It’s here! The biggest month so far in Blu-ray release history is finally upon us, and many Blu-ray fans are preparing to go for broke this month, with the huge slate of major releases. For better or worse, though, November and December are shaping up to be even bigger months for releases. If you’re on a budget, be sure to check out the full release schedule to plan your purchases accordingly.
The month starts, on September 2, with Paramount finally bringing out last summer’s mega-hit Transformers to Blu-ray. Every other studio mainly stayed away from the blockbuster’s debut, though Warner is bringing out a slate of catalog titles the same day, including Eraser, Every Which Way but Loose, The Gauntlet, Outbreak, and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory.
The following week, on September 9, a huge number of titles will be released, headlined by Disney, who is releasing Kill Bill, Volumes 1 & 2. Warner and Sony continue rolling out classics with Cool Hand Luke & How the West Was Won and Jerry Maguire & Rudy respectively. Meanwhile, Universal brings this summer’s Tina Fey comedy Baby Mama to disc and Starz puts out a Zombie Bundle, including Day of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Evil Dead 2. In TV releases, Disney brings Grey’s Anatomy: Season 4 while Warner releases Smallville: Season 7.
On the 16th, Weinstein Co. officially joins the Blu-ray ranks, releasing 1408 and The Mist, and Paramount releases animated hits Shrek the Third and Madagascar. Warner and Universal will be releasing two big budget films that didn’t fare so well at the box office: Speed Racer and 2003’s Hulk movie respectively. Warner will also be releasing Risky Business and Another Cinderella Story, as well as TV releases Pushing Daisies: Season 1 and Torchwood: Season 1.
September 23 has less releases than the surrounding weeks, but with Paramount releasing the fully restored Godfather Collection, what else do you really need? In case you do have some money left over, Warner will be releasing this summer’s hit Sex and the City: The Movie along with catalog titles LA Confidential and Blow.
The final week of the month (Sept. 30) brings a trio of comedies from Universal: Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (also available as a 3-pack), and a trio of horror titles: Dawn of the Dead, Land of the Dead, and The Thing (also available as a 3-pack). Paramount, meanwhile bring’s out this summer’s blockbuster Iron Man, while Fox brings out the less successful Daredevil. Sony and Disney focus on catalog fare, releasing Can’t Hardly Wait, Maid in Manhattan, Mona Lisa Smile, My Best Friend’s Wedding (all Sony), and The Sixth Sense (Disney).
If you aren’t broke after all that, have no fear, as October promises to bring hits such as The Matrix collection, 6 films from the James Bond canon, Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, the latest Indiana Jones film, Casino, American Gangster, The Incredible Hulk, Sweeney Todd, and the Mel Berooks classic Young Frankenstein, along with the usual pre-Halloween horror bonanza.
