seconds, Manifest Destiny Down: Spacetime, Rainbow, Rise of Jordan Peterson and Santa Girl

HBO Home Entertainment

10/29/19 — Released Warrior: The Complete First Season (3 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Hope of the World (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Seventy-Year Mystery and Shortest Distance Between Two Points

I-Cine

10/29/19 — Released Me Cung (10 disc set)

Indie Rights, Inc. (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Ring Ring

Kino Lorber

10/29/19 — Released Kundun, La Marseillaise (French), Life With Mikey, New York Stories and Nightmare in Badham County

Leomark Studios (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Action Diva Series: Beyond Fear, Action Diva Series: Personal Vendetta, Action Diva Series: Pushed to the Limit, Action Diva Series: Streets of Rage and Slaughter is the Best Medicine

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

10/29/19 — Released 10 Minutes Gone

12/17/19 — Sets Rambo: Last Blood (ARR of 88 days; box office: $44,536,318)

Lofty Sky Entertainment (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Confucius Was A Foodie Season 1 (2 disc set) and Confucius Was A Foodie Season 2 (2 disc set)

MVD Entertainment Group

12/17/19 — Sets David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

01/21/20 — Sets David Susskind Archive: Interview With Nikita Khrushchev and David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All

Manorama Music Home Ent.

10/29/19 — Released Ambili (Malayalam)

Mill Creek Entertainment

01/07/20 — Sets Psycho's Path (with Digital Copy) and Savage Creatures (with Digital Copy)

01/14/20 — Sets Air Bud: 6 Movie Team-Up (6 film set: Air Bud, Air Bud: Golden Retriever, Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch, Air Bud: Strikes Back, Air Buddies) (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy), Gracie's Choice (with Digital Copy) and Song of Hiawatha/The Pathfinder (with Digital Copy)

Movie Detective (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Deserter (German), L'Homme du Jour (French), L'invite du Mardi (French), Tiburoneros (Spanish) and Windfall in Athens (Greek)

Naxos

10/29/19 — Released J. S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio - Thomanerchor Leipzig, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and Waldbuhne 2019: Midsummer Night Dreams

Oxford Comma Films (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Witch

PBS Direct

10/22/19 — Released Hudson River School, Part 2: Cultivating a Tradition and Press (2 disc set)

10/29/19 — Released Animal Babies: First Year on Earth

PCN Productions (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released 2006 PIAA 2A Football Championship, 2019 Beaver Stadium Classic: Cumberland Valley vs. State College, 2019 Game of the Week: Archbishop Wood vs. St. Joe's Prep, PA Books: George Marshall - Defender of the Republic, PA Books: Targeted Tracks and PCN Tours: Kite Tales Weaving

Paramount Home Media

01/07/20 — Sets Butterbean's Café: Let's Get Cooking

01/14/20 — Sets Shimmer and Shine: Splash Into Zahramay Oceanea

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Das Geisterschiff der Schwimmenden Leichen (German), Der Himmel ist Schon Ausverkauft (German) and Heisses Blut (German)

Rarefilmsandmore.com (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Cries and Shadows and Death Knocks Twice

10/29/19 — Released I Eat Your Skin and Sadist

Samuel Goldwyn Films

10/29/19 — Released Obsession

Severin Films, LLC

10/29/19 — Released Paganini Horror (Italian)

11/05/19 — Sets Byleth: The Demon of Incest (Italian)

11/12/19 — Sets Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: Southern Sickness - Memphis, TN

Synapse Films

10/29/19 — Released Undertaker (Japanese) and Watch Me When I Kill (Italian)

Synergetic (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released La Lectora (Spanish), Love Simple and Momo: The Sam Giancana Story

