Hmm..this is interesting. The Simpsons second season and LOTR:Fellowship of the Ring theatrical version were both released last year on dvd the same day, I should know cause I bought both of them at Target on that day. Come next tuesday The Simpsons third season and the LOTR:The Two Towers theatrical version both come out on that day. So, if they followed this pattern I should say that come next year The Simpsons fourth season and LOTR: The Return of the King theatrical version both would come out the same day. I smell a conspiracy here.

I hope this opens the door to a LOTR/Simpsons cross-over episode!!!!!!!

I think its sad that a major movie series is coming out as fast as a tv show.

I've been wondering about this as well... I think LOTR geeks are also, by and large, Simpson geeks (don't take offense, I include myself among this group) so Fox figures they might as well take advantage of a date when LOTS of people will be buying dvds... I picked up both LOTR and Simpsons last year, and I intend to buy them both again come tuesday... but Fox better speed up these Simpsons releases....otherwise I'll be 40 years old by the time they're done....

MATT

"Eat my shorts, Gandalf."

Well, I've already gotten my Simpsons and LOTR has shipped!
Was the release dates changed?

Following your logic, this means that Season Five of The Simpsons will never be released.

Ralph Wiggum as Gollum:

"Frodo, you choo, choo, choo-se me?!"

It may be that studios know that people will be out in droves buying LOTR. It would make sence than to release a new dvd before or on that date, as it would sit right in front alongside LOTR, and probably would greatly increase sales. Of course I'm only speculating about this, but it seems plausable.

Just because it is released every year on dvd does not mean it is "fast" or less quality into it. Remember LOTR was filmed as a whole for over 3 freaking years and then broken into 3 installments as the books and released once every year for 3 years.

It's just a coincidence. Besides, the last week of August always seems to be a big week for DVD releases (the other big date of course is the Tuesday before Thanksgiving).

I thought maybe this was the reasoning behind Finding Nemo being released on the same day as the Indiana Jones Trilogy, Dad goes in to pick up his DVDs and grabs them for junior too(or himself, I know I'm buying it).

Of course Indy got bumped up a few weeks then.

I disagree. The LOTR: The Return of the King will be released a lot sooner next year and perhaps way before the fourth season of the Simpsons.

The reason is because the first two LOTR movies had to be released sometime in the late summer to November in order to coincide with the next movie sequel which would come out in the December of the year. Their intentions is to get everyone excited about it and refresh their memories of the series. There is no need to have the last LOTR dvd be released so late in the year especially with almost every dvd company releasing many new dvds a lot faster this year than in previous years. The Simpsons season sets is an exception. I have no idea why it takes them so long to release them.