I’m running a little short on time so I’ll just mention what a cool crop of films we’ve got being released on Blu this week! My list of picks is a little stranger than most this time, however, as I’ve barely seen a single review disc. So, what you’ll find below is mostly a collection of the Blu-ray discs I’m most excited to watch.

As always, clicking the Blu-ray package art will zip you over to Amazon where every purchase you make through our links helps the site stay on its feet. We appreciate every single click and thank you again for continuing to read The Blu-ray Blog.

Blu-ray disc of the week: X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

““X-Men: First Class“ is the thrilling, eye-opening chapter you’ve been waiting for… Witness the beginning of the X-Men Universe. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their superhuman powers for the first time, working together in a desperate attempt to stop the Hellfire Club and a global nuclear war.“

X-Men: First Class isn’t without its flaws but it’s a damn fun superhero romp and one of the best action films of this past summer. Director Matthew Vaughn was wise to sit out the second sequel of the popular film franchise based on Marvel comics’ cabal of mutant warriors. He was on the hook to direct X-Men 3: The Last Stand back in 2006 but bailed when it became clear that the production wouldn’t come together in a manner he deemed acceptable. He stuck to comics though, tackling an adaptation of Neil Gaiman‘s Stardust and Mark Millar‘s Kick-Ass before chancing a return to the X-franchise. X-Men: First Class digs into the X-Men’s past in style, back to the ’60s in fact, and returns the series to the high water mark Bryan Singer established with his two X-films.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender rule this this somewhat mod-styled film in very different ways. McAvoy has a simple, boyish charm and a winning smile, making you quickly forget that his character will grow to lose his hair and the use of his legs, becoming the Professor X portrayed in such iconic fashion by Patrick Stewart in the original films. Fassbender cuts through the narrative almost literally, commanding or killing most every man and mutant around him in his hunt for vengeance against the man who ruined his life. He’s like Bond, if Bond just happened to be a master of magnetism! Some of the younger cast members can’t quite hold their own against these titans of cinema (Caleb Landry Jones as Banshee, in particular, really grates on me) but for the most part the entire cast is wonderful, with January Jones the notoriously notable exception. I don’t think it’s spoiling too much to say that I’m fairly certain we’ll see most everyone returning in the inevitable sequel film. Let’s hope Vaughn sticks with the franchise for at least a couple more entries, to bring the story up to the present day and incorporate our favourite mutants back into this new take on the popular mythology.

I can’t speak to the quality of the X-Men: First Class Blu-ray disc itself as Fox has yet to ship review copies in Canada but I’d be shocked if it looked and sounded less than stellar. Extras include over two hours worth of never-before-seen bonus content. I can’t wait to dig into this one!

One final note – X-Men: First Class doesn’t actually hit shops until Friday, September 9th. So, at this point, you’ve got a few more days to wait before getting your hands on it.

Special Features:

• 10 Marvel “X-Men” Digital Comics with exclusive “X-Men: First Class” Backstory Comic (Blu-ray exclusive)
• More than two hours of never-before-seen extras, including:
  • Cerebro Mutant Tracker: The complete interactive Mutant Database with interactive videos giving fans the ability to learn about their favourite mutants in the X-Men film franchise
  • Children of the Atom: An eight-part behind-the-scenes featurette, charting the film from pre-production through post-production, including visual effects techniques and cataloguing “X-Men” transformations through prosthetic make up and costume design
  • “X” Marks the Spot: An interactive feature allowing viewers the opportunity to learn more about specific scenes with talent interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
  • Extended and Deleted Scenes
  • BD-Live Portal with additional Cerebro Mutant Tracker profiles
  • Composer’s Isolated Score
  • Theatrical Trailer

AMAZON: $24.99

STRAW DOGS

“Brace yourself for the extended version of this daring and provocative drama from the director of “The Wild Bunch”. Starring Dustin Hoffman in a “superbly realized” (Time) performance, this “brilliant” (Cue), disturbing film charts one man’s brutally violent journey from cowardice to courage and “delivers one helluva jolt” (Playboy). To escape the Vietnam-era chaos in the U.S., American mathematician David Sumner (Hoffman) moves with his British wife Amy (Susan George) to an isolated English village. Their presence provokes antagonism among the village’s men. Escalating from routine bullying to the gang rape of his wife, David finds his pacifist self being backed into a corner and responds in the violent and gruesome manner he abhors.“

