I've decided to move my occasional Disney Blu-ray predictions to this blog, because… After all, this place is all about Disney home media, right? Anyways, for the longest time, I had predicted that Disney would give us a few animated classics on Blu-ray this month. Last March, they gave us The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan and Brother Bear to go along with Wreck-It Ralph and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, so I was thinking they'd give us Hercules, Tarzan and The Black Cauldron some time this month.
They did not… Instead of Hercules and Tarzan, we got The Jungle Book 2 and Springtime with Roo. You know what I say to that? Boo.
So, that leads me to ask: When are we getting the next batch of Disney animated features?
I'm going to say mid-June, since Disney showed us this year that they'd pick that timeframe.
So…
JUNE 2014
Hercules - June 10th *Actual Release Date: August 12th*
Tarzan (2-Movie Collection) - June 10th *Actual Release Date: August 12th*
Since they skipped March, then the second Tuesday of June will do since Disney had released The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Lilo & Stitch in that spot last year. There is however, no third title to go with both. (I doubt Disney will unleash The Black Cauldron that day, since they still treat it like it's an embarrassment.) It's possible that Aladdin may no longer be a Diamond, so it could be released alongside these two, plus it could coincide with the Spring 2014 Broadway show, which Disney is currently hyping up. But that's kind of a stretch…
Since they skipped March, then the second Tuesday of June will do since Disney had released The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Lilo & Stitch in that spot last year. There is however, no third title to go with both. (I doubt Disney will unleash The Black Cauldron that day, since they still treat it like it's an embarrassment.) It's possible that Aladdin may no longer be a Diamond, so it could be released alongside these two, plus it could coincide with the Spring 2014 Broadway show, which Disney is currently hyping up. But that's kind of a stretch…
Muppets Most Wanted - June 24th
JULY 2014
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2D/3D) - July 15th
Originally I had predicted that Marvel would release this one around October, but this is an early April release and I don't think they'd wait that long to release it. Thor: The Dark World hit Blu-ray four months after it debuted, Iron Man 3 debuted five months after it came out (May Marvel films usually hit in September)… It all depends on how well this one does. Thor: The Dark World opened big but had so-so legs, this may do a lot better leading Marvel to hold out the Blu-ray release a little longer.
AUGUST 2014
Saludos Amigos / The Three Caballeros (2-Movie Collection) - August 5th
Make Mine Music / Fun & Fancy Free (2-Movie Collection) - August 5th
Melody Time / The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad (2-Movie Collection) - August 5th *Actual Release Date: August 12th*
The perfect spot for these 2-movie collections. They can easily bang out all of the package features this way.
The perfect spot for these 2-movie collections. They can easily bang out all of the package features this way.
OCTOBER 2014
Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition - October 7th
Confirmed, of course.
Bedknobs and Broomsticks - October 14th *Actual Release Date: August 12th*
The Black Cauldron - October 14th
Mickey's House of Villains - October 14th
Again, The Black Cauldron is perfect for Halloween. It's a good spot for them to squeeze both titles out, rather than waiting till 2015 to do so.
As for the last one… Disney has been putting out DTV/TV fodder on Blu-ray lately (A Very Merry Pooh Year, for instance), so I can see them pumping this one out for Halloween.
Mickey's House of Villains - October 14th
Again, The Black Cauldron is perfect for Halloween. It's a good spot for them to squeeze both titles out, rather than waiting till 2015 to do so.
As for the last one… Disney has been putting out DTV/TV fodder on Blu-ray lately (A Very Merry Pooh Year, for instance), so I can see them pumping this one out for Halloween.
Maleficent (2D/3D) - October 28th
I think they may release this a few weeks after Sleeping Beauty's Diamond Edition, but you never know, they could release it on the same day.
NOVEMBER 2014
The Incredibles 3D - November 4th
Ratatouille 3D - November 4th
Frozen 3D - November 4th
All the Pixar films have been converted to 3D, so even though 2014 won't give us any new Pixar film, Disney can still release the other 3D Pixar titles little by little. The Incredibles is a given, since November 2014 will be the film's 10th anniversary. Ratatouille was also directed by Brad Bird, so expect that to come out alongside it.
Now as for Frozen, I had just asked "Will a packed 3D edition come out in the fall? Or will Disney wait to give it the grand treatment as a Diamond once the line ends and begins again?" Seems like the former will happen, because I've heard people have called Disney about the US 3D Blu-ray release and they got "Fall" back as an answer…
It seemed inevitable since day one. Frozen is amonster gargantuan hit. Disney will most likely go back to their 90s strategy by releasing a barebones edition first, then unleashing a packed-to-the-brim deluxe edition later on. Gotta milk that cash cow, you know?
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas / Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2-Movie Collection) - November 11th
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House and Mouse - November 11th
Again, Disney is content with releasing TV and direct-to-video fodder like this to Blu-ray. Last holiday season, they did it with A Very Merry Pooh Year and this month, Springtime for Roo and The Jungle Book 2. I can expect them to release these three specials/DTV films next holiday season.
Planes: Fire & Rescue (2D/3D) - November 18th
Even though it opens in mid-July as opposed to the first Planes (which opened in August this year), the release date should still be mid-November so they can get it out well before the holiday rush.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2D/3D) - November 25th
Being an August release, it sounds about right.
Frozen 3D - November 4th
All the Pixar films have been converted to 3D, so even though 2014 won't give us any new Pixar film, Disney can still release the other 3D Pixar titles little by little. The Incredibles is a given, since November 2014 will be the film's 10th anniversary. Ratatouille was also directed by Brad Bird, so expect that to come out alongside it.
