60's Batman T.V. Show
#76
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Once again all, you are believing a person who has proved himself to be no more than a man on the street. Look through this thread - he's offered no proof whatsoever that he has ANY industry contacts with knowledge of the situation. There is also hardly any truth (or sense) for that matter in his posting.
The most likely reason there has been no announcement is that the movie is still quite a ways off. There is no official announcement for the SEs either, but we know they are working on those.
To say that Warner is "embarrassed" by the show is beyond ridiculous. How much crap have they released that far exceeds how "bad" Batman was? Batman is a profitable franchise for them, and frankly, they'd release it if it would sell. And it would sell, big time.
Until there is some official announcement, or at least information from a RELIABLE, **KNOWLEDGABLE** source, we can just keep our hopes up.
The most likely reason there has been no announcement is that the movie is still quite a ways off. There is no official announcement for the SEs either, but we know they are working on those.
To say that Warner is "embarrassed" by the show is beyond ridiculous. How much crap have they released that far exceeds how "bad" Batman was? Batman is a profitable franchise for them, and frankly, they'd release it if it would sell. And it would sell, big time.
Until there is some official announcement, or at least information from a RELIABLE, **KNOWLEDGABLE** source, we can just keep our hopes up.
#77
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That's right, I am nothing more than a "man on the street". However, I was also the person who asked Mike Radiloff (V.P. of marketing for TV shows on DVD at Warner Brothers) when the Batman TV show would finally be released to DVD, and the response was a quick and firm "NO COMMENT". This happened sometime in March of this year, during a live internet chat, where hundreds of questions were asked to him as far as what shows were being worked on by Warner Brothers to be released in the future. The only question that got a "NO COMMENT" response was mine. You may take this response anyway you'd like to. Since I have stated in the past about how Warner Brothers doesn't want the show to be released due to various issues (the biggest being because they don't want the public to associate the TV Batman with the Batman entity of today....as well as the fact that Warner (who owns the rights to the characters) wants more than 50% of the profit for any possible DVD release, while Fox (who owns the rights to the show) also feels that they (Fox) are the ones who should be majority owner of any DVD sales, I still doubt the show will be coming out anytime soon. I know my source and I trust him. He met face to face with Warner execs and was told straight to his face that Warner Brothers wanted nothing to do with the old Batman TV show, so there was no way they would give permission for my friend and his company to release any products associated with the show. Like I said, people can take that info as they'd like. Many optomists here stated how the show was probably being worked on for a tie in release with the new Batman movie, sometime in 2005. Well if that was true, don't you all think there would've been mention of it by now? In that same internet chat, Mr. Radiloff stated that the old George Reeves Adventures of Superman IS in the works, and that it should be coming out in the future. However, as for the Adam West Batman TV show, all the fans still get is a cold NO COMMENT. That's not fair to us, but in a world of corporate greed, I suppose this isn't about the fans, but rather about 2 big companies playing a high priced game of chicken, hoping the other company blinks first...and so far, neither are choosing to blink, and one of them doesn't really seem to care whether they blink or not
Last edited by Cocopugg; 11-19-04 at 08:10 AM.
#78
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Funny you should bring this thread back. Just yesterday, The Digital Bits mentioned this show in a post in their Rumor Mill. It said that while Fox doesn't have it on the schedule (it is "up in the air"), it seems their source at Fox is hopeful it will be released. Here is what the item said:
>
I am still betting that Fox and Warner work it out in time for the 2005 movie. If not, certainly by the show's 40th anniversary in 2006.
>
I am still betting that Fox and Warner work it out in time for the 2005 movie. If not, certainly by the show's 40th anniversary in 2006.
#79
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Give it time. Fox and Warner will work things out on this, because I'm sure they both smell money. Like someone earlier in the thread mentioned, Fox would be willing to release this any time (the sooner, the better, I'm sure) and Warner just has to figure out what schedule works best for them, as far as cross promoting goes.
Look at the rights nightmare that Spider-man used to be involved in. It took a long time, but a movie was finally made (and the rights situation involved more than just two studios).
Look at the rights nightmare that Spider-man used to be involved in. It took a long time, but a movie was finally made (and the rights situation involved more than just two studios).
#80
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If what cocopugg said is correct, then the show probably won't get released as a tie in with the new movie next year. If Warner doesn't want people to compare the two versions then this would be a dumb idea, no?
Anyway, I loved this show and would love to see it on DVD, I am very hopeful.
Anyway, I loved this show and would love to see it on DVD, I am very hopeful.
#82
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2+ years later and it still appears my source knew what he was talking about. What a shame, the Batman TV show was a time capsule to what 60s fun/camp TV was all about. Fans still want the entire series to be released, and the big heads still refuse to work things out. Truely a shame as far as the fans are concerned.