When most film nuts are asked to name their favourite Sam Peckinpah film, dollars to donuts the answer will be The Wild Bunch. But I’ve always been more of a Straw Dogs kind of guy, myself. There’s something about the quiet build of the film, the menace that’s lurking right under their noses, as Hoffman and his wife (Susan George) move to their new home in rural England. It might not be the most action packed Peckinpah film but I think it’s the most nuanced and well balanced of his oevre. It’s being released on Blu-ray this week in anticipation of the big screen debut of the remake, set to hit theatres next week. Again, in typical Fox/MGM fashion, I haven’t laid eyes on a review copy of the Blu-ray yet, so I can’t speak to the quality of the transfer. What I can tell you, however, is that the disc is fairly bare bones, featuring only the theatrical trailer and a bunch of TV spots, so fans of the film who already have the Criterion Collection DVD edition of Straw Dogs in their collection would do well to hang onto it for all its extras.

READ MORE: Straw Dogs Blu-ray announced and detailed

AMAZON: $16.99

DRESSED TO KILL

“Writer-director Brian De Palma “maintains a fever pitch from start to finish” (Leonard Maltin) with this “steamily libidinous and extremely bloody thriller” (Newsweek)! Starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson and Nancy Allen (in a Golden Globe®-nominated performance), this taut psycho-sexual chiller is a razor-sharp tale of passion, madness and murder that’s as “scary as the devil [with] suspense to spare” (Playboy)! Fashionable Manhattan therapist Dr. Robert Elliott (Caine) faces the most terrifying moment of his life, when a psychotic killer begins attacking the women (Dickinson and Allen) in his life— with a straight razor stolen from his office. Desperate to find the murderer before anyone else is hurt, Elliott is soon drawn into a dark and disturbing world of chilling desires. And as the doctor edges closer to the terrible truth, he finds himself lost in a provocative and deadly maze of obsession, deviance and deceit— where the most harmless erotic fantasies…can become the most deadly sexual nightmares! “

Dressed to Kill is another one of those Fox Blu-ray releases where the review copy will turn up after the release date, so it’s tough to actually recommend it based on the quality of the disc alone. But given the recent transfers of MGM films to Blu I expect this to be honest and film-like, but without much cleanup. It’s classic Brian De Palma at his best and most Hitchcockian, starring Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson and the former Mrs. De Palma, Nancy Allen. Unlike the Straw Dogs disc, also in shops today from MGM/Fox, this disc has a ton of extras on it, including a feature length “Making of” doc. I, personally, can’t wait to watch this one. I’ll report back as soon as I get my grubby hands on a copy.

READ MORE: Dressed to Kill Blu-ray announced and detailed

AMAZON: $15.99

Also available today: DRESSED TO KILL

“Starring Academy Award winner Al Pacino (The Godfather) in an unforgettable performance as one of the most ruthless gangsters ever depicted on film and co-starring Academy Award nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (The Fabulous Baker Boys), Scarface is the rags-to-riches story of Cuban immigrant Tony “Scarface” Montana, who finds wealth, power and passion beyond his wildest dreams…at a price he never imagined. From acclaimed director Brian De Palma (Carlito’s Way) and Oscar-winning writer Oliver Stone (Born on the Fourth of July), this action-packed Blu-ray features an all-new eye-popping remastered picture, explosive 7.1 audio track and never-before-seen bonus features. One of the most influential gangster epics of all time, the Scarface Limited Edition Blu-ray also includes collectible SteelBook packaging, a digital copy of the film, a DVD of the 1932 version of Scarface plus 10 original art cards for a limited time only.“

