Also today, our own Michael Coate has turned in a new History, Legacy & Showmanship column, featuring an interview with author J.W. Rinzler, whose new book The Making of Return of the Jedi just arrived in stores yesterday.  Don’t miss it!

Meanwhile, in announcement news today, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has officially set The Wolverine for release on 11/19 on 4-disc Unleashed Extended Edition Blu-ray 3D Combo, a 2-disc Blu-ray Combo, DVD and digital.  The Unleashed Extended Edition will include the theatrical cut and an extended unrated version of the film, The Path of the Ronin documentary, and alternate ending, audio commentary with director James Mangold (on the extended version only), an X-Men: Days of Future Past set tour, the film’s theatrical trailer and the ability to sync with an app for an interactive Second Screen experience on your smartphone or tablet device.  The Unleashed Extended Edition will also include Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film along with a digital copy.  The regular Blu-ray Combo will include only the theatrical version of the film, along with all the extras except the commentary.  The DVD will also include the theatrical cut with a short Inspiration: A Ronin’s Journey featurette (which we presume is a shortened piece of the longer The Path of the Ronin documentary found on the BDs.  You can see cover artwork for both Blu-ray versions below.

[Update: We have OFFICIALLY confirmed with Fox that The Wolverine: Unleashed Extended Edition is 138 minutes long, which is 12 minutes longer then the theatrical cut.]

The formatting of these extras/SKUs has rubbed some fans the wrong way, to judge by the e-mails we’ve been getting in the last day or so – they don’t like having to buy the most expensive SKU (and Blu-ray 3D they may not need or be able to use) in order to get the Extended Edition and audio commentary.  We should point out, however, that unlike Paramount’s recent Star Trek Into Darkness debacle, at least when you buy the most expensive SKU, you get rewarded for your money with the most extras.  (There does seem to be a “Target Ticket” exclusive content, but at least no retail-exclusive bonus discs that we know of at the moment.)

In other news, Warner Home Video has set Getaway for Blu-ray Combo and DVD release on 11/26.

Lionsgate has set Things Never Said for DVD only release on 12/3, followed by Night Train to Lisbon for DVD only release on 12/27.

And Image Entertainment has set Chances Are for Blu-ray and DVD release on 1/14/14.

Finally, a top of the hat in honor of the passing yesterday of spy thriller novelist Tom Clancy, whose books included The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, The Sum of All Fears, Clear and Present Danger and many others.  His most recent book was Threat Vector (published last year) and he apparently has one last book coming on 12/3 called Command Authority.  Clancy was 66. More here via The New York Times.

Here’s a look at the Blu-ray cover art for both versions of Fox’s The Wolverine and Magnolia’s A Hijacking (due 10/15), as well as Sony’s Breaking Bad: The Complete Series (11/26)…

Stay tuned...

- Bill Hunt