The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition - November 4, 2014

[oceanicflight_815]

I hate the idea that some day physical media might be gone altogether. Peter Jackson mentioned at this years Comic-Con panel that there might not be an ultimate set, obviously due to the decreased interest in physical media. Personally streaming a film or tv series won't ever be able to replace the moment you finally unbox your DVD or Blu Ray for the first time. Clicking a few buttons on a remote can't ever replace that.

[Geoff D]

He actually said that? Wow. Perhaps he knows something we don't, being on the other side of the curtain and privy to what goes on in the average studio exec's head.

[Eny-]

Originally Posted by oceanicflight_815

I hate the idea that some day physical media might be gone altogether. Peter Jackson mentioned at this years Comic-Con panel that there might not be an ultimate set, obviously due to the decreased interest in physical media. Personally streaming a film or tv series won't ever be able to replace the moment you finally unbox your DVD or Blu Ray for the first time. Clicking a few buttons on a remote can't ever replace that.

As long as studios are making money of it, physical media will always be around.

[Blu-Ray73]

I think it will quite some time before we have no physical media, while less people are buying it I just believe that if the studios can still be making some money out of it they will.

Im sure Peter meant that it will be a gradual process of selling less physical stuff and more and more downloads.

[UNCMT9]

I went to Dragon Con this year and sat in on a LOTR Q and A session with Jed Brophy, Adam Brown, Billy Boyd, and Craig Parker. They said Pete has millions of feet of 35mm film laying around and that they see no reason why an ultimate box set can't be made one day. Keep in mind though, this is from their mouths, not Pete. They said his intentions were eventually to do this. On a side note, I've got to get to San Diego for one of these events.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by oceanicflight_815

I hate the idea that some day physical media might be gone altogether. Peter Jackson mentioned at this years Comic-Con panel that there might not be an ultimate set, obviously due to the decreased interest in physical media. Personally streaming a film or tv series won't ever be able to replace the moment you finally unbox your DVD or Blu Ray for the first time. Clicking a few buttons on a remote can't ever replace that.

I watched that -- don't remember Jackson saying anything like that. When asked about an extended extended cut of the LOTR films, he said there was very little content left to add. He only mentioned one specifically -- young Aragorn meeting Arwen. He said if there was interest in it, they could maybe make it happen. He didn't say it couldn't happen because physical media was going away -- if he did, I sure missed it.

[BaerGriggs]

I do really like that Target steelbook. Though I'm a bit bummed it's not 3D, I've pretty much given up hope of trying to maintain continuity with the movies (digibooks for Theatrical, 3D steelbook for Extended, etc.) and I'm just going to buy whatever I think looks nice from now on .

I can just buy the 3D discs for relatively cheap online anyway and put them in the steelbook myself; the situation with Best Buy last year was so odd with them no including 2D anyway so I suppose it was a bit unlikely they would do a similar release this year. So far I'm planning on getting the Collector's Edition with barrel statue from Amazon and the Target steelbook.

[bookcase]

Wasn't there discussion of possible converting the LotR trilogy to 3D?

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by bookcase

Wasn't there discussion of possible converting the LotR trilogy to 3D?

More than discussion...as part of a demo reel to convince theater owners to upgrade their projection systems a while back when, Jackson submitted post-converted 3D footage from the LOTR films.

[oceanicflight_815]

It was a passing comment he made about how one day you'll be able to watch all 6 films as one complete story and he started to say in a dvd set and then corrected himself "the 6 film downloads."

You can watch it here, it's right around the 45:00 mark:

The Hobbit 3: Battle Of The Five Armies SDCC Official Comic Con Panel 2014 - YouTube

43:40 if you want to see the question asked. I know it's probably a ways out but I hate that it's even a discussion. Like that it is even a possibility. Bothers me a lot. Also these panel discussions were super awkward this year. Or maybe they always have been and I'm just now noticing. The people asking the questions are just weird. Not cool and dorky, just some serious weirdos.

[MifuneFan]

Philippa

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by oceanicflight_815

It was a passing comment he made about how one day you'll be able to watch all 6 films as one complete story and he started to say in a dvd set and then corrected himself "the 6 film downloads."

I understand you now. I thought you meant Jackson wouldn't make "extended-extended" cuts of LOTR because of the death of physical media. My mistake.

[Taikero]

If that Target Steelbook only had room for 2 more discs.....

[skyofcrack]

It seems to me PJ was kidding about there not being any DVD when he gets around to putting all six films together. He didn't mention BD though.

I also thought that PJ specifically changed the 3rd Hobbit film's name so he could use There and Back Again for a future boxed set.

A 6-film set would have probably at least 27 BD's.

[UNCMT9]

Originally Posted by skyofcrack

It seems to me PJ was kidding about there not being any DVD when he gets around to putting all six films together. He didn't mention BD though.

I also thought that PJ specifically changed the 3rd Hobbit film's name so he could use There and Back Again for a future boxed set.

A 6-film set would have probably at least 27 BD's.

And it would be glorious!

[oceanicflight_815]

If there is an eventual box set, I'd imagine it would largely consist of all the previously released discs right? So we're looking at 15 from the LotR boxset and about 15 from The Hobbit films, if they include the 3D versions. 30-disc set, yikes that retail price will be crazy.

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by oceanicflight_815

If there is an eventual box set, I'd imagine it would largely consist of all the previously released discs right? So we're looking at 15 from the LotR boxset and about 15 from The Hobbit films, if they include the 3D versions. 30-disc set, yikes that retail price will be crazy.

Plus it is WB so there will be a screw up in the packaging and duplicate discs. Plus they will come in cardboard holders that scratch the discs.

[Vashetti]

Surely a LOTR re-release should coincide with all of those extras ditching the DVDs and being consolidated into 1 Blu-ray disc?

Perhaps higher bitrate versions of the extras if those exist.

[RYJAPE21]

UK DVD cover art is now up with the pre-order link on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LTQPADQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



It looks great, similar to the first UK DVD art, though I'm a bit concerned about the second pic that shows the spine. Is that a plastic digibook case?
The first DVD release offered the same case after selling away most of the "book" editions. Hopefully they're not releasing these first.

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by RYJAPE21

UK DVD cover art is now up with the pre-order link on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LTQPADQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Show spoiler]

It looks great, similar to the first UK DVD art, though I'm a bit concerned about the second pic that shows the spine. Is that a plastic digibook case?
The first DVD release offered the same case after selling away most of the "book" editions. Hopefully they're not releasing these first.

Thank you for the link! I was just thinking about this, and here it is!
I see what you're saying about the artwork. Hopefully that is just an early mockup and it will be the same as the AUJ packaging.