I don’t care much for Scarface. Never have. I think it’s cinematically strong work from De Palma but plays nowadays like something of a farce. Watch it and try not to laugh at nearly everything that comes out of Tony Montana’s mouth. This is a significant Blu-ray release but vastly less interesting than Dressed to Kill, if you ask me. Early reviews of the Scarface Blu-ray put it on par with most of Universal‘s catalogue releases, showing signs that they simply gussied up a dated DVD-era transfer for Blu. Though I’m not the biggest fan of the film I think it’s a shame that the studio didn’t afford one of their big-ticket fliks a better presentation. I’m concerned that when/if the time comes to release my beloved Universal Monster films in HD, that those transfers might be botched as well. C’mon, Universal! Get with the program!! New scans for all catalogue films! It’s what all the cool kids are doing these days.

READ MORE: Scarface coming to Blu-ray in September

AMAZON: $34.89

HANNA

“An action-packed suspense-thriller starring Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Lovely Bones) Hanna is “an exuberant chase thriller that pulses with energy!” (Justin Chang, Variety) Raised by her father (Eric Bana) an ex-CIA agent in the wilds of Finland Hanna’s upbringing and training have been one and the same all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one. Sent into the world by her father on a mission Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence in a movie critics are calling “exhilarating audacious and boldly original!” (Karen Durbin Elle) “

Man, I really wanted to see Hanna in the theatre. It just looks amazing. But I totally missed out on this one. Luckily, my lovely girlfriend happened to catch it and reports that it’s a really fun action film. She says, “It looks great, with beautiful cinematography. A good mix of scenery and violence.” Hell, that’s enough for me! The Blu-ray includes a commentary track from director Joe Wright, deleted scenes, an alternate ending and a ton of featurettes.

AMAZON: $19.99

FRINGE: THE COMPLETE SEASON THREE

“Immersive. Compelling. Hypnotic. Brilliantly imaginative. Endlessly thrilling. Pick your term. The mystery of the universes deepens in the critically acclaimed 22-episode third season of television’s most exciting sci-fi. The “Fringe” team escapes from the parallel universe except for Olivia, trapped in the other world and replaced in ours by her double, who turns Peter and Olivia’s tentative relationship into a love affair. Then Olivia returns, bonds of trust fray, ever more bizarre and terrifying phenomena occur and secrets that stretch back to 1985 threaten to destroy our universe. Or theirs. “‘Fringe’ continues its hot streak known as Season 3. It’s been firing on all cylinders all season” (Andrew Hanson, LATimes.com).“

I might be totally off base here, recommending Fringe: The Complete Third Season on Blu-ray because I’m only doing so on the basis of the series’ previous two seasons. That’s right, this is another one I haven’t seen yet on Blu. Nor did I watch this year as Fringe was airing on TV. But I’ll give the show the benefit of the doubt, as I’ve loved nearly every episode leading into this boxed set. How far off the rails could it have possibly gone in only one season?

The big news about this boxed set is that Warner has finally seen fit to grace its TV-on-Blu releases with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks instead of the lossy mixes of the past. Fringe: The Complete Third Season is one the first titles to benefit and I expect great things. As usual, the discs are packed with extras including a few commentary tracks, featurettes, a gag reel and trailers. This 4-disc set also features the first ever (as far as I can tell) Maximum Episode Mode for “Os” (Episode 316), a feature that no doubt mimics Warner’s popular Maximum Movie Mode. Regular readers will know how much I love the MMM, so I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into that one!

AMAZON: $42.99

Only in Canada: THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADELE BLANC-SEC

“An adventure set in the early part of the 20th century and focused on a popular novelist and her dealings with would-be suitors, the cops, monsters, and other distractions. “

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec is a Luc Besson film that’s actually directed by Luc Besson. You read that correctly. The director of such action-packed flights of fancy as The Fifth Element and La Femme Nikita and former Mister Milla Jovovich is back in the director’s chair for this lite, breezy romp through the comic book world of Jacques Tardi‘s popular “bande dessinee” series. Sure, he’s tackled those Arthur kids films and there was that movie Angel-A which never really got much play on these shores but it really seems of late that he’s been more interested in producing and writing and churning out an endless stream of Jason Statham-meets-parkour actioners than directing. Well, you’ll be happy to know that Adèle Blanc-Sec sees him returning in proper, silly form. From talking mummies to a pterodactyl loose over Paris, the film never takes itself too seriously. It’s a good old-fashioned science-fantasy yarn, with enough turn-of-the-century tomb raiding to bring everyone’s favourite archaeologist with a whip to mind.

