It's finally happening... Brad Bird's feature film directorial debut is coming back to theaters!
Now, this re-release of The Iron Giant won't be a full-blown one. Instead, it'll be a Fathom Events re-release. It'll certainly be played in quite a few theaters nationwide, but it'll be for a week only. The screenings will take place on September 30th, followed by encore screenings on October 4th...
Here's what Mr. Bird himself had to say...
Good to be working with an old friend. See #TheIronGiant at #SDCC& learn more about the #SignatureEdition#rereleasepic.twitter.com/AMrSeeJQVY— Brad Bird (@BradBirdA113) July 7, 2015What's particularly interesting about this re-release is that the film will have extra footage in it. Dubbed the "Signature Edition", it'll contain two new scenes. Are they scenes that Bird intended to put in the picture back in the day? Were they finished a long time ago? Or did a studio animate these scenes recently? Did Bird come up with these scenes long after it came out?
The film, I feel, is great without new scenes, but hopefully these scenes overall add to the excellence of the picture.
The re-release will be followed by a home media release... But it'll be digital only. C'mon Warner Bros, get on that Blu-ray! Bird had wanted a full-blown special edition that would have lots of bonus features, while Warner Bros wanted a barebones set at best, as if asking for the film on Blu-ray alone was like giving them a tall order. Warner Home Video has been backing away from physical media for a few years now when it comes to classic animation and older films. Cartoon collections (i.e. Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry) are pretty much over, some cartoons and more out-of-the-way animated films (i.e. the Rankin/Bass Hobbit films, Twice Upon a Time) only hit DVD.
Well, the good thing is, the film is getting something of a re-release. Maybe these releases will be like stepping stones, maybe Warner Bros is testing the waters to see if there's truly a demand for The Iron Giant. If the response is huge, maybe WB themselves will give it a full-blown re-issue or a proper home media release.
One can only hope...
(via ComingSoon)