#83
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more conversation can be found at
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#84
Senior Member
This isn't what's been keeping Batman off home video all these years (lawsuit filed Aug. 16, 2006), but it looks like it'll delay any DVD release even further:
Full story (so far):
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14411215/
Both companies, Greenway and Fox, signed a contract in the 1960s, the lawsuit said. Another contract was also signed between Fox and ABC, the station which televised the show. In March 2005, [Deborah Dozier] Potter [William's daughter] came across the agreement between Fox and ABC and discovered she was entitled to 26 percent of the net profits from that agreement as well.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14411215/
Last edited by digidoh; 08-20-06 at 12:33 PM.
#87
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^same. I bought a seven disc boot set, but the picture is compressed to hell, and it has some freezing troubles. Better than nothing, but I wish they would get an official release out there.
#89
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I wish TVLand would run them again.
#91
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It is a real shame. This show deserves to be on DVD. To me this really shows the studios don't care about the fans...and this was before the lawsuit. Fox and DC have been bitching for awhile. Hopefully they will come to their senses and get this out.
#92
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There are other copyright issues involved beyond Fox/WB(DC)/Greenway. The music, costumes and batmobile are all under seperate copyrights also which would have to be negotiated/cleared first.
#93
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Yes...that is Fox and DC have been doing. Add in this new lawsuit and things are really messy.
Although the situation is puzzeling in general. The weird part is Time Warner isn't involved...since they own DC. And if I recall, ABC aired the original show. So who knows. I will still keep my fingers crossed.
Although the situation is puzzeling in general. The weird part is Time Warner isn't involved...since they own DC. And if I recall, ABC aired the original show. So who knows. I will still keep my fingers crossed.
#94
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Originally Posted by rw2516
There are other copyright issues involved beyond Fox/WB(DC)/Greenway. The music, costumes and batmobile are all under seperate copyrights also which would have to be negotiated/cleared first.
None of those cameos were cleared for anything other than broadcast TV; and in many cases, of course, clearance for Home Video/DVD's have to come from the estates of those people.
I just don't think we'll ever see these shows on DVD. Or perhaps even Blu-ray/HD-DVD.
The best hope will probably be VOD since that service could be construed as an extension of the already obtained broadcast TV rights.
#96
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Originally Posted by resinrats
I've never heard of a guest appearence being only allowed in one format. If anything, they might have to pay them some $$ if it was in their contract.
#97
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Adam West is getting up there in age, hopefully they are doing some commentaries now behind the scenes. that`s what was sad about Get Smart, they are finally putting out the dvd after Don Adams left us, it`s a shame we can`t hear Maxwell Smart`s commentary. hope that doesn`t happen with Batman. Adam West is Batman for a lot of generations. he deserves better.
#98
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Originally Posted by bloopbleep
Adam West is getting up there in age, hopefully they are doing some commentaries now behind the scenes. that`s what was sad about Get Smart, they are finally putting out the dvd after Don Adams left us, it`s a shame we can`t hear Maxwell Smart`s commentary. hope that doesn`t happen with Batman. Adam West is Batman for a lot of generations. he deserves better.
The Batman movie disc has a commentary with both West/Ward that I think sums up just about everything they have to say about the series....they speak of the tights, cars, guest stars, etc. If they ever did do episode commentaries I would think it would be pretty limited, as they don't have great details to give about every single episode.
This has been one of the most confusing situations since the onslaught of DVD. Vhs was never viable because storage of entire series were reserved only for mega-cult franchises like Star Trek or Twilight Zone. DVD is the first time that it has been reasonable...and still we wait through all of the law books.
#99
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Originally Posted by digidoh
This isn't what's been keeping Batman off home video all these years (lawsuit filed Aug. 16, 2006), but it looks like it'll delay any DVD release even further:
Full story (so far):
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14411215/
Full story (so far):
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14411215/
As I see it Ms. Dozier figures she's entitled to money, which she may or may not be. But the lawsuit doesn't impact the rights ownership about the show. It therefore doesn't affect DVD release. In fact if Fox end up having to shell out serous wedge to Ms. Dozier they may decide to release the show in order to recoup some of their loss.
#100
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At the risk of getting the same derison that was heaped upon someone else that made a similar claim...
When I first opened my movie store in late 2004, I also carried trading cards related to TV and movies, and the trading card magazine "Non-Sports Update." In one of the first issues I received, there was an interview with the president of either Rittenhouse or Artbox Entertainment (I believe Rittenhouse). Included in that interview was a question of (paraphrased) "I know you're a big fan of the 1960's Batman TV series. Any chance we'll see a trading card set?" His answer boiled down to this - that it was one of the first licenses he tried to obtain, and was given a very definite no by DC Comics, with the explanation that they did not want that era of Batman on the market.
When I first opened my movie store in late 2004, I also carried trading cards related to TV and movies, and the trading card magazine "Non-Sports Update." In one of the first issues I received, there was an interview with the president of either Rittenhouse or Artbox Entertainment (I believe Rittenhouse). Included in that interview was a question of (paraphrased) "I know you're a big fan of the 1960's Batman TV series. Any chance we'll see a trading card set?" His answer boiled down to this - that it was one of the first licenses he tried to obtain, and was given a very definite no by DC Comics, with the explanation that they did not want that era of Batman on the market.