But the real lure here, outside of the fun, the action, the stellar production design and the wonderful score by usual Besson collaborator Eric Serra, is the lovely Louise Bourgoin. I will watch this woman in anything. She not only lights up every frame of the film she’s in but she commands it. A film like this requires a spirited, charismatic lead and Bourgoin fills the role is absolutely every way. Yes, I have a crush on her. Sue me. She’s awesome.

The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec arrives on Blu-ray from eOne looking and sounding spectacular. The presentation is a little slick for my tastes but I’m assuming that’s as a result of the all the digital processing and CGI necessary to build the world and the look of the film. I didn’t notice any untoward use of digital nonsense in the transfer. Audio is in French only but the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is rich and dynamic, with clean and clear dialogue, plenty of ambient surround effects and a full-bodied presentation of the score. There are a handful of extras on the disc but they are all in French, sadly, with no English subs present to help us along. It’s unfortunate as the UK edition of the film from Optimum includes a nice selection of supplemental material in English, including interviews and a “Making of” doc. Sad that those of us in Canada who don’t speak our other official language will have to either import or wait until there’s a US release of the film to own a full featured release. A real missed opportunity from the studio, if you ask me.

AMAZON: CDN$ 23.09

ALSO AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY THIS WEEK
Clicking an image will take you to Amazon.com where you can learn more about and purchase the Blu-ray disc:

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I watched the DVD screener of X-Men: First Class that Fox sent over the other night and, once again, enjoyed the heck out the film. In fact, I was trying to get work done while it was playing, which proved pointless, as I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. This is one hell of a fun little film! I’m really looking forward to Friday, September the 9th, the grab this up on Blu-ray and check it out in high-def. I’m expecting great things from this one.

P.S. Fassbender rules!

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
(September 9, 2011 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 2.40:1 1080p
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• 10 Marvel “X-Men” Digital Comics with exclusive “X-Men: First Class” Backstory Comic (Blu-ray exclusive)
• More than two hours of never-before-seen extras, including:
  • Cerebro Mutant Tracker: The complete interactive Mutant Database with interactive videos giving fans the ability to learn about their favourite mutants in the X-Men film franchise
  • Children of the Atom: An eight-part behind-the-scenes featurette, charting the film from
    pre-production through post-production, including visual effects techniques and cataloguing “X-Men” transformations through prosthetic make up and costume design
  • “X” Marks the Spot: An interactive feature allowing viewers the opportunity to learn more about specific scenes with talent interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
  • Extended and Deleted Scenes
  • BD-Live Portal with additional Cerebro Mutant Tracker profiles
  • Composer’s Isolated Score
  • Theatrical Trailer

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I enjoyed the heck out of X-Men: First Class when I saw it in the cinema last month. It’s like a film where James Bond is teamed with heroic super-powered mutants fighting evil super-powered mutants during the cold war. If Bond happened to be played by the amazing Michael Fassbender and had the power of magnetism, that is! Awesome! I expect that the Blu-ray, just announced by Fox for a September 9th release (a Friday!) will be equally as awesome. But I’m not too keen on this whole double-cover nonsense. As you’ll see from the art below, you’ll be able to pick up the disc in a couple of package art variations – one featuring the “good” guys and the other, the baddies. Meh…

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
(September 9, 2011 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 2.40:1 1080p
Audio: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• 10 Marvel “X-Men” Digital Comics with exclusive “X-Men: First Class” Backstory Comic (Blu-ray exclusive)
• More than two hours of never-before-seen extras, including:
  • Cerebro Mutant Tracker: The complete interactive Mutant Database with interactive videos giving fans the ability to learn about their favourite mutants in the X-Men film franchise
  • Children of the Atom: An eight-part behind-the-scenes featurette, charting the film from
    pre-production through post-production, including visual effects techniques and cataloguing “X-Men” transformations through prosthetic make up and costume design
  • “X” Marks the Spot: An interactive feature allowing viewers the opportunity to learn more about specific scenes with talent interviews and behind-the-scenes footage
  • Extended and Deleted Scenes
  • BD-Live Portal with additional Cerebro Mutant Tracker profiles
  • Composer’s Isolated Score
  • Theatrical Trailer

