Posted Wed Sep 5, 2007 at 04:55 AM PDT by
Fox Home Entertainment has released full specs for its highly-anticipated Blu-ray releases of the 'Die Hard' franchise, but fans looking forward to an unrated high-def version of 'Live Free or Die Hard' are in for a disappointment.
As we first reported last week, Fox plans to bring 'Live Free or Die Hard' to Blu-ray on November 20, day-and-date with three standard-def DVD editions.
On that same day, the studio will also release a first-ever Blu-ray box set version of 'The Die Hard Trilogy,' containing the first three films in the series, 'Die Hard,' 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder' and 'Die Hard with a Vengeance'.
As if that wasn't exciting enough, the original announcement for 'Live Free or Die Hard' last week stated that the film would hit Blu-ray in an unrated cut of the movie, featuring additional footage not seen in the PG-13 theatrical cut. In fact, the announcement was posted on Fox's promotional web site (www.foxbd.com) alongside box art that also indicated an unrated Blu-ray edition of the film.
Alas, we've now received the full press release for 'Live Free or Die Hard' from Fox, and despite earlier indications, it seems that although two (of the three) DVD editions will include the unrated edition, the Blu-ray will contain the PG-13 version of the film only. When asked about the discrepancy with the box art displayed on their own web site, the studio told us that the "unrated" box art is inaccurate, and that revised artwork will be revealed in the coming days.
A screenshot of the 'Live Free or Die Hard' box art from the www.foxbd.com website. Fox says revised artwork will be unveiled shortly. |
On the bright side, the just-released specs promise an otherwise full-featured Blu-ray release for the fourth film in the franchise, boasting each of the two-disc standard-def DVD's supplements, plus at least one Blu-ray exclusive. Among the bonus features are an audio commentary with Bruce Willis, director Len Wiseman and editor Nicolas De Toth, the ten-part documentary " Analog Hero in a Digital World: Making of Live Free or Die Hard," a 25-minute conversation with Willis and filmmaker Kevin Smith, an additional featurette, a music video (with its own making-of) and the theatrical trailer.
The Blu-ray will also include the BD-Java interactive game "Black Hat Intercept," exclusive to the high-def release.
Tech specs include a BD-50 dual-layer disc featuring 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video, a DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Surround track, and D-Box enhancement.
Similarly, each of the film's in 'The Die Hard Trilogy,' will receive the BD-50 treatment with 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 video and DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio. Supplements will mirror those found on the previous standard-def versions, including multiple audio commentaries, featurettes, storyboard comparisons and multiple trailers and TV spots.
As previously reported, the list price for 'Live Free or Die Hard' is $39.98, while 'The Die Hard Trilogy' will retail for $99.98.
Fox currently has no plans to release the first three 'Die Hard' films separately, nor will there be a four-pack continuing both 'Live Free or Die Hard' and 'The Die Hard Trilogy.'
As always, you'll find disc details for 'Live Free or Die Hard' and 'The Die Hard Trilogy linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule, where both titles are indexed under November 20.
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