During a press day to promote Avatar: Extended Collector's Edition, James Cameron reassured fans wary of an Avatar triple dip by saying: "There's only one more play, maybe one, two years out, and that's 3D [Blu-ray]." No comment was given on the reported Panasonic-exclusive 3D BD release of the movie.
Previously, marketing executives from Panasonic had revealed that a 3D Blu-ray disc of Avatar would be offered in early December, exclusively to buyers of a Panasonic 3D Viera plasma TV (see Blu-ray.com, September 3). At the moment, however, Panasonic has not formally announced the promotion or its terms and conditions.
Cameron also went into detail regarding the copious special features on the upcoming Collector's Edition. The feature-length making-of documentary Capturing Avatar will have a runtime of around an hour and a half - although an hour was cut because, as Cameron said, they "couldn't have a documentary about the movie that was as long as the movie."
There is also 45 minutes worth of deleted scenes, some of them finished for the BD release. An interactive scene deconstruction in disc three will show the various stages of production with three different viewing modes. Cameron said that feature was "like geek heaven."
When I was at the Manchester show on the 17th October 2010, Panasonic had a 3D setup, which was playing Avatar. It may of been the 3D edition or just the 2D version converted. I forgot to ask them about this. But it looked pretty impressive. It may of been an event teaser demo of the 3D version. Did anyone else go to the show, who can shed some light on this?
In 1-2 year 3D will be played out. I for one an getting sick of it as the last 2 movies I've seen in so called 3D have sucked and was flat as a pancake.
Can't have a documentary that's as long as the movie? Someone hasn't checked out the second disc of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". I loved the "making of" documentary that accompanied that film's release. Bummed that Cameron - supposedly - cut an hour from this one for such a superficial reason.
I bet that hour appears in the production featurettes or something.
So we was warned this version was coming before the 1st release. It's special features look plentiful and we're told that the only other version will be 3D (something that only those that care will be interested in) and I bet that people will still complain.
Peter Jackson had a 4 hour documentary for The Frighteners. Jaws had a 2 1/2 hour documentary. There are plenty of examples of this. I've never heard anyone say that was a bad thing.
Seems like a great release, glad I held off on the bare bones edition. Don't care about 3D right now, maybe in a couple years I'll see if it is worth the upgrade.
Does this mean we can finally put this Avatar subject to bed? I mean, that was so last year. The latest best movie ever made is Inception. At least that's what the hype machine tells me.
really what it sounds like is Cameron as usual has no idea what he is talking about.
wasn't he totally wrong on some other info he gave about the bd before?
@Arkadin- What you are thinking about is when he announced there would be a 3D version of Avatar in November. Fox immediately released a statement saying that "3D is still in the conceptual stages and there will be no 3D version of Avatar in November." A few weeks ago they announced there will be a 3D version of Avatar bundled exclusively with Panasonic 3DTVs....December 1st. Seems pretty clear that Fox scrambled to protect Avatar BD sales by denying the existance of any plans to release it in 3D....then once the buying frenzy had died down announced plans to release it in 3D.
The only thing Cameron can be accused of is actually being honest with what the plans are and have always been for the releasing of Avatar on BD. Remember that it was HIM that made mention of the Avatar CE before the first BD was even announced.
Panasonics contract for exclusive rights to Avatar only lasts until June of next year. However that doesn't garentee a general release. Samsungs contract for Monsters vs Aliens has already expired and yet a general retail version still hasn't been announced. So Fox may well wait until 2012. Sad really that the movie that has done so much for 3D in the theatre is being held back from the home market for so long.
Buyers beware! This is the Avatar: Extended Collector's Edition. No doubt there will be another edition. Perhaps Extended Director's Edition or the Ultimate Edition. The situation is similar to the Watchmen releases. Buy at your own risk!
@pchin- Yes, it's exactly like the Watchmen release in that Director Zack Snyder told us all LONG BEFORE the initial release was announced that there would be an Ultimate release which integrated the animated material. He even detailed the features for each release, just like Cameron.
It's also just like LOTR that way. If you didn't know these releases were coming you frankly just weren't paying attention.
(The feature-length making-of documentary Capturing Avatar will have a runtime of around an hour and a half - although an hour was cut because, as Cameron said, they "couldn't have a documentary about the movie that was as long as the movie.")
Uh... hello!? The documentary for Aliens on the Quadrilogy set was roughly three hours long.
WTF? If Cameron HAD enough for a 2.5 hr "making of"...why would he feel he was compelled to edited an hour out????????????????????????????? Less is NOT more! It boggles the mind how some people's thought processes function!
James Cameron is such a doucebag as well as 20th Century Fox. I don't own Avatar and don't care to. Don't get me wrong, Cameron has a couple good flicks (Terminator 1&2 and ALiens). That's where it stops though.
Having fans keep dishing out money left and right for these releases of Avatar is one of the greediest things I have heard. I can understand the bare bones release and then releasing this CE. A lot of studios do it and I fall for it. What I'm pissed about is how are you not going to include the 3-D version of the film in the CE?!? Isn't that the whole point of a CE? This just solidifies my standing as to why I hate on Avatar so much.
