Alice in Wonderland to hit Blu-ray on June 1st, but not in 3D
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted April 16th 2010 11:37AM
posted April 16th 2010 11:37AM
Okay now, this is just getting ridiculous -- we just can't figure out what the studios are doing, and if they do have a plan it is about time they share it, but just like when Blu-ray first came out, the latest new format isn't getting releases day and date with other formats. But as it stands now there will be no Blu-ray movies in 3D available at retail in the next six weeks even though the 3DTVs have already hit the market -- with many more from Sony, LG and Sharp due this Summer. In fact we have yet to hear of a single 3D Blu-ray Disc to be released at retail in the US in the first half of 2010. We don't mean to say that there isn't a plan in place here, but we are really starting to wonder when it will be revealed. Because one thing is for sure, no one is going to buy all these new 3DTVs and 3D Blu-ray players just to watch demo discs and older animated features.ON DISNEY BLU-RAY™ & DVD -- JUNE 1, 2010
With Worldwide Theatrical Box Office Earnings Approaching the $800 Million Mark,
Tim Burton's Take on the Classic Tales Wins Fans Everywhere
Burbank, Calif., April 16, 2010 – Following a record-breaking theatrical performance,
Tim Burton's epic fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Disney's 4th biggest film of all
time, takes its booming box-office success into the home with a Disney 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo
Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), 1-Disc Blu-ray and 1-Disc DVD on June 1, 2010, from
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE).
The ALICE IN WONDERLAND Blu-ray DiscTM Combo Pack provides audiences with the
chance to experience a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of
all time in pristine 1080p picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 HD surround sound quality and has
been especially packaged with family and fans in mind – with lots of exciting bonus features
and an extra DVD and Digital Copy of the movie.
The Blu-ray Disc versions of the film include nine bonus features that take viewers deeper into
the famous "Rabbit Hole" - exploring more of the world of Wonderland, its iconic characters
and the making of the film. Features include the making of the Futterwacken Dance, a look
inside the world of the Mad Hatter and Johnny Depp's transformation, Tim Burton's vision for
the movie and its characters, the visual effects of growing and shrinking of Alice, costume
designs, music, stunts and more.
The suggested retail prices for ALICE IN WONDERLAND are as follows: The 3-Disc Blu-ray
Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) is $44.99 (US)/$51.99 (Canada); the 1-Disc Bluray
is $39.99 (US) /$44.99 (Canada); and the Single Disc DVD is $29.99 (US)/$35.99 (Canada).
Alice In Wonderland
Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack – June 1, 2010 Page 2
Film Synopsis:
Tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice for a fantastical new adventure from Walt Disney
Pictures and Tim Burton. Inviting and magical, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an imaginative
new twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19
years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey
to discover her true destiny. Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike
anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and
more colorful than ever. There's the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Anne
Hathaway), the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) and
more. A triumphant cinematic experience – ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an incredible feast for
your eyes, ears and heart that will captivate audiences of all sizes.
The film's opening weekend made ALICE IN WONDERLAND the highest-grossing non-sequel
opening weekend in history, the biggest March opening of all time, the biggest 3D opening of all
time and the biggest IMAX opening of all time.
Bonus Features:
DVD:
• Finding Alice – It's all things Alice. This featurette includes Tim Burton's vision for the
characters, differences from the book and Disney's version of Alice and how she evolves
as both a character and actor as she takes an adventure through Wonderland.
• The Mad Hatter – Audiences are provided with a deeper look into the world of the Mad
Hatter. Check out Johnny Depp's early sketches, make-up, costumes and how they
digitally enhanced his eyes.
• Effecting Wonderland – A behind-the-scenes piece on the different technologies used
to create some of the most beloved characters in the film – Stayne, Tweedledee,
Tweedledum, Bandersnatch and the Red Queen.
BLU-RAY:
Everything on the DVD plus:
• The Futterwacken Dance – Futterwhat? Check out the making of the timeless dance
called the Futterwacken.
• The Red Queen – The creation of the Red Queen from start to finish, including early Tim
Burton sketches showcasing costume designs, make-up and digital effects.
• Time-Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen – A short time-lapse piece showing Helena
Bonham Carter as she gets her make-up done. A three-hour process can be watched in
just a few short minutes.
• The White Queen – An interview with Anne Hathaway, who plays Wonderland's good
queen, about her character's journey throughout the process of the film.
• Scoring Wonderland – Composer Danny Elfman and Tim Burton discuss the music for
the movie.
• Stunts of Wonderland – A featurette highlighting some of the biggest stunts in the film.
• Making the Proper Size – An inside look at the visual effects process of growing and
shrinking Alice. See how filmmakers used different techniques to stay true to the
storyline.
• Cakes of Wonderland – Take a trip to "Cake Divas" where the creators of the EAT ME
cakes provide viewers with details about how they made the smallest crumb to the
largest cake in scale.
