JAN. 20 | DreamWorks Home Entertainment is trying to entice fans of The Ring back into video stores before the sequel hits theaters on March 18. The DVD premiere short film on the two-disc The Ring Collectors Set, streeting March 8, bridges the two movies and introduces characters from the sequel.

The 16-minute short film, called "Rings," was written by Ehren Kruger, the scribe for both of the theatrical movies. It's part of DreamWorks' creepy marketing campaign for the whole horror franchise.

While The Ring Two was being shot, the home entertainment team met with producer Walter Parkes and developed and shot the new material for the DVD, said domestic head of home entertainment Kelly Sooter. The first Ring sold more than 6 million units on DVD, but DreamWorks execs felt there was a loyal audience that they could grab again with the right enticement, she added.

"We knew that we could come up with content that they would want to see," she explained. "And when you have a sequel and you have the benefit of being able to tie in with that theatrical window, you can get people who may not have seen the original Ring. You can introduce them into the franchise through getting the DVD just before they see the movie."

Following the same strategy it used with the Shrek franchise, DreamWorks is putting a free ticket to see The Ring Two in each DVD set (VB, 1-17). It is returning to the packaging strategy it first tried with the Shrek/Shrek 3D combo pack of shrink-wrapping the two discs together side by side.

"It's hard to truly call out the value of content to a consumer when it's all inside one package," Sooter said. "We want to make sure that people realize it is a film worth watching in and of itself and not just what happens a lot of times, a lot of deleted scenes or making-of material put together."

Although the horizontal packaging takes up double the shelf space, Sooter said it will be a temporary offering for most retailers keyed to the sequel's theatrical window. "Some people, if they carry depth of product, may maintain it on an ongoing basis because of the uniqueness of it, and other people, where facings are limited, will revert back to the single Ring DVD," Sooter said.

As part of its grassroots marketing campaign, DreamWorks is surreptitiously placing unlabeled VHS tapes--modeled after The Ring's videotape that dooms anyone who watches it--in such venues as concerts and sports events. Consumers can then go to the official site and share their experience of watching the videotape and preview the 16-minute short film.

Now through the street date, DreamWorks' home entertainment arm is partnering with theatrical on other marketing elements, including newspaper advertising and TV buys. The DVD set will be promoted in theaters playing The Ring Two via concession items such as popcorn bags.

According to Sooter, the studio also is working on promotions with various retail partners, including in-store events, circular ads and store displays.

"It's perfect timing with spring break," she said. "Kids are going to be out over the course of the month of March and the beginning of April, and there are a couple of retailers that do especially well with this type of product."

Interesting idea... is this the first time this has been done (a sort film to bridge two sequels)?

I know that there have been animated tie-ins (The Matrix, Riddick, Van Helsing, even -- I suppose -- Star Wars: Clone Wars)... but this is the first actual live-action film I've heard of.

FOX did it for 24. On the Season 3 set there are a "prequel" setting up the events of Season 4.

Didn't Universal do this with the fast and the furious as well.

Already sold my original copy (and Amityville Horror) in anticipation for this! yay, lol

Xfilekr I did the exact same thing Nice to know it's not another Pirates Fiasco.....

So is the movie disc the same as the current release?

Matrix: Reloaded was a 2hr+ bridge to the sequels. And I wish it was a 15-min shorty film instead. Oh well, DreamWorks does it better.

I hope ring 2 isnt going to be anything like the Japanese version cuz the japanese version was utter crap. But even worse than ring 2 was ring 0. After watching those two i wanted my 4 hours back

Based on the previews, the American Ring 2 is a completely different plotline from the Japanese Ring 2. Which makes sense, since some of the better scenes from the Japaenese Ring 2 have already been used in the American Ring 1.

where do I begin? Double-dipping is wrong. Basically Dreamworks is making us buy a two-pack DVD just to get a 16 minute shorty? And the side-by-side packaging is a waste when they could easily jam the shorty on the original movie disc. The idea of leaving VHS tapes at various venues sounds cool, but of course I'll never see one.
And they plan on advertising on popcorn bags? How lame is that!!! One of my favorite horror franchises is turning into Winnie the Pooh!! When can I pick up my Samarra action figure at Burger King? Can I get a plastic WELL replica inside a box of Trix?

The Fast and Furious Tricked Out Edition DVD had a short leading into the sequel, and they ended up including that short on the sequel's DVD as well. It's possible they would do the same with this Ring short.

Incorrect.

The Matrix Trilogy,Lord of The Ring,and Alien Series are perfect DoubleDips.
Bourne Idenity:EEE sucked,and some others did,but don't say all Double Dips are wrong.