July 3, 1985 was the premiere of Robert Zemeckis's hugely successful Back to the Future. Today, almost twenty-five years later, Universal Studios Home Entertainment has officially announced the Blu-ray release of Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy for October 26, confirming early information from European retailers (see blu-ray.com, June 18). This edition will be newly-restored and offer more than two hours of new bonus features.
Video will be 1080p, with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Audio will be 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The discs will be single-sided BD50s.
Special features include:
U-Control (BD-exclusive):
Setups & Payoffs: As you watch each of the three films, each "set up" showcases items in the scene that prepare you for a future plot point. When you get to that moment in the film, the "payoff" is shown to complete the correlation.
Storyboard Comparison: Compare key scenes in the movie with the original storyboards.
Trivia Track: Get inside trivia and facts while you watch the movies
Q&A commentaries with director Robert Zemeckis and producer Bob Gale
Feature commentaries with producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton
Back to the Future Night: hosted by Leslie Nielson, this original 30-minute special aired on NBC prior to the first television screening of the Back to the Future (new, BD-exclusive)
Tales from the Future: new six-part retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Director Robert Zemeckis, Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton, plus Executive Producer Steven Spielberg*
In the Beginning...: Delve into the genesis of the project, casting, re-casting, the DeLorean, sets and overall pre-production.
Time to Go: Production stories through the release of the first film.
Keeping Time: The score and the songs of the Back to the Future Trilogy.
Time Flies: Learn more about how the sequel came about, the futuristic look, the special and visual effects, recreating 1955 and more.
Third Time's the Charm: Learn about building a western town, Doc Brown's love story, the casting of Mary Steenburgen, the train sequence and completing the Trilogy.
The Test of Time: Back to the Future becomes a phenomenon! President Reagan quotes the film, the Back to the Future ride opens at Universal Studios theme park and fans rebuild the iconic DeLorean. The film's cast and crew take a look back and discuss why these beloved movies live on.
The Physics of Back to the Future: A discussion with celebrity best-selling author and physicist Dr. Michio Kaku about the overall appreciation of the science in the Back to the Future Trilogy*
Nuclear test site ending storyboard sequence: Storyboard sequence of the original proposed ending of the film.*
Sixteen deleted scenes
Michael J. Fox Q&A
Archival featurettes:
Making the Trilogy: Chapters One, Two & Three: Original 2002 DVD documentary that takes a look back in time.
The Making of Back to the Future Part I, II & III: Provides a vintage and historic first look at the making of all three films.
The Secrets of the Back to the Future Trilogy: a televised special hosted by Kirk Cameron addressing fans unanswered Back to the Future questions.
Behind-the-scenes:
Outtakes
Original makeup tests
Production design
Storyboarding
Designing the DeLorean
Designing time travel
Hoverboard test
Designing Hill Valley
Designing the campaign
Back to the Future: The Ride
Music Videos:
Huey Lewis and the News "Power of Love"
ZZ Top "DoubleBack"
Photo galleries, including production art, additional storyboards, photographs, marketing materials and character portraits
Theatrical trailers
BD-Live
My Scenes
pocket BLU: USHE's pocket BLU app uses iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, Blackberry, Android, Windows and Macintosh computers and more to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-ray player and offers advanced features such as:
Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live functions with ease.
Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in their favorite episode.
Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there's a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy exclusive content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
Keyboard: Enter data into a Blu-ray player with your device's easy and intuitive keyboard.
* Denotes new footage debuting on the 25th Anniversary Trilogy
this better be out the same day in aus aswell, aslong as its under $100 aus , i will probably pick this up. also hope that Spielberg oversees the BD transfer as he has been doing with his other releases. If he does the vid and audio quality should b awesome!!! edit: also good to see its a full screen aspect ratio
Probably the most important thing ,for me of course is that:
“They actually look better than they did in the theater because of the incredible job that was done on dirt clean-up. (And the film grain is preserved, so they still look like movies should look.) And hearing the sound in full dynamic range is — okay, I’ll say it — a blast!”
