And be aware that we’re going to be posting our comparison gallery look at Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in 4K on Disney+ early next week as well.
Now then... our friends at The Warner Archive Collection teased some VERY big news on their social media early this morning and you can probably guess what it is based upon the image below (which was also shared by animation historian Jerry Beck this morning). Yes, Warner Archive is getting ready to release—at long last—classic Tex Avery animation on Blu-ray! The details are all yet to be announced, but they tell me this will happen soon. We will of course share them here on The Bits as soon as that happens.
This is great news! Over the years I’ve spoken with the team at Warner Archive on many occasions and mentioned (nearly every time) that there were three Holy Grail titles I would love to see them release on Blu-ray: Batman: The Animated Series, a complete Tex Avery animated collection, and the Fleischer Studios’ classic Superman shorts from the 1940s. Batman: The Animated Series is already out (and then some!). Tex Avery is now on deck. And I now have no doubt that Fleischer Superman is in the works.
Again, we’ll share all the Tex Avery Blu-ray details when The Warner Archive Collection provides them. But this tease alone is cause enough for serious celebration for classic film and animation fans!
Also in the news today... Mill Creek Entertainment has just announced their April Blu-ray and DVD slate, which is set to include Penance (DVD) on 3/17 (yes, I know—a March date—but that’s what they have listed on their website despite promoting this as an April title), All The Pretty Horses: 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray), Trapped (Blu-ray), Eddie Macon’s Run (Blu-ray), Heroes (Blu-ray), Unlikely Angel (DVD), and Ella Bella Bingo (DVD) on 4/7, 30 Rock: The Complete Series (Blu-ray and DVD), Ultraman X: The Complete Series + Movie Combo (Blu-ray), and Ultraman X: The Movie (Blu-ray) on 4/21, and Ultraman Ace: The Complete Series (Blu-ray and Steelbook Blu-ray) on 5/12 (see my previous note above).
And finally today, Variety is reporting that the Walt Disney Company has plans to drop the “Fox” name from its newly acquired studio assets. 20th Century Fox will official become 20th Century Studios, and Fox Searchlight Pictures will become Searchlight Pictures. This is probably not surprising, but still... we live in strange times. Again, you can read more here.
That’s all for today. See you back here next week.
Stay tuned...
(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)