FOX DVDs - their plans, 2003 releases and other cool tidbits

[Marq]

Inspired from the thread about the re-releasing of the Alien series of films on DVD in 2003, I thought I'd highlight some other various bits of info that came out of a chat ( http://www.thedigitalbits.com/articl...02htfchat.html ) with 20th Century Fox's Peter Staddon (all info are from his answers given to specific questions from HTF members):

- TV series Roswell is a long way off due to how expensive the music rights are ($1 to 2 million) -so don't hold your breath
- 3 Women and a Wedding (Robert Altman) and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls will come out in 2003 but not from Fox, as they gave the rights to someone else to release it (Criterion!?!??!?)
- Office Space: SE is "held up big time...you will see Office Space 2 before you see the SE" (Damn!)
- Millennium: Season 1 will likely come out in 2003....released in the appropriate 16x9
- The Simpsons: Season 3 will come out around May 2003 (takes so long because Matt Greoning and James L. Brooks are very involved in the production, but are also very busy guys), and priority is always given to the new episodes being produced for broadcast
- FOX has stopped developing the "5 star" brand
- King of the Hill: Season 1 = early 2003
- PCU and Fear of te Black Hat = no plans yet
- The Ben Stiller Show "has some issues preventing us doing anything with it. I can't really say more than that" (my note: but I think I read that Stiller and pals have recorded many commentaries for it... hmmm)
- The Gods Must Be Crazy is being looke at, but a long ways off
- The Panic In Needle Park - maybe the end of 2003
- regarding the question: "How are OAR titles selling in comparison to P&S titles for Fox in general?" His response: "It varies by title and genre. Something like Ep II will obviously sell more widescreen, a lot of other movies are more 50:50. More and more we will try to get both versions on one release as we did on Ice Age"... he also mentioned re: OAR, earlier: "First on the OAR support, I can only talk from Fox's pov but we are unwavering in our support for OAR. That does not mean that we will release Pan and Scan versions as well, but OAR will always be available."
- Futurama and Family Guy will be out in the first half of 2003
- True Lies = late 2003 or 2004
- Terror Train and Cemetery Man (aka Dellamorte Dellamore) are possible Halloween 2003 candidates, but not definite
- One Million Years BC will be out in 2003
- Predator: SE = probably mid 2003, but first will come Predator 2
- Song of Bernadette
- The Coens Brothers' Barton Fink and Miller's Crosing are both finished and should be out in early 2003 (my note: Huzzah!!!!)
- Ally McBeal is held up due to "staggering music clearance costs"
- Greg the Bunny = "I'm not sure the audience is there in sufficient numbers for a release"
- Brisco County ..... not being worked on
- The Lodger and Hangover Square might make it out in 2003
- Hill Street Blues' release is dependent on how NYPD Blue sells, especially considering how poorly The Mary Tyler Moore show sold.
- as mentioned in the other, thread 2003 will be a huge year for the Alien films
- Coccoon 1 &2 will be out in early 2003
- Dark Angel: Season 1 - first half of 2003
- The Tick (live action and animated) = no plans
- All That Jazz = in 2003
- St. Elsewhere - not being worked on
- The Fly: SE - maybe late 2003
- The Great White Hype - possibly middle 2003
- widescreen version of My Neighbor Totoro - his comments: "I'm afraid not, we do not have a widescreen master and have no rights beyond the version we do have. I would have liked to released an OAR version as I love his work."
- In Lving Color - his comments: "a clearance nightmare, not just music but artist approval rights etc. I really dont think that will happen.
- Undeclared (Marq's most desired FOX product!) - his comments: " is not being worked on right now so nothing will be happening until 2004 at the very earliest, I wouldnt get your hopes up" (Damn!!!)
- Home Alone: SE - hopefully for next Christmas


phew...

I wish more studios woud do this... and more often.
Click the link, as I didn't mention everything (just MOST).
Peace.

[mlemmond]

- One Million Years BC will be out in 2003

along with other Raquel Welch films, this made me happy

- Coccoon 1 &2 will be out in early 2003

- Dark Angel: Season 1 - first half of 2003

- Millennium: Season 1 will likely come out in 2003....released in the appropriate 16x9

yeah!

- Office Space: SE is "held up big time...you will see Office Space 2 before you see the SE"

booo!

[SeanL]

When I read the transcript last night, and got to this part...

The Gods Must Be Crazy is being looke at, but a long ways off

I got depressed.


I guess I should be happy that they are at least looking at it.