I swear Michael Bay and Cameron are related somehow.
I am huge fan of Avatar and James Cameron too. I bought the Avatar USA version and the UK version since it has the steel cover. I spend some money on those Two Blu-rays. Now I am really getting tired of this rubbish and double triple dipping.
Or go ahead and whine about it on the internet. I'm sure the studio executive, leaning back in his leather wingback chair counting his money, is listening to you. I'm sure he is.
Yeah, I find it funny that people still get all bent over stuff like this, as if it hasn't happened over and over again in the past with other movies. It is quite simple; if you don't want it, then don't buy it. The studios do this because they know there are a ton of people that will...
...myself included. Especially when it comes to anything by James Cameron.
All the 3D hating people need to realize its not going any where. 3D in some shape or form has been in the movies for over 100 years, just cause you might not enjoy it, doesnt mean everyone else feels the same way you do. It might wane in popularity at points in time but it will never completely go away. Especially now that theatres have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on 3D DLP projectors, on silver screens etc
And now that so much is being invested in mass producing 3D for Televison at home.
No ones making you watch 3D if you dont want to, with 3D bluray you are being given the choice to watch 2D or 3D. Even with theatrical releases you have the choice of buying a 2D ticket or 3D ticket in most theatres.
so quit acting like its being forced upon you cause its not.
Who cares at this point? I don't require any more than the 3 hours of Avatar I already have. If anyone has THAT much time to spend (I'm guessing it'll take at least a full day to get through all the commentaries, extended/deleted scenes, featurettes, making ofs, etc.), maybe you need to get outside more often
The feature-length making-of documentary had an hour was cut because, Cameron said, "we can't have a making of that's as long as the movie." That is Lame: Lord of the Rings has 10 or more making of, for each film adding up to 5 or more hours total!!!! So to say, oh we only have one making of and it has to be shorter then the movie is BS! Any one else agree? Great Box Set though with great extras regardless, can't wait to see extended cut with the hour of extra unfinished scenes!
So awesome! I downloaded the newly added BD Live content using the first release Avatar ed.! Deleted scene, preview teaser from documentary, etc. It also shows upcoming previews coming every few days up untill the CE 3 disc release! So cool!
20th Century Fox knew that they would be releasing a second version of the Blu-ray and they deliberately suckered consumers into buying both copies.
Cameron is also at fault for this because he should have advocated not to release the movie on Blu-ray until the final version was ready.
I wouldn't buy this movie, even if someone else bought it for me. Studios who pull this crap should be boycotted anyway. This is why I don't rush out to buy new Bluy-ray releases. I generally wait about 6-8 months, after a title has been released, before buying a newer Blu-ray title.
Kemcha - I am very pleased with my 1st edition Avatar Blu-ray. There was no suckering, I did not want to wait for the 2nd release. Many people would have been disappointed if Avatar was not released until this fall.
Since Fox was open about its release plans prior to releasing the Avatar Blu-ray what is there to complian about? Nobody has ever been forced to buy anything, we have options to buy what we want. Options are GOOD.
If all you want is the theatrical edition and no features, why should you be forced to wait an extra 6 months for the features to be completed so you can pay $40 for stuff you don't want?
lol at the movies message and the tours JC did for the environment but he's now making 3 versions of the movie therefor using all that plastic and paper needed for slipcases and actually making the case. how effin funny,
I'll probably buy this collector's edition when the price drops a little.
I agree that there's no reason to cut a making-of documentary just because its running time is about as long as that of the feature. There are numerous examples of such documentaries that have running times that rival or exceed that of the subject feature film. It certainly doesn't detract from the main feature at all. In fact, such long running times allow a documentary the room to delve that much more deeply into the finer details of the making of the film and, in so doing, promote a larger appreciation from viewers of the film and filmmaking.
@ dallywhitty
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Uh... hello!? The documentary for Aliens on the Quadrilogy set was roughly three hours long.
End of Quote
Actually the 3 hour documentary for Aliens is made of several 20-30 minutes documentaries. I think Cameron says you cannot have an 2 hours documentary, without breaks. So we have an hour doc named Creating the avatar and several short featurettes.
It's a legal issue. The documentaries for LOTR or The Frighteners are the same, 20-30 minutes documentaries put together to make one big doc. I am sure this the same situation with Avatar.
What I want is "The Abyss" and the un-released Directors cut of "Titanic" which never went into cinemas. They will both look great on BD. As I have a Pany 3D TV obviously I want "Avatar 3D", hopefully they will sort out some kind of deal for early adopters. It's interesting that the IMAX 3D discs in the UK are having their release dates put back a few weeks.
Ha! I have just recieved my Avatar 3D 3 weeks early. Get in! So glad, it looks absolutely stunning. Same version as released earlier this year but with a 2D and 3D option. Not 235:1, but 185:1 the ration he preferred!
