Cars DVD Speculation (Summer '06)

[Buzz Lightyear]

I know it's only been in theatres for a few days now, but I was wondering if there's been any news on when to expect it on DVD. Lately, the window between theatre and DVD has reduced from 6 months or so to about 3 or 4 months. And I think Iger has said that he wants there to be no, or a very small (like a few days) between DVD and theatre. I'm think September seems right, but if someone could let me know any info is welcome.

[kbehm29]

I don't think official word has been said yet - but I think the latest estimates from board members here are that it's going to be in November sometime.

[Tom in North Carolina]

I've heard late October, early November for a street date.

Tom

[Luke]

For Disney-branded films, the window has actually expanded from 2005 to 2006, with Iger officially in the helm:

2004-2005
The Incredibles: early-November - mid-March (4.5 months)
National Treasure: mid-November - early May (5.5 months)
Pooh's Heffalump Movie: mid-February - late-May (3.5 months)
The Pacifier: early-March - late-June (3.75 months)
Ice Princess: mid-March - mid-July (4 months)
Herbie: Fully Loaded: late-June - late-October (4 months)
Sky High: late July - late November (4 months)
Valiant: mid-August - mid-December (4 months)

2005-2006
The Greatest Game Ever Played: late-September - mid-April (6.5 months)
Chicken Little: early-November - late-March (4.6 months)
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion...: early-December - early-April (4 months)
Glory Road: mid-January - early-June (4.75 months)
Eight Below: mid-February - late-June (4 months)
The Shaggy Dog: early-March - early-August (4.8 months)
The Wild: mid-April - mid-September (5 months)

That said, <i>Cars</i> and <i>Pirates</i> will both definitely make it to DVD by the end of the year. If they follow the <i>Nemo</i>/<i>Pirates</i> model that worked SO well in 2003, then November for <i>Cars</i> and December for <i>Pirates</i> seems likely, and both windows would be in the 4-5 month range that Disney has been mostly using this year.

I should also note that I've left off the two IMAX films, which would merely serve as outliers since IMAX windows are different from that of general release films.

[MickeyMousePal]

Pixar's Cars will probably come out in November with a 2 Disc Collector's Edition. All other Pixar films have 2-Disc treatments.

[Luke]

Pixar's Cars will probably come out in November with a 2 Disc Collector's Edition just like A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.

<i>The Incredibles</i> didn't come to DVD in November and both incarnations of the <i>A Bug's Life</i> CE were re-releases, in November '99 and May '03, with the initial release coming April '99. But otherwise, ya.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

I wonder if the Cars release will have a WideScreen/FullScreen (yucky) DVD, like the CE of Finding Nemo, or 2 seperate DVDs, like The Incredibles? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..........................

[MickeyMousePal]

Luke when did I ever say that A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and Increibles were release in May....all I said was that they all got 2 Disc treatment.

Dude drink some coffee.

[Luke]

Luke when did I ever say that A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo and Increibles were release in May....all I said was that they all got 2 Disc treatment.

Dude drink some coffee.

Dude, learn to read/write and then come back to me. Your sentence structure suggested that all three came to DVD in November <i>AND</i> as 2-disc sets. For that matter, all six of the previous Pixar films have received 2-disc sets, so it seems odd to single out those 3.

[MickeyMousePal]

Okay, sorry Luke I got off on the wrong foot. But I'm so darn tired my parents got contractors to put a new roof and they been doing their job 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. so I can't sleep.
I'm too tired to check my sentences and I can read and write.

Also Luke I know that The Incredibles came out in April on DVD...I saw it at the theatres in November.

[magicalwands]

Is it a given we will always get a 2-disc of every Pixar film now released on DVD? Or will we get a 1-disc if Cars made the amount of Home on the Range?

[Jake Lipson]

Pixar always does special material for its DVD releases. Furthermore, Cars has already LONG surpassed the total gross of Home on the Range. It beat that by $10m on its opening weekend.