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A friend of mine dragged me to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine in the theatre this past summer. I was completely prepared to despise it, having read some early reviews and watched enough previews and specials to tell me that this film wasn’t for me. It pretty much delivered exactly what I expected – mindless action loosely connected through ridiculous plot threads and plastic characters. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a lot more to like about it upon my second viewing of the film, on the Blu-ray disc!

This is not a great movie by any stretch of the imagination. It might not even be good. But there’s a lot of fun to be had. And Hugh Jackman is so absolutely watchable in the character that even at its worst, Wolverine ends up being a pretty good time. Unless you’re a fan of the comic books, that is.

You see, I used to read X-Men. And I, like every other comic nerd in the 80s, thought Wolverine was the shit. I was delighted when I found myself loving Bryan Singer‘s interpretation of the characters in the X-Men films. They came across as real people, for the most part. They reacted honestly. The work felt sincere. I didn’t think it could be done but the character of Wolverine in particular had been brought to life so successfully that it became hard to imagine anyone but Jackman in the role. Cut to 2009 and things just don’t feel right anymore. Jackman is still amazing but the movie doesn’t feel genuine nor does it echo what made the character special in the comic. When I was growing up, Wolverine was a man of mystery. And that was a lot of his appeal. He was a man without a past who lived by his wits and his fists (or in this case, claws) much like the Clint Eastwood‘s of Hollywood adventures past. And that selfish, cocky front he would paint would only reveal his softer core after a long process. The lead character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine is one without claws (figuratively speaking, of course). Without any bite or mystery whatsoever. He’s soft and laid bare and with that, so much less compelling than he could have been.

Upon my second viewing of the film, I discovered that if I was able to distance myself from my expectations of the character, from what I knew of his comic book incarnations and from the potential the X-Men films had promised, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is actually quite a fun film. In particular, the first half of the movie works. And almost any scene between Wolverine and Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber) is a sheer delight! The whole mess starts to fall apart after Wolverine gets his metal claws and goes on a road trip, where he runs into random mutant after generic mutant. What a missed opportunity! Instead of allowing us to experience the character struggling with the tragedy of the “experiments” conducted on him, trying to piece himself together and regain the humanity that was robbed from him, we get a couple of scenes of mild discomfort, some glib remarks and crap-load of fight scenes. That being said, if you’re just looking to watch Hugh Jackman act like a badass for a couple of hours, you’ll enjoy the hell out it!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine looks and sounds like a million bucks on Blu-ray! This is almost reference quality material. When you want to show off your home theatre set-up, you could do a lot worse than popping in this disc. And the soundtrack will give even the slickest system a work-out. Wow! This is amazing stuff. With a great sense of ambiance and directionality, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack is one of the finest I’ve heard on Blu-ray to date.

There are a ton of special features on the Blu-ray disc but none of them really floated my boat. Perhaps I wasn’t invested enough in the film to care but if I had to pick the most compelling extras, I’d shoot for the commentary track from producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter. They easily out-chat director Gavin Hood, who offers up nothing more than a running description of what you’re seeing on screen in his commentary track. Donner and Winter are a lot more engaging to listen to and have a lot of stories to tell. I also found the “The Roots of Wolverine” featurette kind of fun. It’s a sit-down chat with X-Men creator Stan Lee and Wolverine creator Len Wein. Pretty funny guys with a lot to say. There are also a handful of deleted scenes you won’t care about, some puff-piece studio featurettes, a cool IMDB look-up feature and a whole lot more.