"1) Still no Eric Stoltz footage. Does anyone know if this even exists or are those photos all that are left? I hope this isn't a situation where it'll never see the light of day until the parties involved pass away(i.e. Brando in Superman II)."
They have already addressed it numerous times. They will never release the footage. Eric's performance is reportedly so bad, that they feel it would be disrespectful of him to release it. And basically make him a joke. So all you'll ever see is the few stills that have been released.
@Adam_ME there is footage from Eric Stoltz as Marty on the new features
From BTTF.net:
"He went on to describe the new documentaries, one of which is called Tales from the Future. ÒIÕm sure fans will enjoy the new documentaries, which include interviews with cast and crew members who Ñ for budgetary reasons Ñ were left out of the 2002 documentaries,Ó he explained. ÒSo there are some stories and anecdotes told on camera for the first time. And since everyone wants to know, there are three very brief snippets of Eric Stoltz incorporated into one of the documentaries.Ó You heard it here first Ñ finally, film footage of Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly!!"
The six-part retrospective documentary is the SAME documentary Universal put onto the recent DVD special edition a year or two ago - all is has are still photos or Eric Stoltz when it comes to talking about the Marty McFly recasting, no footage unfortunately...
Unless Stoltz finally gave permission to use this footage and they added it back into this already-produced documentary...I saw Robert Zemeckis at San Diego Comicon when he was there promoting BEOWULF and someone asked him about the Stoltz footage ever seeing the light of day...Zemeckis said it would be impossible as Stoltz put a legal hold on it and promised to sue Universal if it was ever released. Personally, I don't see how that's possible as Universal owns this footage and should be able to do with it what it likes...but Zemeckis did sound serious when he explained the situation.
I'm pretty excited for MANY reasons for this release, but I find it very funny and ironic that after Bob Gale swore up and down that "mediocre, ridiculous and lame" specials that were made like the Kirk Cameron "Secrets of the BTTF Trilogy" and the BTTF2 special hosted by Leslie Nielsen would never be seen on any future release...well, here they are. I actually enjoyed those two supplements and am very happy they're included!
This is definitely all great news indeed, BTTF fans!!!!!!!!
Oh this is heavy Doc. I am looking forward owing it day one purchase.
This was in a time when we could not wait for summer movies.
One of the best trailers ever created.
The cover art looks amazing. THAT'S THE POWER OF LOVE......................
It looks like most of the studios are going with DTS-MA so you should get used to it.
I think Warner is the only one using still using Dolby TrueHD. Those cheap bastards would probably use Dolby 2-channel lossy if they could get away with it.
Only saw all three films for the first time when they were first released on DVD. I couldn't believe how much fun these were. Definite purchase for me.
I was going to kill myself today but this news makes me want to stick around at least untill October
these films are one of the greatest trilogies ever committed to film, I may be in the minority here but i think BTTF 2 is one of the greatest sequels ever made, godfather part 2, empire strikes back, aliens, the dark knight and BTTF 2, all sequels that outshine their predecessors
YES! This combined with the Alien box set is gonna make for one great fall and holiday season this year! Will get even sweeter if they also officially announce the Indiana Jones trilogy!
I'll wait for the reviews first. Universal has ruined many releases with excessive DNR and on some of these films, people look plastic. I would hope the director (S.S.) had input, then they will be be screwed up transfers.
HELL YES. Best blu-ray news EVER. Back to the Future is absolutely my favorite movie ever. I can't wait for this. Definitely a day one buy no matter what it costs. I've been waiting for this news since I purchased my first blu-ray player.
He's an idiot. Comes from upbringing. His parents are probably idiots too. Lorraine, if you ever have a kid that acts that way I'll disown you." Swweeeettttt!!!
It's a 4 disc set too. Wonder what they mean by Widescreen MULTI-FEATURE for each movie. I'm guessing because it's a collection/trilogy set. Also could mean that you can use extras to watch each movie/disc a different way, with commentaries, U-Control etc. For any of you with doubts I can confirm that this is now officially listed on Universal's press site. Personally, I can't wait for this. Disc 4 is all gravy and there are extras on each movie disc as well.
