SteelBook Alert: Dear Zoo…

What’s in a name? If you’re a Disney SteelBook collector and hoped to add the studio’s latest animated hit to your shelf full of metal cases, you’ll have to search for the movie under a different title than you may be familiar with.

‘Zootopia’

Available at: Zavvi
Release date: July 25, 2016
Price: £24.99

At present, UK retailer Zavvi is the only outlet that has announced a SteelBook for Disney’s new blockbuster ‘Zootopia’. However, because the movie’s not actually called ‘Zootopia’ in Europe, you won’t find it under that name.

In the UK and most of Europe, Disney renamed the film ‘Zootropolis’. (Just to be extra confusing, it’s called ‘Zoomania’ in Germany.) The studio has been coy about the reason for the title change, but this article in The Irish Times suggests that it may be due to a dispute over merchandising with a zoo in Denmark that already trademarked the name “Zootopia.”

Whatever the real story may be, I’m not sure whether the differing title is actually reflected in the film’s on-screen credits, or if the alternate titles only appear on the posters and promotional art.

Zootopia SteelBook

Most Disney SteelBooks from the UK don’t display the movie’s title at all (a trend that I personally hate). In this instance, the name has been worked into the poster art as a street sign, but the Zavvi listing includes a disclaimer that “Artwork subject to change.” The title may not wind up on the case at all if the studio switches to a different image.

Also notable here is that the UK Steelbook includes both 2D and 3D versions of the movie. Disney discontinued its support for Blu-ray 3D in North America a couple years ago, but continues to release titles in the format overseas.

‘Zootopia’ Update

Zavvi has posted updated artwork for the ‘Zootopia’/’Zootropolis’ SteelBook. As I feared, neither movie title is anywhere to be found on it.

Zootopia SteelBook front

Zootopia SteelBook back

Zootopia SteelBook inside

‘The Hateful Eight’

Available at: Best Buy
Release date: March 29th, 2016
Price: $24.99

I mentioned the existence of a Best Buy exclusive SteelBook for Quentin Tarantino’s new Western in yesterday’s Blu-ray Highlights post. Here’s a look at the artwork. Sadly, it’s not very exciting.

Hateful Eight SteelBook

As I write this, the SteelBook is only available for in-store pickup and cannot be shipped directly to you.

14 comments

  1. Chris B

    I kind of like the H8 steel book actually. It’s deliberately retro, but since the film is a retro genre shot with antiquated equipment it almost seems fitting. Hopefully there’s a copy left when I swing by the store after work. It seems like people up in Canada aren’t nearly as steel book crazy as other countries. There’s usually some left at the store even when I hear they.re all sold out down south. ;0

  2. Al

    I love the SteelBook for ‘Zootropolis’, and I think it will be cool to have a case with a unique name. I’ll bet it will hold a lot of value for collectors.

  3. Matt Gilmore

    Disney didn’t completely end support for Blu-ray 3D here, they just have limited it now. Inside Out was available in 3D. According to Amazon, Zootopia will be available in 3D here too.

    I still continue to import whatever doesn’t come to 3D in the U.S. though.

    • Al

      Nope. You’re wrong. ‘Inside Out’ is Pixar. As discussed previously, in this very blog, Pixar — and for that matter, Marvel — play by a different set of rules. They dictate whether 3D is supported; not Disney. Disney hasn’t supported 3D in the US, since early 2014.

        • Josh Zyber
          Author

          Amazon had a listing for a 3D edition of Frozen for a long time as well. The disc never got released.

          I haven’t seen Disney make any official announcement for Zootopia in 3D. Until that happens, I take any preemptive retailer listings with a grain of salt.

        • Al

          Disney hasn’t pulled any punches, when it comes to this matter. They’ve made it clear that they will not distribute 3D Blu-rays in the United States. They aren’t just going to suddenly change their stance and not formally announce this.

          • Elizabeth

            They never made any sort of formal announcement about ending 3D support as far I’m aware so why would they make one to start releasing 3D movies again? Maybe they’ll do a repeat of Frozen and yank any mention of the 3D release but as of right it looks like they’re at least contemplating a 3D release in the US.

          • Al

            They actually did. It was a pretty big deal, at the time. They confirmed that they would no longer support 3D Blu-ray, in the United States. Many in the industry viewed this as a death knell for home 3D. They also responded directly to thousands of personal letters and confirmed that there is no US 3D support, and no plan of ever supporting it again.

          • Csm101

            I don’t remember any official announcements, which is what frustrated me so much. I just remember they stopped. I made several calls to Buena Vista asking what was going on with the 3D and the service reps always responded with,” we don’t know either, you can leave a voicemail to marketing”, or something like that. I hope UK is still distributing region free ones in the future.

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