TMW Media Group (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Art of Common Sense and Critical Thinking - Common Sense In The Workplace, Art of Common Sense and Critical Thinking - Knowledge & Listening Skills in the Workplace Discerning Fact from Fiction, Art of Common Sense and Critical Thinking - Mental & Physical Health, Art of Common Sense and Critical Thinking - The Worklace, Art of Common Sense and Critical Thinking - Tolerance, Diversity & Stereotypes, Bullying in the Workplace, Cell Phones: Avoiding Health Dangers, Cell Phones: Manners vs. Rudeness, Cell Phones: Workplace and Driving, Communicating Effectively, Confident or Arrogant, Cybersecurity, Discipline in the Workplace, Effect of Fear: Employee Training and Awareness, Effect of Lies, Ergonomics and Your Office, First Time Manager Tips, Go Green at Work, Gossip Impacts the Team, Gossip: If the Walls Could Talke, Grieving and Seeking Support, Grieving from a Relationship, Pet or Rejection, Habits that Impact Work, Healthy Workplace, Humor, Sarcasm and Conflict, Interviewing Job Candidates, Office Humor, Oranizing Your Workspace, Organization Culture for Learning, Orientation for Leaders, Orientation for New Hires, Overcoming Procrastination, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Safety from Home to Work, Stop Being Easily Offended at Work, Tech Leadership Code to Success, Worry Less and Worry Management

The Horror of it All Presents (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Start Strong, Finish Well

Touching Lives, Inc. (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Start Strong, Finish Well

TriCoast Studios (MOD)

10/22/19 — Released Haunting at Preston Castle, Lady Detective Shadow (Mandarin), Mighty Kong, Muse, No Panic with a Hint of Hysteria, Rosenn, Shiner and Who Killed Nelson Nutmeg

Undercrank Productions (MOD)

11/19/19 — Sets Little Old New York (silent-1923)

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

12/03/19 — Sets Goldfinch (ARR of 81 days; box office: $5,327,383)

Wild Eye Releasing (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Door in the Woods

Blu-ray New Additions

 

Aniplex of America

10/29/19 — Released Fate/Zero (4 disc set) and I Want to Eat Your Pancreas

Arrow Video

12/17/19 — Adds Female Prisoner Scorpion: The Complete Collection (4 film set: Female Prisoner #701, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Jailhouse 41, Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable, Female Prisoner Scorpion #701's Grudge Song) (Japanese) (4 disc set)

Blue Underground

10/29/19 — Released Two Evil Eyes: 4K Remaster (2 disc set with bonus CD)

FUNimation

10/29/19 — Released Goblin Slayer: Season One (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy), Hyperdimension Neptunia (2 disc set), How Not to Summon a Demon Lord (2 Blu-ray/2 DVD combo pack), How Not to Summon a Demon Lord (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy), Psycho-Pass: Season Two (2 disc set) and Senran Kagura Shinovi Master (2 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Gravitas Ventures (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released 101 Seconds, Manifest Destiny Down: Spacetime, Rainbow, Rise of Jordan Peterson and Santa Girl

HBO Home Entertainment

10/29/19 — Released Warrior: The Complete First Season (3 disc set) (with Digital Copy)

Kino Lorber

10/29/19 — Released 3D Nudie-Cuties Collection (2 film set: Adam and Six Eves 3D, The Bellboy and the Playgirls 3D, with two bonus short films: Love for Sale, Beauty in 3rd Dimension), Kundun (2 disc set), La Marseillaise (French), Life With Mikey, New York Stories and Nightmare in Badham County

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

10/29/19 — Released 10 Minutes Gone (with Digital Copy)

12/17/19 — Sets Rambo: Last Blood (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Maiden Japan

10/29/19 — Released Yumeiro Patissiere: The Complete Collection (2 disc set)

Mill Creek Entertainment

01/14/20 — Sets Air Bud (with Digital Copy) and Maid in Manhattan (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Oxford Comma Films (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Witch

PCN Productions (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released 2006 PIAA 2A Football Championship, 2019 Beaver Stadium Classic: Cumberland Valley vs. State College, 2019 Game of the Week: Archbishop Wood vs. St. Joe's Prep, PA Books: George Marshall - Defender of the Republic, PA Books: Targeted Tracks and PCN Tours: Kite Tales Weaving

Severin Films, LLC

10/29/19 — Released Paganini Horror (Italian) (with bonus CD)

11/05/19 — Sets Byleth: The Demon of Incest (Italian)

11/12/19 — Sets Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory (with bonus CD)

Shout! Factory

10/29/19 — Released Blob: Collector's Edition, Devil Rides Out and Private School

Smart Mark Video (MOD)

10/29/19 — Released Pro Wrestling Trainwreck: Southern Sickness - Memphis, TN

Synapse Films

10/29/19 — Released Undertaker (Japanese) and Watch Me When I Kill (Italian) (with bonus CD)

Vinegar Syndrome

11/26/19 — Released Tammy and the T-Rex (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack)

Warner Bros. Home Ent.

