“Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace” comes out on October 16th, with over 480 minutes of material with extras that include deleted scenes and outtakes. FilmThreat.com has also learned that there will be outtakes much like those seen on the “A Bug’s Life” and “Toy Story” DVDs in which digital characters like Jar Jar make little boo-boos on camera. Of course, these are phony outtakes were created by animators at ILM. Here is the official press release:
The Wait Is Over: The First Star Wars Movie is on DVD ^ STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE ^ Worldwide DVD Release Begins October 16, 2001 ^ The DVD 2-Disc Set Features Over Six Hours of Unique Material Taking the Viewer Deeper Into the Star Wars Universe Than Ever Before
CENTURY CITY, Calif., June 19 /PRNewswire/ — Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment announce the worldwide DVD release of George Lucas’s STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE, beginning October 16, 2001. The highly anticipated arrival of Episode I marks the first film of the Star Wars saga to debut on DVD. Packed with over six hours of additional material, including exclusive documentaries and never-before-seen footage, this 2-Disc set will transport the viewer deeper into the Star Wars universe than ever before. ^ The Episode I DVD was digitally mastered by THX for superior sound and picture quality, providing the perfect showcase for the incredible detail and breathtaking scope of Writer/Director George Lucas’s first episode in the mythic Star Wars saga. Special features on the disc include the first-ever running commentary by Lucas, an exclusive deleted scenes documentary featuring seven new sequences completed just for this DVD, and an extraordinary hour- long documentary film culled from over 600 hours of behind-the-scenes footage. Also included is an interactive featurette with a glimpse into the process of creating scenes from storyboards to animatics to final film composites. Additional features include the original theatrical trailers, TV spots, a gallery of never-before-seen cast and crew photos, an award-winning twelve- part web documentary series, and five featurettes that provide an insider’s look at The Phantom Menace’s storyline, design, costumes, visual effects and fight scenes. ^ Enthusiastic video purchasers throughout North America snapped up more than 5 million copies and generated nearly $100 million at retail in just 48 hours after the VHS debut of STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE. The film is the second highest-grossing motion picture of all time worldwide. ^ The EPISODE I DVD 2-disc set contains approximately 480 minutes of material. ^
The DVD contains six hours of bonus material. Here’s what the two-disc set will feature: ^ – The Phantom Menace, mastered by THX for superior sound and picture quality, presented in Anamorphic Widescreen and Dolby 5.1 Surround EX (English), Dolby 2.0 Surround (English and Spanish), and Dolby 2.0 Surround (French, for Canadian release) ^ – Audio commentary by Writer-Director George Lucas; Producer Rick McCallum; Co-Editor and Sound Designer Ben Burtt; Visual Effects Supervisors Scott Squires, John Knoll and Dennis Muren; and Animation Supervisor Rob Coleman, offering personal insights into the making of the film ^ – Seven never-before-seen deleted scenes with full visual effects completed just for the DVD release ^ – “The Beginning” — an all-new hour-long documentary culled from over 600 hours of footage offering unprecedented access inside Lucasfilm and ILM during the making of Episode I ^ – Multi-angle storyboard to animatic to finished film feature, that lets you flip through the various phases of development of key action sequences ^ – Five behind-the-scenes featurettes exploring The Phantom Menace’s storyline, designs, costumes, visual effects and fight scenes ^ – The popular “Duel of the Fates” music video that debuted in 1999 ^ – All 12 parts of the Lynne’s Diaries, the web documentaries that first appeared here at starwars.com ^ – Galleries of theatrical posters, print campaign, and never-before-scene production photos ^ – Downloaded by millions from starwars.com, the original theatrical teaser and launch trailers, plus seven TV spots including the “tone poems”
STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE is a journey back to the beginning of the epic saga where a momentous meeting takes place between Anakin Skywalker, a hopeful nine-year-old boy, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, a determined young Jedi, that will change the course of galactic history. The film follows Anakin as he pursues his dreams and confronts his fears in the midst of a galaxy in turmoil. Episode I is rich in art, design, costumes, architecture and break-through visual effects. The film was written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Rick McCallum and stars Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Jake Lloyd. Additional cast members include Ian McDiarmid, Samuel L. Jackson, Terrence Stamp, and Pernilla August.