• Tea Party Props – Tea cups, saucers, cakes and more. Prop master Doug Harlocker
gives an overview of all the props used to bring the famous tea party scene together
visually.
With Worldwide Theatrical Box Office Earnings Approaching the $800 Million Mark,
Tim Burton's Take on the Classic Tales Wins Fans Everywhere
Burbank, Calif., April 16, 2010 – Following a record-breaking theatrical performance,
Tim Burton's epic fantasy adventure ALICE IN WONDERLAND, Disney's 4th biggest film of all
time, takes its booming box-office success into the home with a Disney 3-Disc Blu-ray Combo
Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy), 1-Disc Blu-ray and 1-Disc DVD on June 1, 2010, from
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE).
The ALICE IN WONDERLAND Blu-ray DiscTM Combo Pack provides audiences with the
chance to experience a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of
all time in pristine 1080p picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 HD surround sound quality and has
been especially packaged with family and fans in mind – with lots of exciting bonus features
and an extra DVD and Digital Copy of the movie.
The Blu-ray Disc versions of the film include nine bonus features that take viewers deeper into
the famous "Rabbit Hole" - exploring more of the world of Wonderland, its iconic characters
and the making of the film. Features include the making of the Futterwacken Dance, a look
inside the world of the Mad Hatter and Johnny Depp's transformation, Tim Burton's vision for
the movie and its characters, the visual effects of growing and shrinking of Alice, costume
designs, music, stunts and more.
The suggested retail prices for ALICE IN WONDERLAND are as follows: The 3-Disc Blu-ray
Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) is $44.99 (US)/$51.99 (Canada); the 1-Disc Bluray
is $39.99 (US) /$44.99 (Canada); and the Single Disc DVD is $29.99 (US)/$35.99 (Canada).
Alice In Wonderland
Blu-ray™+ DVD Combo Pack – June 1, 2010 Page 2
Film Synopsis:
Tumble down the rabbit hole with Alice for a fantastical new adventure from Walt Disney
Pictures and Tim Burton. Inviting and magical, ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an imaginative
new twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now 19
years old, returns to the whimsical world she first entered as a child and embarks on a journey
to discover her true destiny. Wonderland is a world beyond your imagination and unlike
anything you've seen before. The extraordinary characters you've loved come to life richer and
more colorful than ever. There's the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), the White Queen (Anne
Hathaway), the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen) and
more. A triumphant cinematic experience – ALICE IN WONDERLAND is an incredible feast for
your eyes, ears and heart that will captivate audiences of all sizes.
The film's opening weekend made ALICE IN WONDERLAND the highest-grossing non-sequel
opening weekend in history, the biggest March opening of all time, the biggest 3D opening of all
time and the biggest IMAX opening of all time.
Bonus Features:
DVD:
• Finding Alice – It's all things Alice. This featurette includes Tim Burton's vision for the
characters, differences from the book and Disney's version of Alice and how she evolves
as both a character and actor as she takes an adventure through Wonderland.
• The Mad Hatter – Audiences are provided with a deeper look into the world of the Mad
Hatter. Check out Johnny Depp's early sketches, make-up, costumes and how they
digitally enhanced his eyes.
• Effecting Wonderland – A behind-the-scenes piece on the different technologies used
to create some of the most beloved characters in the film – Stayne, Tweedledee,
Tweedledum, Bandersnatch and the Red Queen.
BLU-RAY:
Everything on the DVD plus:
• The Futterwacken Dance – Futterwhat? Check out the making of the timeless dance
called the Futterwacken.
• The Red Queen – The creation of the Red Queen from start to finish, including early Tim
Burton sketches showcasing costume designs, make-up and digital effects.
• Time-Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen – A short time-lapse piece showing Helena
Bonham Carter as she gets her make-up done. A three-hour process can be watched in
just a few short minutes.
• The White Queen – An interview with Anne Hathaway, who plays Wonderland's good
queen, about her character's journey throughout the process of the film.
• Scoring Wonderland – Composer Danny Elfman and Tim Burton discuss the music for
the movie.
• Stunts of Wonderland – A featurette highlighting some of the biggest stunts in the film.
• Making the Proper Size – An inside look at the visual effects process of growing and
shrinking Alice. See how filmmakers used different techniques to stay true to the
storyline.
• Cakes of Wonderland – Take a trip to "Cake Divas" where the creators of the EAT ME
cakes provide viewers with details about how they made the smallest crumb to the
largest cake in scale.
• Tea Party Props – Tea cups, saucers, cakes and more. Prop master Doug Harlocker
gives an overview of all the props used to bring the famous tea party scene together
visually.
because one thing is for sure, no one is going to buy all these new 3dtvs and 3d blu-ray players.
i kid.
i, kid.
The 3D TVs are actually selling very well. Most people are buying them for the sports programming starting this summer, not movies on Bluray.