Read a full run-down of the Blu-ray disc and all of its special features here: X-Men Origins: Wolverine Official Blu-ray details announced

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We’re less than a week away from the day Fox unleashes the X-Men Origins: Wolverine Blu-ray upon the world (read our full run-down on the disc here). If you can’t wait to get your hands on it and check out all the special features, we’ve got a little sneak peek at what you can expect, in the special features preview video below.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine will be available on Blu-ray next Tuesday, September 15.

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All right. I know. I’ve posted most of this stuff before. But you see, most of that news was either speculation or condensed information. But this is the real deal, straight from the horses mouth. According to Fox, you can take it to the bank that this is the final word on the X-Men Origins: Wolverine Blu-ray disc.

The confusing bit for me is that there’s no hint of the alternate cut that director Gavin Hood mentioned to Home Media Magazine last week, and that we reported on only days ago. Maybe it’s an Easter Egg.

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
(September 15, 2009 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p AVC
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Commentary by Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
• The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with X-Men creators Stan Lee and Len Wein
• Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
• “Wolverine Weapon X Mutant Files Featurette: 10 Character Chronicles
• “The Thrill of the Chase: The Helicopter Chase Sequence” featurette
• “X Connect and On Set With Gavin Hood” featurette
• X-Facts: Trivia Track
• Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Alternate Memory Erase Sequence
• Alternate Tag Scene: Japan
• Fox Movie Channel Presents: World Premiere
• IMDB BD-Live technology
• Digital Copy

Read all about the UK Blu-ray release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in our previously published article: UK to get X-Men Origins: Wolverine on October 19, Full Blu-ray Details Announced

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Comic-con madness in full effect! By the time Monday rolls around I’m assuming we’ll have seen a lot more news like this.

Fox has revealed the release date and details of their upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine Blu-ray disc to Home Media Magazine. In addition to the standard list of goodies, director Gavin Hood states that the Blu-ray will allow you to watch an alternate cut of the film:

“There’ll be an alternate structure to the movie that we had at one point which is interesting in and of itself,” says director Gavin Hood. “Essentially, it involved delaying the discovery of how Wolverine came to walk away from his brother until much later in the film instead of it being up front. It was a structure that actually, on paper, felt really good, but when we put it together in the edit room, it felt as if we were holding out on the audience for too long in telling them how he came to [a life of seclusion].”

Here’s a rundown of everything we know so far. More details and package art should hit soon.

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
(September 15, 2009 – MSRP $39.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p AVC
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Commentary by Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
• The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein
• Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
• Weapon X Mutant Files (in 10 sections introducing the characters)
• The Thrill of the Chase: The Helicopter Sequence
• 2 more featurettes
• Trivia Track
• Deleted scenes with commentary from Hood
• Two alternate sequences
• Fox Movie Channel premiere featurette
• BD-Live (IMDB Feature)

Read all about the UK Blu-ray release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine in our article here: UK to get X-Men Origins: Wolverine on October 19, Full Blu-ray Details Announced

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Take note of the list of bonus features below. It seems that we’re not given a hint of the multiple endings seen in theatres. Is this simply an omission from the announced extras? Are the multiple endings buried within one of the features (like, are we going to see them in Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins?) Or is it possible that we’ll see them all edited into the film, à la the home video version of Clue?

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (UK Edition)
(October 19, 2009 – MSRP £28.99)
Video: 2.39:1 1080p AVC
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio

Special Features:

• Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Commentary by Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
• The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein
• Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
• Weapon X Mutant Files (in 10 sections introducing the characters)
• The Thrill of the Chase: The Helicopter Sequence
• Ultimate X-Mode
• X Connect
• The Director’s Chair
• Pre-Visualizing Wolverine
• BD-Live (IMDB Feature)
• BD-J (PiP and Quiz)

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• X-Men Origins: Wolverine Blu-ray release date, details and Alternate Cut revealed (1)
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Well, that was quick. X-Men Origins: Wolverine hasn’t even been in theatres a month and here’s the Amazon listing for the Blu-ray disc, posted and making the bestseller list! Despite being downloaded five trillion times and making a bazillion dollars in the cinema, the audience is still hungry for more of the ‘ole canucklehead‘s’ latest big-screen adventure and is ready to throw more money at Fox to get them some.

