Everything You Need to Know About AVATAR DVDs and Exclusive Footage

The AVATAR DVD release is a little bit different than traditional DVD rollouts. There will be multiple DVD releases and theater releases over a period of time, many with different exclusive footage and special features. Here's an overview of the timing of the next 3 DVD releases and what to expect on each version, plus when to look for a full 3D DVD release.

Guest post by Ty Wingfoot

The much anticipated AVATAR DVD and Blu-Ray release on April 22, 2010 also came with some disappointing news for AVATAR fans. Available in 2D only, it does not contain all the exclusive footage everyone knew James Cameron, with his penchant for epic-length movies, would have edited out of the first theater release. Not only that, there are no special features included at all, which is a rare and bold move by Fox and James Cameron.

The Earth Day release is one of three planned DVD and Blu-Ray releases, and this first one was puzzling to many. There are no deleted scenes, no commentary, no peeks behind the scenes into the world of AVATAR and no extended or exclusive footage. It’s basically the movie on a disc, which is very rare for a DVD release of a record-breaking film.

Within days of Fox announcing the details of this rare staggered release schedule, and listening to the subsequent online grumbling, James Cameron held a press conference designed to promote the November, 2010 4-disc release, which is of course, perfectly merchandised and timed for the holiday gift-giving season.

The November DVD and Blu-ray release will contain some exclusive footage that did not make it into either the initial theater release or the second theater release that is tentatively scheduled for summer 2010. The main attraction will be exclusive footage of the original four-and-a-half minute long opening to the movie, as well as the ability to watch a scene being filmed picture-in-picture, contrasting the camera capture with the fully rendered result. What surprised many is that this November release is still only in 2D.

So will there ever be a 3D Blu-Ray or DVD version of AVATAR and will that contain exclusive footage? Fox has stated that a 3D version is ‘likely’ to be released in 2011, when more wide-spread adoption of 3D televisions is expected by consumers, but has provided little additional details. It’s quite likely, however, that this third disc could be the extended 3D version tentatively planned for theater release in the summer of 2010 and rumored to contain anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes of extended scenes.

Fox has stated that the April 22, 2010 disc has no special features in order to use all available storage space to produce the best picture and sound possible. One can speculate then that this third release may also be ‘just the film,’ but in all its expanded 3D glory. That being said, a little exclusive footage would certainly be a just reward for AVATAR fans who will have supported two theater releases and an unprecedented three different disc releases over a one-year span.

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Are you disappointed there is no exclusive new footage or special features planned on the first AVATAR DVD?

Comments

[Taronyu Ta'em (Burrows)]

I am a little disappointed that there's no new footage, but since the picture and the sound will be better, that's fine with me. I will buy both this one and the extended one =)

When the 3D version is out, I bet not many will buy it because everyone have already watched the 2D versions over 100 times x)