[Riedenschneider]

Originally posted by SeanL
...
I guess I should be happy that they are at least looking at it.

They're not. They're looke looke at it!

Sorry, I'm bored...

[edit]: Oops, sorry Marq. I thought that glitch came from the original transcript. So this is not funny, me bad and even more sorry

[Morticia]

Song of Bernadette

-

Greg the Bunny = "I'm not sure the audience is there in sufficient numbers for a release"

-

Brisco County..... not being worked on

-

The Tick (live action and animated) = no plans

-

Like SeanL, I am somewhat depressed now.

[Monster]

wow great post thanks for all the info... on these dvds..

[mtcarmel00]

Thanks Marq. I'm most excited about The Family Guy. Thats good news. I was also pleased to hear him speak of Fox's commitment to OAR and the fact that Fox will go deeper into catalog titles for 2003. Maybe it will finally be the year of Silver Streak!

[C Roberts]

No Office Space SE or any of The Tick! I'd be depressed as well, but news of Futurama cheers me up to much.

[Morgan C Hoax]

i too am crossing my fingers for an undeclared dvd.

mch

[Marq]

Originally posted by Morgan C Hoax
i too am crossing my fingers for an undeclared dvd.

mch

That would be my dream. It wouldn't be too hard.... there was less than a full season of episodes made (maybe 18? at the most)... music rights might be a bitch though.

[edit]: Oops, sorry Marq. I thought that glitch came from the original transcript. So this is not funny, me bad and even more sorry

_amn me and my lack of "D"s!!! Apology accepted Rie_enschnei_er"

[mjb]

I find it interesting that there is such expectation of relatively unsuccessful TV shows to surface on DVD...

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see the maximum amount of product available (a good example of something I never expected to see would be the SPORTS NIGHT set), but shows that lasted less than a complete season have never been strong candidates for video release. Yet here we are talking about DVDs for "Undeclared" and "The Tick" (I'd buy the latter, incidentally).

[Deez108]

I agree with several above when I say that I would go nuts over an Undeclared set.

I think its real cool how Fox is being so upfront with people about future plans. Not a lot of dancing around things.

[mjb]

From that list, the title I'm looking forward to most would be MILLER'S CROSSING, with an improved transfer and hopefully some choice extras.

I'm glad to see FUTURAMA get a domestic release, but the UK version was also a potential purchase if that didn't happen.

[WraithGTS]

Oh MILLER'S CROSSING is a must have. The dialogue in that movie is spectacular!

PCU is another must have . . . Jermey Piven is hysterical.

[AzraelX]

No one mentioned a DVD release of the 3 seasons of Titus.

[PrometheusUFO]

- TV series Roswell is a long way off due to how expensive the music rights are ($1 to 2 million) -so don't hold your breath

This was my fav tv series too...(Don't miss the repeats starting Jan 13th at 6pm ET on SciFi channel ).

- Office Space: SE is "held up big time...you will see Office Space 2 before you see the SE" (Damn!)

- Predator: SE = probably mid 2003, but first will come Predator 2

I'll be buying these blind.

- as mentioned in the other, thread 2003 will be a huge year for the Alien films

Same as with Predator, blind buys.

- Dark Angel: Season 1 - first half of 2003

Finally, some great news! I hope Season 2 will be released as well!

- Home Alone: SE - hopefully for next Christmas

I just bought that title. Dangit. Heh.

[Marq]

Originally posted by mjb
I find it interesting that there is such expectation of relatively unsuccessful TV shows to surface on DVD...

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see the maximum amount of product available (a good example of something I never expected to see would be the SPORTS NIGHT set), but shows that lasted less than a complete season have never been strong candidates for video release. Yet here we are talking about DVDs for "Undeclared" and "The Tick" (I'd buy the latter, incidentally).

I guess I feel a DVD of Undeclared is justified simply because it was critically loved series (hailed as the best new series by most last Fall), that I feel towered above all other comedies on network television at the time. It would take much to put a DVD together (they'd only have 1 season to commit to, but again music rights might be a pain) - of course my love for the show (and it's creative predesessor Freaks and Geeks - another one season wonder just as strongly desired by me but have no idea who has the rights ) is that of just one individual, and clearly the ratings for the show sucked ass, thus leading to the cancellation of it, but a dude can hope... hell if they're releasing another critically acclaimed, but very short lived (2 seasons I think) and low rated series - Millennium, it might not be impossible...