Little is revealed about the X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2-Disc Set in the Amazon listing. We know it’s going to be $39.99 and contain a digital copy (yay…) and we can safely assume the release date will fall squarely in the late October-Early November range. If I were to take a guess at the special features on the disc (I say disc, singular, because we all know what that the second disc is only a DVD-ROM with the digital copy) I’d be shocked if we didn’t see a commentary track with director Gavin Hood, possibly producer/star Hugh Jackman and Lauren Shuler Donner, some deleted/extended scenes and the multiple secret endings. Anything else Fox crams on the disc will be a surprise! We’ll keep you posted as information about this title trickles in…

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X-Men – Disc One – commentary by Bryan Singer and Brian Peck, behind-the-scenes footage (Poland Prison Camp, Senate Chamber, Cage Fight, Battle in the Snow, Xavier’s Office, Logan, Jean & Scott/Classroom (extended scene with optional commentary), Mystique/Senator Kelly, Magneto’s Lair, Bedroom, Senator Kelly Dangles, Cerebro, Train Attack, Magneto vs. Cops, Map of New York, X-Jet, Storm vs. Toad/Wolverine Battles Mystique, Statue of Liberty, Sabretooth vs. Wolverine and Plastic Prison), 6 deleted/extended scenes with optional commentary by Singer and Peck (Storm Teaching Class, Logan Notices Jean and Scott/Rogue, Scott and Storm in Classroom, Extended Bedroom Scene with Logan, Jean and Scott, Bobby Walks Rogue to Dorm/Xavier and Jean in Cerebro, Xavier and Jean in Office and Ready Room), an Easter egg blooper, the Fox Special The Mutant Watch, Bryan Singer interviews (Why He Made X-Men, Bringing X-Men from Comic Book to the Big Screen, Directing Actors, Learning from Actors and The Challenges of Making a Studio Film), 2 animatics (Liberty Head and Train Station), 2 art galleries (Character Design and Production Design), 3 TV spots, a music promo, D-Box enhancement, BD-Live Wolverine Exclusive and HD Marvel Universe trailers.

X-Men - Disc Two – Disc Intro by Bryan Singer, 3 The Uncanny Suspects featurettes (Hugh Jackman’s First Reading, Hugh Jackman’s Screen Test and Character Still Gallery), 3 X-Factor: The Look of the X-Men featurettes (Cyclops Costume Test and Visor, Storm Costume Test and Toad Makeup Test), 4 image galleries (Hardware, Locations, Magneto and Xavier’s School), 3 Production Documentary Scrapbooks (Multi-Angle Train Splitting, Multi-Angle Fight Rehearsal and The Prime Minister of Canada), 5 The Special Effects of the X-Men animatic/film featurettes (Senator Kelly Effects Breakdown, Liberty Head, Toad vs. Jean Grey, Wolverine vs. Mystique and Wolverine vs. Sabretooth), 2 Reflection of the X-Men featurettes (Ellis Island Premiere and Premieres Around the World), 3 trailers (in HD), 9 TV spots and 12 Internet Interstitials.

X-Men – Disc Three – Digital Copy

X2: X-Men United – Disc One - commentary by Bryan Singer and Tom Sigel, commentary by Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and David Hayter, Generation X: Comic Book History featurette, D-Box enhancement, BD-Live Wolverine Exclusive and HD Marvel Universe trailers.