@Ecran and the problem is 3D kinda sucks for fast moving video so sports are going to be disappointing. it is just too slow because of the time difference between each eye receiving a fast moving video signal slightly out of sync. it becomes jerky. both avatar and 3D TVs in the store suffer badly from this as well as demo movies for nvidias glasses option, so i would say it is possibly across the board. plasma and DLP are the only 3D i havent seen for myself so can't say with them. i think more Hz are required.
all this says to me is only somebody with more money than sense would jump in yet. i am not interested until they work as advertised!!!
@Ecran That is because cowsumers are ignorant. Heck, look how many bought into the 1080P marketing hype even though their viewing distance makes it impossible for them to 'see' (ahem, resolve) the resolution.
Dumb is as dumb does, and the CEA and studios are happy to have these cowsumers.
Pass...
Saw the 3D version, was not impress.
This movie was bad enogh in 3d, now imagine in 2d. No thanks.
Saw it in 2D ... not good either.
I chose to see it in 2D over 3D ... for one ... I paid $6 to watch it in 2D (before noon) instead of paying five dollars more for 3D. And two .. because it wasn't shot in 3D to begin with.
If only there was a way to convert 1-dimensional characters and plot into 3D.
Blu-ray 3D will not drive the 3D market. TV content will. Beginning with sporting events then leading into network evening shows like NCIS, Bones, Castle etc.
I bought into Blu Ray when it first came out and the choice for films was very limited, and obviously nothing could be streamed in 1080p so it was frustrating.
I will be buying into the 3D thing too as I am a sucker for gadgets. We (in the UK) are still waiting for 3D TV's to be launched but my friend owns a high end TV store so I will be going in for a few-hour demo when he gets them, probably at the end of this month.
I have a 60" Kuro (Elite for you US posters) but I think I will be getting the 65" 3D Pana if it is as good as I hear. Apparently the regular 2D picture on HD is pretty amazing and with the added bonus of the 3D it makes sense to buy this latest gadget.
Back to the point, yes I am disappointed with the lack if uptake but I think the cheap versions of these 3D films will go through the same painstaking remastering that Avatar had to make them much more believable (read the Engadget report on the different ways they remaster these films). At least there will be some content to watch on Sky HD.
What the are doing is releasing on inferior platforms so they can charge you multiple times for the same product, as has been the case for decades. Of course then they get all self-righteous whenever someone mentions that having paid for the product once entitles them to own backups of said product of any quality they choose. Nice double standard to pad your bottom line....and the "pirates" are the thieves, right???? *rolls eyes*
3D movies have always historically been released in 2D for video. I'm not sure why this is a surprise. 3D at home is not an ideal experience. And in the case of Alice-- the movie was never originally 3D, but was updated to be so in post production just like Clash of the Titans.
As far as 3DTVs, I'm no so sure that the mainstream is really asking for the experience. Do you REALLY want to wear special glasses to watch certain events? The whole thing seems niche. And as far as Avatar being in 3D, I don't think that movie was better for it. It could have easily been a 2D movie.
I think 3D remains in the theater, where it'll remain niche for special releases, theatrical rides, and Imax.
Hardware vendors are keen to push 3D, but Hollywood has little incentive to rush out 3D for the home. They'd much rather keep it as a cinema exclusive, and get people paying more per view.
Most of the advances in cinema - widescreen, surround sound, even wider screens, 70mm, digital audio, IMAX - have been motivated by competition from TVs and a desire to distinguish the cinema experience from the home. 3D is just the latest salvo (and it's working), but the gap between commercial and home cinemas has been closing ever more rapidly.
Watching a 3D movie at home seems utterly and totally pointless, and why aren't they releasing a 3D Alice? Because they know the mindless masses will snatch up the 2D version, then, just in time for Christmas, they'll release a special edition 3D version that the same masses will snatch up.
Are people really so naive that they don't know the reason these big 3D movies aren't being released in 3D right away? Or just pretending to not know?
These studios are just shooting themselves in the foot. Avatar and now Alice in Wonderland. Both are titles that I would buy on day one, but I refuse to buy it twice. So guess what? I'll be waiting for a hybrid 2D/3D release (won't be buying 3D-only either) and until then I'll resort to other methods of watching this movie.
I'm sure they'll complain about piracy and refuse to even consider that they're forcing the hands of otherwise legitimate consumers. By the time they finally clue in and realize they should give consumers what they want (ie. a 3D blu-ray) they'll be shocked that most people have now become accustomed to playing HD movies off a hard drive via their media center. Oh what a cycle.
And for the record, I'm not buying a 3DTV either until there is a reasonable selection of 3D blu-rays in my collection. The saving grace for TV manufacturers might be if Sony can get a sufficient number of decent 3D titles out on PS3, but it sounds like there's just as much politicking going on over there as well.