12/03/19 — Sets Goldfinch (with Digital Copy)

4K Ultra HD New Additions

 

Lionsgate Home Entertainment

12/17/19 — Sets Rambo: Last Blood (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack) (with Digital Copy)

Vinegar Syndrome

11/29/19 — Sets Tammy and the T-Rex (4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo Pack)

Mill Creek Entertainment Expands Its January Of 2020 DVD And Blu-ray Release Calendar

Last week it was news about The Mindy Project: The Complete Series being available in the New Year (Jan. 14) from Mill Creek Entertainment as both Blu-ray and DVD sets.   

And priced-to-collect double-features on Blu-ray on Jan. 14 as well, including a double-bill starring The Joker’s Joaquin Phoenix that have never been released on Blu-ray — Return to Paradise and Reservation Road.

As promised there are more collectibles this week, including the entire series of Air Bud films in a double-disc DVD collection on Jan. 14 — Air Bud: 6 Movie Team-Up features the original Air Bud, plus Air Bud: Golden Retriever, Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch, Air Bud: Strikes Back and Air Buddies.   The entire collection also comes with Digital Copy.

Also on the same date is the Blu-ray debut of director Charles Martin Smith’s 1997 theatrical hit, Air Bud, that kicked off the films that followed.   The entire six-film series on DVD or just Air Bud on Blu-ray … you decide.

Also available on DVD on Jan. 14 are director Peter Werner’s Gracie's Choice, the true-tale of a teenage girl, Gracie Thompson (Kristen Bell), who raises her half-sister and three half brothers all by herself, and the double feature of director  Jeffrey Shore’s Song of Hiawatha, starring Graham Greene, David Strathairn and Litefoot (aka: Gary Paul Davis) as Hiawatha, and director Donald Shebib’s 1996 adaptation of the James Fenimore Cooper novel, The Pathfinder, also starring Graham Greene, along with Kevin Dillon, Stacy Keach and Laurie Holden.

Both of these DVD releases are priced at just $9.98 each and both selections include Digital Copy.

On the Blu-ray front is the Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack presentation of director Wayne Wang’s 2002 smash hit, Maid in Manhattan, starring Jennifer Lopez, Natasha Richardson and Ralph Fiennes.

MVD Entertainment Group To Release David Susskind Archive Broadcasts On DVD

MVD Entertainment Group has time capsule episodes of vintage David Susskind interviews ready for DVD beginning on Dec. 17 with the release of David Susskind Archive: Interview With Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The nearly two-hour session first aired on June 9, 1963, and now in conjunction with The Paley Center, it has been restored for DVD.   Unseen since its original broadcast, nothing was off limits as the conversation between King and Susskind covered hot button issues of the time, ranging from the current state of the civil right movement to racial issues, including criticism of the Kennedy Administration over the speed in which legislation was moving forward.   

Shifting to the New Year, MVD Entertainment Group has the next two DVD releases in the series.   Streeting on Jan. 21 is probably the most controversial Susskind interview session ever broad, the Oct. 9, 1960 broadcast of David Susskind Archive: Interview With Nikita Khrushchev.   This was an “Open End” broadcast, which meant that there was no time limit … the pair continued discussing issues of the day for nearly two hours on live television.   Also included with this DVD presentation is the panel discussion that followed.

Also heading to DVD on Jan. 21 is the February of 1979 session, David Susskind Archive: Truman Capote Tells All.   Unseen in its entirety since its original broadcast, Susskind and Capote cover quite a bit of ground in looking at contemporary culture, including famous (or perhaps, infamous) events from Capote’s life.