X2: X-Men United – Disc Two – 2 History of the X-Men featurettes (The Secret Origin of X-Men and Nightcrawler Reborn), 3 Pre-Production featurettes (Nightcrawler Attack: Multi-Angle Study, Evolution in the Details: Designing X2 and United Colors of X), 6 Production featurettes (Wolverine/Deathstrike Fight Rehearsal, The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men: Making X2, Introducing the Incredible Nightcrawler!, Nightcrawler Stunt Rehearsal, Nightcrawler Time-lapse and FX2: Visual Effects), 2 Post-Production featurettes (Requiem for Mutants: The Score of X2 and X2 Global Webcast Highlights), 11 deleted scenes (Extended Wolverine/Deathstrike Fight, Wolverine Kills the Intruder, Mystique in Stryker’s Files, Nightcrawler BAMF to Save the Students, Jean and Storm in the X-Jet, Jubilee at the Museum, Pyro Starts the Campfire, One of the Children is Sick After BAMFing, Rogue Helps the Children Escape, Professor X and Cyclops Escape and Arriving to an Empty School), a Characters gallery, 14 Locations and Sets galleries (Alkali Lake Dam, Cerebro, Dark Cerebro, Deathstrike’s Office, Drake Residence, Museum, Mystique & Laurio, Plastic Prison, Stryker’s Base, White House, X-Jet, X-Mansion, Mutant X-Rays and Nightcrawler Circus Posters), 6 On-Camera Graphics galleries (Museum, Plastic Prison, Ronny’s Room Posters, Stryker’s Base, X-Jet and X-Mansion), 5 The Unseen X2 galleries (Angel (Archangel), Danger Room Set Construction, Danger Room Set Design, Danger Room Storyboards and Sentinels) and 3 HD trailers.

X2: X-Men United – Disc Three – Digital Copy

X3: The Last Stand – Disc One – director and writer commentary by Brett Ratner, Zack Penn and Simon Kinberg, producer commentary by Avi Arad, Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter, 24 HD deleted scenes with optional commentary (Xavier Voice-Over for Main Titles, Jimmy in Laboratory, Alternate Version: Beast Meets Logan, Pyro Tells Magneto About the Cure Announcement – Clean Shaven Version, Pyro Tells Magneto About the Cure Announcement – Bearded Version, Alternate Version: Guard Yells at the President, Extended Fight Sequence at Jean Grey’s House, “Psychic Battle” Voices, Alternate Version: Bobby & Kitty Skate, Original Version: Jean Displays Her Power at the Encampment, Plastic Weapons Manufacturing, Hank Warns Trask of Magneto’s Plan, Original Version: X-Men Board the Jet, Jean Senses a Scared Little Girl, Magneto Asks Jean to Help in the Battle, Storm Creates a Wave, Beast Breaks a Neck, Bobby Freezes Phat, Alternate Version: Here’s Juggy, Magneto Tortures Logan, Extended Dark Phoenix Destruction, Alternate Ending: New School Year Begins, Alternate Ending: Rogue Returns and Alternate Ending: Logan Returns to Alberta, Canada), 2 HD Easter eggs (Beast Recites Shakespeare and X-Jet Lands in D.C.), D-Box enhancement, BD-Live Wolverine Exclusive and HD Marvel Universe trailers.

X3: The Last Stand – Disc Two – Brett Ratner’s Production Diary, X-Men: Evolution of a Trilogy, X-Men Up Close interactive gallery with stills and video, Generation X: Comic Book History, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Life After Film School, Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session X3: The Excitement Continues (HD), Anatomy of a Scene: Golden Gate Bridge (HD), 7 HD Vignettes (Prophecies, X-Men Politics, Clothing vs. Costume, Make-up Chair Confessions, Weapons of Choice, On Set Effects and Learning to Fly), 4 HD Blogs (Production Teaser, Live from the Danger Room, MARVELous Cameos and Editing Magic), 20 Previz Animatics (Young Jean Grey, The Danger Room, Mystique’s Interrogation, Jean Rises from the Lake, Logan and Storm Look for Scott, Jimmy Meets Mutant Playmate, Angel Escapes, Mystique’s Prison Break, Jean Kills Xavier, Angel Lands at School, Magneto Talks to Jean in the Woods, Logan Fights with Spike, Multiple Man Decoy, Magneto Moves Golden Gate Bridge, Angel Joins the Battle, Angel Saves His Dad, Ash Burns Soldiers, Omega Muties Break into Lab, Juggernaut Chases Kitty and Dark Phoenix Finale), 2 galleries (Character Stills and Concept Art, Storyboards & Models), 1 Easter egg (Colossus Throws Logan Into the Camera) and 2 HD trailers.

X3: The Last Stand – Disc Three – Digital Copy

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