Superblaster - Blu-ray is hardly a dead format. It's gotten cheap enough to where most households can now afford it and half the time Blu-ray discs are cheaper than DVD now. Why do away with a better format? The movie companies want Blu-ray because of it's high quality. I don't understand why fans wouldn't want it as well. Yeah, it sucks upgrading formats but it doesn't happen as often as video game companies upgrade their systems. VHS>DVD>Blu-ray. I won't even mention HD DVD because that is the dead format.
This news has actually put a postive spin on my day, i was a pissy grinch when i woke up but now that i know BTTF is coming to blu, even my shitty job can't get me down today!
Well, it's definately about time! Day 1 Purchase for me! These are absolutely my ALL TIME favorite movies, and they've blown me away with all of the content that is included! Now, as long as the movies are each in their own individual, normal sized Blu-Ray cases, all housed in a slip-box featuring the artwork posted here, I will be a happy camper! (I don't want just one case holding all of the discs like the original 2002 DVD). Granted, the packaging is no where near as important as the disc content, but I'd like for the total package to be awesome!
There is one little flaw I noticed in the list of features:
"Back to the Future Night: hosted by Leslie Nielson, this original 30-minute special aired on NBC prior to the first television screening of the Back to the Future (new, BD-exclusive) "
It totes this feature as being new and BD exclusive. This is not new, and is already available on DVD now. In February of last year (2009), the movies were released individually on DVD for the first time, and the first movie came with an all-new extra bonus disc with additional extra features, including the footage from Back to the Future The Ride, and this "Back to the Future Night" special (which I actually think I still have recorded on a VHS tape somewhere from when it originally aired on NBC in 1989).
So, this certainly isn't new. Now, I did notice in the announcement on BTTF.net that in addition to this Blu-Ray release, there is going to be a 25th anniversary DVD box set as well, so maybe (and I'm just guessing/speculating here) this special won't be included on the new DVD set and will be exclusive to the Blu-Ray as far as the "25th anniversary" sets go, but it's not exclusive to Blu-Ray overall. It's a moot point in the sense that at least it's included, so Blu-Ray buyers aren't missing out on anything, but I'm just pointing out that this isn't truly Blu-Ray exclusive.
This movie opened on my 7th Birthday! I rememebr seeing it twice in the theatres and countless times on my HBO recorded Beta Dub. I saw the 2nd and 3rd in theatres but never enjoyed them any where near as much as the original. I don't own BTF on DVD so I may pick up the trilogy if the price is right. Otherwise, I will wait for a sale or a seperate release and just get the original.
Now they need to release the 2nd best film of 1985. The John Hughes classic, Weird Science!
That's great news the back to the future trilogy is one of the film series along with the star wars saga and the 1st 3 indiana jones films I'm waiting for on blu-ray. Great News all around.
1) they fix the audio glitches (some of the score in Part II sounded "warbly", even after the v2 exchange)
2) The Ride will be in HD. Someone here said it should be in 3D, but why should it when it wasn't originally?
3) Picture quality is up to snuff. We all know how most Universal catalog titles are DNR'r to death, so even though this is a high-profile title, I'm a little worried.
I agree that the films being under universal should make us stop from sucking each other's dicks right now, but zemeckis and gale were in charge of the restoration and it's been ongoing for years
JoeCooler - why are you even responding to Superblaster's lame comment...and doing so in such a kind and understanding way?? This person is either A) a HD-DVD holdout who's pissed off his chosen format died OR B) someone who does not have the means or the know-how to make the jump to hi-def.
So he or she has nothing else to do except spew negativity about something they know nothing about.
Hey Superblaster - can your jealousy and complete lack of knowledge on the subject be any more apparent??
And by the way, I might be fuzzy on the exact math, Superblaster, but a format that gains popularity each year by 360% in sales and rentals is hardly a dying format...not to mention that Blu-ray players and capabilities now exist in nearly 50% of all US households - who knows what that percentage is if you include worldwide.
Cool. Not sure I wanna go through this trilogy as meticulously as I did a couple years ago on DVD, but hopefully Universal (the current king of DNR) does this one right for a change. Like digitalbits sez, screw wasting time/money on all the extras, what's the point if you don't get the film itself right!
