Lovers of bonus features, are you afraid...

[Filmmaker]

...that with the stratospheric success of the utterly barebones AVATAR Blu-ray, studios will feel even less incentive to "trick out" their Blu-ray releases with interesting and entertaining bonus features? It seemed like, despite BD's exponentially greater storage capacity over DVD, bonus features were already becoming more and more anemic with each passing year...and now this. I don't know about you but I'm feeling a bit "blue" about it (pun only partially intended).

[DetroitSportsFan]

I have no problem with a "bare bones" release if it is as well done as Avatar, using as much of the disc space as possible to enhance the picture/sound.

The ideal situation is a 2 disc set, with just the film on one disc and the extras on the other disc.

And it is Avatar after all.... it was going to sell big no matter what.

[Weirded Wonder]

Avatar will have another release for the 3D version, correct? So I would assume there will be a ton of extras with that version. Again, I am assuming.

Most of the features I have watched are simply ports from the DVDs. Studios have yet to really go all out for this format.

[Clark Kent]

The studios realize that Avatar sells itself, and does not need added incentives like bonus features. Fox could have included lossy audio, and it still would have sold like it did. I do think the general trend is that they are moving away from extras, except on a handful of movies. Space was always the reason cited on dvd for why certain extras could not be included, but that is not true on Blu-ray. It is apparent that most movies in the future will have less and less extras, aside from the inane EPK stuff.

[wilky61]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

I have no problem with a "bare bones" release if it is as well done as Avatar, using as much of the disc space as possible to enhance the picture/sound.

The ideal situation is a 2 disc set, with just the film on one disc and the extras on the other disc.

I have a problem with it because they should have just released the 2-disc set in the first place. I for one am not going to buy Avatar now just to re-buy it this November.

[Batman1980]

I'm not going to re-buy it in November. I don't mind the lack of special features at all but I have a pretty big movie and TV collection so I don't watch a lot of special features.

[drtre81]

The reason why most extras are non-hd or simply ported from dvd is because.

1. Most people never watch them.

2. If they do it's usually once.

3. HD takes up more space and they don't want to include an extra disk.

[#Darren]

I don't think this represents a trend, just a set up for multiple sales dips due to it's huge p[opularity. By the time they are finished with re-releases on this it will have more special features than most films ever get.

[drtre81]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

I'm not going to re-buy it in November. I don't mind the lack of special features at all but I have a pretty big movie and TV collection so I don't watch a lot of special features.

The nov ed. is the extended version though.

[#Darren]

Actually I think it is because so many films were made years back and they do not have time or money to revisit it again (cast and crew are doing new projects and are not available etc).

Originally Posted by drtre81

The reason why most extras are non-hd or simply ported from dvd is because.

1. Most people never watch them.

2. If they do it's usually once.

3. HD takes up more space and they don't want to include an extra disk.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Filmmaker

...that with the stratospheric success of the utterly barebones AVATAR Blu-ray, studios will feel even less incentive to "trick out" their Blu-ray releases with interesting and entertaining bonus features? It seemed like, despite BD's exponentially greater storage capacity over DVD, bonus features were already becoming more and more anemic with each passing year...and now this. I don't know about you but I'm feeling a bit "blue" about it (pun only partially intended).

Avatar is the exception a decision was made to release it movie-only first. Cameron even admits in many interviews that the upcoming special edition will include the features fans want.

Avatar's appeal also makes it a tentpole digital download with the Sony Playstation Network Store and Vudu being the only digital stores offering an HD version of the film for download. The PSN store also offers a free download of Fox Movie Channel's Making A Scene: Avatar while Vudu is advertising Avatar as their first title with special features. Neither the XBox Live Marketplace/Zune Store or iTunes offer any bonus features for the SD download for Avatar.

Further, Sony is offering Blu-ray exclusive special features with Warner following suit. Paramount's Shutter Island lists no special features on DVD while the Blu-ray Disc offers two documentaries. This also happened with Paramount/Dreamworks' The Lovely Bones: DVD is movie-only while BD has extras.

[lDlisturb3d]

Im really not interested in Special Features unless the movie was original and im curious into how they did special effects and screenplay. Everything else doesn't matter. In regards to AVATAR the movie is so damn good that i will pay again in november for the special features because i wanna know how he did it without looking at youtube videos.

[Jim Purcell]

'Barebones' DVDs were fairly common IMO. So barebones Blu-rays should not be unexpected.

[fadetoblack1983]

I wish they would release 2 different versions at the same time. Say Avatar bare bones for $20 and the ultimate edition for $25. It would please die hard fans and casual fans of the movie alike.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by drtre81

The reason why most extras are non-hd or simply ported from dvd is because.

1. Most people never watch them.

2. If they do it's usually once.

3. HD takes up more space and they don't want to include an extra disk.

4. It's cheaper and easier.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by fadetoblack1983

I wish they would release 2 different versions at the same time. Say Avatar bare bones for $20 and the ultimate edition for $25. It would please die hard fans and casual fans of the movie alike.

It's been done before, like with 2012. But they know they can milk Avatar for at least 2 more releases on BD (extended with extras and 3D).

[peter008]

i for one love bonus features the more the better, im always dissapointed when i buy a blu-ray without bonus features i love to know how the actors, directors, etc... work on their movie. to me it add to the wonder of the movie itself specially with a movie like avatar. i did buy the barebone avatar recently and i will buy the next one in november just so i can watch all the bonus features that will be included with the movie. i know that many people dont like bonus features but that's okay others like me do like them so im not worried, movie will continue to have bonus features for a long time to come.

[P@t_Mtl]

It's starting to disapoint me less and less. After a while the bonus features are all about the same. Once you've seen them explain how they created a CGI elephant in one movie, a CGI lion in another....you sort of get the idea.

The only bonus features I bother to watch now are those from Criterion since they are talking about the movie, directors and process and not about how much hours they spend creating Peter Paker's CGI undewear for a scene

[jw]

I don't generally watch Special features however I would have liked to have seen them on Avatar as I would have checked them out. I wouldnt declare it as a slam dunk as we were not given a choice as consumers....A kinda Take it or leave it approach. Of course , we took it

[Blu-Benny]

avatar was gonna sell big no matter what, as will the uber-tricked out edition that is released later.

what i want to know is why haven't people been complaining about this movie being milked for all it's worth but they rip Lord of the Rings apart???