From Blu-Ray.com:

After weeks of speculation and rumors, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially announced Avatar on Blu-ray. As James Cameron himself revealed a month ago (see blu-ray.com, February 18), the release date has been set for Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day). In a first for a major theatrical release on Blu-ray, the studio will go Superbit on James Cameron's megablockbuster and release it without any special features of any sort, in order to maximize audio and video quality. A DVD will be included with the BD.

Avatar producer Jon Landau explained to the Los Angeles Times that they told Fox that "we wanted to do something really special and reach for the best presentation of any film in the history of the format." Landau adds, "Everything that is put on a disc takes up room – the menus, the extras, the trailers and studio promotions – and we got rid of all of that so we could give this movie the best picture and sound possible." Extra time and care have been devoted to this project, with the video compression sessions taking six weeks, as opposed to the usual two weeks for a typical theatrical release.

A multidisc "ultimate version" Blu-ray is planned for November. Details will be given during a press event in March 23, which will be attended by Landau and Cameron.

Regarding a 3D release, Fox sources again denied reports that it would come out later this year. The Digital Bits hazards a guess that it will probably come "in a third dip a year or two from now", once there is a market for 3D on Blu-ray.

Avatar release dates in other territories are:
Belgium: April 21
France: April 21
Netherlands: April 21
Spain: April 21
Brazil: April 22
Canada: April 22
China: April 22
Russia: April 22
Germany: April 23
Japan: April 23
Mexico: April 23
Switzerland: April 23
UK: April 26
Denmark: April 27
New Zealand: April 28
Norway: April 28
Sweden: April 28
Australia: April 29
Finland: April 30
Italy: May 6

Nice movie, but not worth buying a barebones. I'll Netflix it down the road to see if I still have interest in the special edition this fall.

$39.99 MSRP for a barebone release!?!? F-U Fox!

Unfortunately, it will be marketed as the "only way" to see Avatar at home, and tens of thousands of people will buy it, further perpetuating movie studios screwing the customers.

It's a no-buy for sure. The movie is supposedly being rereleased to theaters this summer with 40 additional minutes, as well so why bother at this point?

- Just to prove we're not studio shills and all ...

So the only way to get the DVD is to buy the blu-ray? O well atleast we still have the FOX bare bones "Rental Exclusive" dvds that I can buy used for $5 by the middle of June.
I will probally stick with the bare-bones unless i find the Ultimate Edition cheap, IF they release it on DVD.

Uh, where have you been all these years??
Fox has been using $39.99 as the MSRP for virtually bare bones BD titles MANY previous times in the past....

Avatar bombed in theaters, they gotta find some way to recoup the money it took to make the film.



Comingsoon.net has pretty much the same news, but also gives cover art

I'm surprised they don't release half of the movie on Blu-ray, and then you have to wait till the end of the year to buy the other half of the movie.

FOX are geniuses actually. They know that everyone who liked the film will buy the barebones DVD/Blu-ray, and they know everyone that loved the film will double dip for the versions with the extras. I hope the employees at FOX have some sort of job security now all thanks to AVATAR.

wait...so there is no standalone standard DVD release at all??

There may be occasional exceptions, but generally the MSRP is not actually charged in stores during release week. Avatar will probably be $19.99, but certainly no more than $24.99, on April 22.

--THX

I loved the movie. I am in for the Barebones Blu as well as whatever super-duper edition in the fall.

Mod note: removed -- Dane please read http://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-talk/23...ease-read.html before you make this sort of post again.

Unless I read stellar reviews about the quality and sound, I will pass.

No, there is....the original story the first poster used to start this thread with was from blu-ray.com, who don't really ever make mention or talk about any DVD releases....

There will be a 1 disc barebones DVD ($29.99 MSRP), and a 2 disc barebones BD + DVD combo pack ($39.99 MSRP)....

No 3D = no sale. Will rent it from Netflix, but will hold out for the super awesome version which will be out soon more than likely.

i thought that was the case and seemed odd and then wondered why this thread was in this particular forum.

you realize that you'll have to spend thousands of dollars, since you'll need a 3D tv, a 3D enabled blu ray player and a few glasses. They won't give you a red blue 3D version

Avatar will convert me blu-ray. I thought the film fucking rocked, saw it twice in IMAX, and once in regular 3D. One of the few films I really enjoyed last year.

I have to admit that I was a little surprised when I learned that "Avatar" will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2D only, considering what a big selling point the 3D was. While I understand it would have to be an anaglyph 3D right now, taking into account how many other 3D movies still had an anaglyph option when they were released on DVD/Blu-ray, I thought that 20th Century Fox would want to offer one as well. Regardless, I guess this just proves that 20th Century Fox is going to milk this movie for all its worth.

me too, I seen it twice one in standard 3d and one in IMAX 3d. Loved the movie. I will buy every release probably kinda like what I did with King Kong 2005, I bought the standard dvd, the making of collection, the HD-DVD, The directors cut, the bluray version.


very cool to hear they are using alll the space and taking away menus, studio logos etc. they were talking about this on attack of the show and mentioned the pq and aq are supposed to be the best seen and heard on the format yet.

Pre-orders are up on Amazon, $16.99 for DVD, $25.00 for Blu. I expect the Blu to come down to 20 as it gets closer to release day. I pre-ordered because I have a feeling the extended edition coming at the end of the year won't include the theatrical edition or utilize seamless branching. More isn't always more (IE Punisher Extended Cut ... ugh) And with a little luck we will be treated to a Blu release and new anamorphic DVD release of True Lies ... whoot!! (sorry off topic but still exciting)

I am surprised the SD, or BD will not include any behind the scenes features at all! I just saw Cameron on Inside the Actors Studio and they showed quite a bit of behind the scenes footage on that program. THIS SUCKS IMO!

since the blu has no extras to speak of, the (sale) price IMO should be no more than 20 bucks

From the Digital Bits:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/mytwoc...78.html#031710

samre5 is gonna jump for joy