‘Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition’ release dates, content, pricing announced
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
U.S. consumers will have three options with different suggest retails price:
* 5-disc Blu-ray 3D set ($54.98) (includes a non-3D Blu-ray version)
* 3-disc Blu-ray ($35.99)
* 5-disc DVD ($34.99)
In a press release from Warner Bros., Peter Jackson said of the new edition:
“I’m thrilled that the Extended Edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features,” said Jackson. “It’s exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of ‘An Unexpected Journey’ to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy.”
Each of the three films in Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” trilogy received a deluxe Extended Edition treatment around November after a December theatrical release and for many fans those longer cuts of the films are the definitive versions. Also widely loved are the extras on those editions which stand, even for non-Tolkien / Jackson fans, as among the elite extras on any film ever released. With the deflation of the home video market, extras on film releases are definitely trending downward in quality and quantity as studios see less or no return on the investment to put added value on the discs but that does not seem to be the case here.
The Two Towers Extended Edition
The released box art of the EEs is not what many readers of TheOneRing.net hoped for. Nothing is exactly wrong with the shot of Bilbo Baggins holding his sword Sting and looking a bit worried against a generic forest background, but it feels standard and bland on a version of the film that consumers want to be special. Each of the LOTR films was a different solid color with the film’s title in gold with appropriate and subtle Tolkien-esque markings around the box. In fact, the packaging was virtually flawless for those films, matching the high standard of content. A non-staff story about this subject was posted just this week.
In fairness, those titles were a different studio’s release (part of New Line Cinema’s Platinum Series) and this is a different commercial era for home video. With a declining market it is easy to see why a studio would want any consumer, especially casual ones, to know immediately what film they are looking at on a store shelf. However, these Extended Editions may well get lost among the regular editions instead of stand out as distinct and prestigious. This writer doesn’t speak for TORn, but I am disappointed.
Still, it is a solid bet that viewers are much more concerned with what is on the inside of the box and call it a hunch, with the production video blogs setting the standard, this content will delight consumers. This is a good time for the public to demonstrate to film studios how much we do care about excellent content to go with fan-favorite films on home video releases. If sales aren’t stellar, who knows what the fate of the next two films’ extended editions might be.
TheOneRing.net will review the Extended Edition and the added content as soon as it becomes available to us. We will also keep readers updated with different added-value incentives from big retailers, if any are available. The entire press release is presented below after a clip from the extended edition.
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY EXTENDED EDITION
A PRODUCTION OF NEW LINE CINEMA
AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES,
ARRIVES ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON
OCTOBER 22TH AND ON BLU-RAY 3DTM,
BLU-RAY™ AND DVD NOVEMBER 5TH FROM
WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Features a 13-Minute Longer Cut and
Nearly Nine Hours of New Special Features
Burbank, Calif., July 31, 2013 – Fans of Middle-earth will have the opportunity to gain a broader experience of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, from Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, when the epic fantasy adventure is released as an Extended Edition on Digital Download October 22nd and on Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD on November 5th from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE). A production of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, this new cut includes 13 minutes of extra film footage that extends individual scenes, making this the must-see, definitive version for fans. All disc versions of the Extended Edition include nearly nine hours of new bonus features and will be available just ahead of the December 13 theatrical release of the second film of the trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
“I’m thrilled that the Extended Edition will give fans the opportunity to experience certain key scenes in the film as they were originally shot, as well as an abundance of special features,” said Jackson. “It’s exciting to present this expanded and enriched version of ‘An Unexpected Journey’ to allow fans to fully immerse themselves in the movie, before seeing the second part of the trilogy.”
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition will be available as a 5-disc Blu-ray 3D set ($54.98 SRP) that features the Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray versions of the Extended Edition; a 3-disc Blu-ray ($35.99) and a 5-disc DVD ($34.99) The Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD all include UltraVioletTM which allows consumers to download and instantly stream the Extended Edition in high definition to a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players.*
The nearly nine hours of new special features boasts audio commentary with Peter Jackson, director/producer/screenwriter, and Philippa Boyens, co-producer/screenwriter, and “The Appendices,” a multi-part documentary focusing on various aspects of the film and the Trilogy. Complete special feature details are provided below.
The first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” was nominated for three Academy Awards®1.
SYNOPSIS
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first in Peter Jackson’s highly anticipated trilogy adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The adventure follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the Wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of 13 Dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild, through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer.
Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the Goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever…Gollum.
Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even him; he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities…A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.
The screenplay for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson & Guillermo del Toro, based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. Jackson also produced the film, together with Carolynne Cunningham, Zane Weiner and Fran Walsh. The executive producers are Alan Horn, Toby Emmerich, Ken Kamins and Carolyn Blackwood, with Boyens and Eileen Moran serving as co-producers.
New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), Present a WingNut Films Production, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. All three films in The Hobbit Trilogy, also including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and the final film, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, are productions of New Line Cinema and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), with New Line managing production. Warner Bros. Pictures handled worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television distribution handled by MGM.
ALL-NEW SPECIAL FEATURES ON BLU-RAY 3D, BLU-RAY AND DVD:
Commentary with Peter Jackson, Director/Producer/Screenwriter and Philippa Boyens, Co-Producer/Screenwriter
The Appendices – A multi-part chronological history of the filming of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, covering pre-production in the various departments of the film in the months leading up to the start of principal photography, the boot camp training for the main cast, the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects.
New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Extended Edition
Street Date: November 5, 2013
Order Due Date: October 1, 2013
Rating: PG-13
Run Time: 184 mins.
Blu-ray 3D: $54.98 SRP
Blu-ray: $35.99 SRP
DVD: $34.99 SRP
Note: All enhanced content listed above is subject to change.
Blu-ray Disc™ and Blu-ray™ and the logos are the trademarks of Blu-ray Disc Association.
Warner Home Video Blu-ray Discs offer resolution six times higher than standard definition DVDs, as well as extraordinarily vibrant contrast and color and beautifully crisp sound. The format also provides a higher level of interactivity, with instant access to extra features via a seamless menu bar where viewers can enjoy features without leaving or interrupting the film.
ULTRAVIOLET
*UltraViolet allows you to collect watch and share movies and TV shows in a whole new way. Available with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs, DVDs and Digital Downloads, UltraViolet lets you create a digital collection of movies and TV shows. Services such as Flixster and VUDU allow you to instantly stream and download UltraViolet content across a wide range of devices including computers and compatible tablets, smartphones, game consoles, Internet-connected TVs and Blu-ray players. Restrictions and limitations apply. Go to www.ultraviolet.flixster.com/info for details. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices.
About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees, as well as directly to consumers through WBShop.com and WB Ultra.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content globally. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content. In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels. For more information, visit www.mgm.com
The extended edition for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is, by now, well on the way. In this opinion piece, Ringer TheHutt offers his thoughts on how why the designers and creators at Warner Bros. should be taking their cues from the acclaimed success of The Lord of the Rings EEs, and not from the styling applied to AUJ’s theatrical edition.
First off, we’d like to continue to send our prayers and well wishes to all our friends in NZ, who once again are dealing with a significant earthquake.