Sweetness. Universal is stepping up! I kinda grew up with these movies. I can't wait to see them in glorious high-definition! And how the heck can someone like the first one and not like the other two as well.
I know their is some consern that universal studios and the recent blu-ray release's with the whole DNR issue but trust me this is not going to happen with the back to the future trilogy because the trasfers of the blu-ray release of bttf are being supervised by the producer of bttf Bob Gale.
everything should b released in pcm so the dts and truehd supporters can b happy. i used to b against dts because i didnt have a dts receiver and i ended up buying a pcm receiver because all the new titles were in dtshd. i still know people who wont budge though.
I can always tell a difference between DTS-MA and Dolby True-HD.DTS-MA is louder and has better bass and surround effects.I haved listened to a few PCM soundtracks but I prefer DTS-MA myself.
This going to be so SICK!!!!! I can't wait to hear the unveiling of the Delorean in DTS HD!!!! GOD I am going to CRANK my Def Techs so loud for these movies its going to be RETARDED!!!!! REally stoked on the trivia track and all the other new features! I just got the 25th Anniversary at Philly Comic Con SIGNED by the artist and a pic with the Delorean!!! Check it :
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31098554&id=1248127835
Now I hope Universal gives us Jaws and Jurassic Park by next year. I too want to hear the t-rex in glorious DTS-HD Master audio! And I'm anxious to see Back to the Futures on blu-ray. It's been too long since I've even seen 'em, and don't really regret it. My viewings on blu-ray shall blow me away, as I do remember the films from childhood, mostly on crappy VHS.
I think we'll see Jurrassic park next year, Universal doesn't want to blow everything in 2010. I would like to see Jaws around x-mas time but i'm not holding my breath on that one
what i want to know if the set has the same features as the recent 2-disc edition of part 1. SPECIAL NOTE TO THE SITE REVIEWERS: suggest you compare this set with the recent stand-alone editions of all three films.
Man, the moment that Amazon lists these for pre-order I am ordering them. Yep, with these and the Alien movies coming to Blu-ray the end of the year is shaping up to be a very expensive time.
A great tie-in for the episodic games from TellTale Games! I hope TellTale gets a PS3 demo/trailer of their Back To The Future game onto this bluray set.
I can't wait to hear the amazing score in 24-bit surround sound!
It's nice to see them using DTS for the alternate language tracks -- I hope they use DTS on all the commentaries, music videos, and other audio tracks as well!
I'm really glad I skipped the DVD box set of this. Now I'm just waiting for Jurassic Park on bluray!
@mchn17, when was Blu-ray announced? I remember hearing about "blue laser DVDs that hold HD video" in 2002 or 2003 I think it was. Owned this on VHS PAL, Laser Disc NTSC, DVD PAL, DVD NTSC and soon Blu-ray 1080/24p, I can't wait! MY fav movie ever since I was about 5 years old and it was still new. It never stopped being my fav movie!
digitalbits quote: "PLUS the films have been given new HD transfers AND the film grain is preserved too! (Great Scott!!)" Sounds like it's gonna be done right after all.
PINCHE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! right doc now let's get our asses back to the future!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D::D:D:D XD THIS IS HEAVY!!!!11
I may not be able to resist all these cool versions with stuff like Miniature Deloreans, Sports Almanacs, Outatime plate, Save The Clocktower poster, Lenticular McFly Family Photo, etc...who knows what else will surface. Must...put...wallet...far...away...in...another...time...and...place...
Well, I'd be glad if this edition included both Spanish audio tracks (Castilian & Latin). I'm from America, and of course Latin Spanish it's my favorite, but with only one Spanish track there would be misunderstandings about which one Spanish is it.
This is heavy! XD
One of my most anticipated BD-releases.
Especially since the DVD-set I have isn't completely correct in aspect-ratio I believe.
Plus this will be even more complete and no doubt in top-notch quality!
Love Universal's efforts, except for their sterile menus, I prefer those of their DVDs, so I hope they'll go back to that soon.
And also prefer the menus on the BDs of Warner and Sony their releases.
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