I think there were so many queries about television series' on DVD (Brisco County, The Tick, Dark Angel, Family Guy, In Living Color, Millennium, Greg the Bunny, etc) in that chat simply because most folks aren't completely sure which studio owns to the rights to certain movies, but they definitely know FOX owns the shows that they actually broadcast, thereby knowing they'll get a reply. ( ? )

Incidentally, Miller's Crossing and Barton Fink being released next year is definitely the best news to me as well. Must have all of the Coen's masterpices in my collection... a damn same no one asked about a possible SE of Raising Arizona (my favorite Coens movie)... I remember rumours about it some time back though...

Definitely a lot of sad news came out if the chat for myself too: Office Space, the continued slow pacing of The Simpsons on DVD, the aforementioned Undeclared, and The Gods Must Be Crazy.

[mjb]

PCU certainly isn't the best comedy ever made, but it's still pretty funny and definitely captures a certain time and place -- and since I haven't overdosed on Comedy Central reruns, I'll eventually add it to my collection.

[robarnold99]

- Brisco County ..... not being worked on

I could have swore I read on Bruce Campbell's site that Columbia House was doing the dvd's for Brisco County Jr. I wonder if this simply means that Fox has no involvement and CH is doing it themselves...I hope so. I loved this show when it was on.

[disclover]

I'll be watching for whatever they do with the Alien series, Cocoon, and the Coen Brothers titles. Those are of main interest to me.

[JakeLipson]

Originally posted by Marq
Home Alone: SE - hopefully for next Christmas

Great news! I love that movie. One of my favorite Christmas movies ever. The first two sequels are great, too. (ABC recently did a made-for-TV Home Alone IV, which I avoided.)

Originally posted by Marq
widescreen version of My Neighbor Totoro - his comments: "I'm afraid not, we do not have a widescreen master and have no rights beyond the version we do have. I would have liked to released an OAR version as I love his work."

Oh well. We'll just have to wait till Disney aqqires the rights (in 2004, I think) and puts out an OAR release.

[boddah]

My friends and I loved Undeclared, and I'm still mad that it was cancelled. I'd definitely pick up that set.

Five months for the next season of The Simpsons. I'm like an impatient toddler when it comes to The Simpsons DVDs, or maybe a foul-mouthed Veruca Salt. I want it now, assholes.

Was that Office Space 2 comment made jokingly, or is there actually a sequel planned?

[EricMontreal22]

About Totoro--their print of the dubw as from Troma Films right (who did the theatrical release). Anyway I'm gonna hold up buying it on dvd--dub only track and pan and scanwhat's the point.

Yay for terror train

On the Undeclared website--or one of them JUdd is quoted as saying it will likely never make it to dvd due to the music issues



E

[John Yaya]

Well it's nice to see that David Cronenberg's version of THE FLY may be reissued as a SE in 2003, A Raising Arizona SE would be welcomed too

I'm STILL waiting for the original Bedazzled...and when it does see the light of day, it had better be worth the wait !!... sadly the film's two stars are now deceased

also still waiting for The Hot Rock (great early 70's comedy caper with Robert Redford, George Segal & Zero Mostel) The Man With One Red Shoe, The Seven Ups...I'm sure there a number of great Fox films that are still MIA

[Drexl]

We're probably looking at July, August or maybe September of next year for All That Jazz, since they're waiting for the DVD release of Chicago. Miramax is usually late with their releases of their films they push for Oscars.

Deep down inside, I knew they would do this, but I was still hoping they would consider releasing ATJ when Chicago hits theaters this month, or at least no later than when the nominations come out.

[Morgan C Hoax]

re: undeclared.

it's disheartening that they say 2004 at the earliest. the longer they wait, the less likely i'd think a DVD release would be.

oh well. i'm mad at myself for starting to record it only halfway through the season.

mch

[retroboy]

I'm happy that the Coen Bros. films are finally going to be released in 2003--I've been waiting patiently! About the whole TV show to DVD debate--releasing the "cult" oriented fare (shows that didn't fare very well during their initial run, but have loyal fans) seems to be a way for a studio to make some profit off some expensive TV productions (like Dark Angel and Millennium). Most DVD collectors appear to be the the loyal, naive, brave souls who will watch these programs while the rest of North America watches banal reality programming (damn you, Survivor and your soulless ilk, damn you all to hell!) so it's sort of a thank-you note that some of these shows are being considered.

Music rights on home video releases really is becoming a problem--if there was more level-headed system (ie less greedy), I guarantee that those of us who loved Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared would probably be owning the DVDs right now (sigh...)--the music rights issue almost derailed the My So-Called Life DVD set (which I'm enjoying this week ).