Now as for Frozen, I had just asked "Will a packed 3D edition come out in the fall? Or will Disney wait to give it the grand treatment as a Diamond once the line ends and begins again?" Seems like the former will happen, because I've heard people have called Disney about the US 3D Blu-ray release and they got "Fall" back as an answer…
It seemed inevitable since day one. Frozen is a
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas / Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas (2-Movie Collection) - November 11th
Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House and Mouse - November 11th
Again, Disney is content with releasing TV and direct-to-video fodder like this to Blu-ray. Last holiday season, they did it with A Very Merry Pooh Year and this month, Springtime for Roo and The Jungle Book 2. I can expect them to release these three specials/DTV films next holiday season.
Planes: Fire & Rescue (2D/3D) - November 18th
Even though it opens in mid-July as opposed to the first Planes (which opened in August this year), the release date should still be mid-November so they can get it out well before the holiday rush.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2D/3D) - November 25th
Being an August release, it sounds about right.
DECEMBER 2014
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - December 9th
It turns 60, and Disney needs to get the ball rolling when it comes to their live action classics.
JANUARY 2015
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day - January 13th
Small-scale October release, out-of-the-way January Blu-ray release.
FEBRUARY 2015
Aladdin Diamond Edition - February 10th
The demand is high for it, plus they wouldn't have One Hundred and One Dalmatians come out first because this film's Blu-ray release would be further distanced from Aladdin Broadway play. This should be the 2015 Diamond Edition, no two ways about it. I'm surprised that the Blu-rays for The Little Mermaid and The Jungle Book ignored the tradition of listing the next 2 Diamonds on the leaflet inside. Mermaid's Blu-ray only announced The Jungle Book, Jungle Book's Blu only announced Sleeping Beauty… We have to wait till fall to find out, I guess.
(Unless some info gets leaked, which it most likely will.)
(Unless some info gets leaked, which it most likely will.)
MARCH 2015
Big Hero 6 (2D/3D) - March 3rd
Self-explanatory.
Self-explanatory.
A Goofy Movie / An Extremely Goofy Movie (2-Movie Collection) - March 10th
The first film turns 10 in 2015, plus it has a following. Disney would be unwise if they didn't release it.
The Return of Jafar / Aladdin and the King of Thieves (2-Movie Collection) - March 10th
To coincide with the Aladdin Diamond Edition, of course.
APRIL 2015
Into The Woods - April 28th
JUNE 2015
Cinderella (2D/3D) - June 16th
SEPTEMBER 2015
The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2D/3D) - September 22nd
Marvel films released in May always come out in late September.
OCTOBER 2015
One Hundred and One Dalmatians Diamond Edition - October 6th
Tomorrowland - October 20th
NOVEMBER 2015
Inside Out (2D/3D) - November 3rd
A Bug's Life 3D - November 3rd
WALL-E 3D - November 3rd
A Bug's Life and WALL-E - if The Incredibles and Ratatouille are indeed released on Blu-ray 3D this coming autumn - would be the last two Pixar classics to release in 3D, so they'll come out alongside new Pixar release Inside Out.
101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure - November 17th
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney released the two live action films to cash in on the Blu-ray debut of the original classic.
As for the sequel, this is a given since Diamond Edition films' DTV sequels always come out a month after the original (i.e. Cinderella in Oct. 2012, Cinderella II & III combo pack in Nov. 2012)…
Ant-Man (2D/3D) - November 10th
Getting it out before the holidays, plus it's a July release.
101 Dalmatians / 102 Dalmatians (2-Movie Collection) - November 17th101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure - November 17th
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney released the two live action films to cash in on the Blu-ray debut of the original classic.
As for the sequel, this is a given since Diamond Edition films' DTV sequels always come out a month after the original (i.e. Cinderella in Oct. 2012, Cinderella II & III combo pack in Nov. 2012)…
FEBRUARY 2016
Pinocchio - February 9th
The remaining Diamond title. 2015 would be it's 75th Anniversary though, but Disney tends to slap dates onto films, even in the wrong year. (Pinocchio's 70th Anniversary Edition came out in 2009, 69 years after it debuted in theaters!)
The Jungle Book (2015) - February 23rd
Set for release on October 2015 (it's moving forward as of today, as Shere Khan has been cast), this should be a February release since it's a tentpole and not a small scale film a la Alexander and the Terrible Extremely-Long-Titled Movie.
The Jungle Book (2015) - February 23rd
Set for release on October 2015 (it's moving forward as of today, as Shere Khan has been cast), this should be a February release since it's a tentpole and not a small scale film a la Alexander and the Terrible Extremely-Long-Titled Movie.
MARCH 2016
The Good Dinosaur (2D/3D) - March 29th
Since the film is now set to open in November 2015, March 2016 it'll be for the Blu-ray.
APRIL 2016
Star Wars: Episode VII (2D/3D) - April 19th
Self-explanatory, since the film opens in mid-December.
JULY 2016
Zootopia (2D/3D) - July 5th
Usually March Disney films comes out in June (i.e. Alice in Wonderland, John Carter of Mars), but this is a Walt Disney Animation Studios film and their Blu-ray editions usually come out 5 months after they have opened so I expect them to give Zootopia a release in July.
And I'll cap things off here, given the uncertainty of a particular May release from Disney and Marvel, plus the state of physical media, Disney's current attitude towards it and other things…
What are your predictions?
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