[Buzz Lightyear]

I personally now think that the window will actually be around an even 4 months (a little less than it was for The Incredibles) on October 10 or maybe a week earlier on October 3. But as for the screen format, I think they'll just go with one widescreen release, since the foolscreen version of The Incredibles sold very poorly compared to its widescreen counterpart and the two latest Pixar releases, Toy Story 1 & 2 SEs were only avalible in widescreen, but those were done at 1.78:1 (or around there) and Cars was done around 2.40:1, than maybe they might release a foolscreen version just to get the Walmart crowd to shut up. Another thing I'm wondering about, is could this be the first Pixar release to be released without a VHS version, I'm betting so but what do you all think, and is it possible that this could recieve a day and date release on Blu-ray, cause it'll look just amazing (as with the other 6 Pixar films) on Blu-ray.

[Luke]

I personally now think that the window will actually be around an even 4 months (a little less than it was for The Incredibles) on October 10 or maybe a week earlier on October 3.

Not a chance on October 3, as Disney will want to devote all retailers' resources/space to <i>Little Mermaid</i>. They tend to follow up a Platinum Edition with an off-week so as to avoid any competition too, so October 10 seems unlikely as well. Late October is definitely possible, though, as is early November.

I think as okay as Pixar would be with a widescreen-only release, Disney will probably want to still offer a 1.33:1 version since the film is so wide (as in family-unfriendly) . (After all, the Disney outlets I've seen always choose fullscreen when there is an option and they are definitely not alone.) But I don't see them pairing up both versions on the same set. I also don't see them releasing a VHS, as Disney didn't do one for <i>Lady and the Tramp</i> or <i>Chicken Little</i>.

[Just Myself]

I doubt they will put it on the 24, because that is the rumored date for Da Vinci Code, which will probably sell like gangbusters. Granted, if Cars came out the same day, it'd most likely be #1, but it would sell as many copies I don't think. I think a date of November 7 sounds right on track.

-JM

[Buzz Lightyear]

Sorry, I forgot about Little Mermaid, so I'm with you by saying that neither the 3rd or 10th will be the date. Also I doubt that the release will be November 7, because that's the rumored date for Warner's Super releases of Superman Returns and the SEs of the previous Superman films. So I'm now thinking October 17 is a very possible release date for this, or they could surprise us with a September 26 release date, although I don't think they will release two big releases two Tuesdays in a row. And I don't think they'll go on the 24th if that is in fact the release of DaVinci Code, which although it was one of the worst films I've ever seen it'll be a huge risk to go up against it.

[Luke]

I think it's inevitable that there will be something else big coming out on any given Tuesday from <i>The Little Mermaid</i> through the end of the year (including, based on last year's schedule, the day after Christmas). I mean, already, you got to imagine that <i>X-Men: The Last Stand</i>, <i>Over the Hedge</i>, <i>Ice Age: The Meltdown</i>, <i>Mission: Impossible III</i>, <i>The Break Up</i>, <i>Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest</i>, <i>Click</i>, and <i>Superman Returns</i> coming sometime between October and December. Not to mention the obligatory high interest catalog fare like the new versions of <i>Lord of the Rings</i>, <i>Star Wars</i>, etc., etc., etc. So we can't assume that one of them will lead BVHE to reschedule <i>Cars</i> (which probably already has a date assigned to it). If I were a betting man, I'd put money on <i>Cars</i> coming to DVD either October 31st or November 7th.

[MickeyMousePal]

Possible Dates:

X-Men: The Last Stand- October 3
Over the Hedge October 17*
Ice Age: The Meltdown- November 21
Mission: Impossible III- October 31
The Break Up October 10
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest December 5 (what about the Walt Disney Treasures??)
Click October 10
Superman Returns November 28
Pixar's Cars November 7
Monster House October 24
The Da Vinci Code November 14
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift September 26
Curious George September 26
The Lake House September 26
Garfield Tales of Two Kittens October 10

My Opinion I think Pixar's Cars will come out either November 7 or 14 it looks like Disney release Pixar films during the first or second week.
POTC:DMC looks possible for December 12 or 19...since December 5 Walt Disney Treasure Wave 6 is coming out.

* The disc will come with so-called "hibernating content" which must be unlocked by visiting a website on 11/28 and entering a special code you'll find there with your player's remote. http://www.thedigitalbits.com

[jediliz]

when Finding Nemo came out, it had been in the theatre in May, DVD released November 4th. So, my guess is that the CARS dvd will be released probably by USA Thanksgiving week.