Van Helsing Hits DVD on October 19

Packed with heart-pounding action and stunning visual effects, Van Helsing, the film that kicked off the summer movie season with a spectacular $52 million box office opening, will be released on DVD October 19, 2004. Directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy and The Mummy Returns), Van Helsing stars Hugh Jackman as the fearless monster hunter on a mission to vanquish evil. Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, and Will Kemp co-star.

The fully loaded DVD filled with stunning behind-the-scenes details including a groundbreaking interactive 360-degree tour through the set of Dracula’s castle, is priced at $29.98 SRP (VHS is $22.98 SRP).

For those who want even more behind-the-scenes exclusives, the 3-disc “Van Helsing Ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD”, available for a limited time, takes an in-depth look at the amazing sets and the story of the monster hunter hero. In addition, the three original films that inspired Van Helsing — Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man — are included as an unbeatable bonus for monster lore fans of all ages.

The Van Helsing DVD is packed with special features that deliver hours of fascinating entertainment topped by two features that explore the film’s amazing sets as never before and the opportunity to play the thrilling “Van Helsing” Xbox game:

Explore Dracula’s Castle – Through an innovative 360 (degree) self-guided tour, discover the stunning environments of Van Helsing that you couldn’t see in theaters.

You Are in the Movie! – Experience movie-making magic through miniature cameras on the set that give the actors’ perspectives on the filming of a scene.

Outtakes

Bringing the Monsters to Life – From pencil sketches through complete digital composition, the experts at Industrial Light & Magic show how Van Helsing’s monsters were brought to life.

The Legend of Van Helsing – The evolution of the legendary character, Van Helsing, throughout film history.

Feature Commentaries – With director Stephen Sommers, producer Bob Ducsay, and actors Richard Roxburgh, Shuler Hensley and Will Kemp.

The Van Helsing Xbox Game – Put this DVD into your Xbox console and play the first level of the stunning Van Helsing game.

Available for a limited time, the “Van Helsing Ultimate Collector’s Edition” includes even more great features for even more hours of entertainment for fans who can’t get enough background about Van Helsing:

Explore Frankenstein’s Lab – Explore Frankenstein’s Lab through a groundbreaking 360-degree self-guided tour that lets you discover the secrets not shown in theaters.

Van Helsing: The Story, The Life, The Legend – Mini-documentaries focus on each character in the film with excerpts, original set design, ILM effects work, conceptual weapons sketches and more.

Track the Adventure: Van Helsing’s Map – The secrets behind each fantastic set are revealed via an ancient monster map. Five linked featurettes take viewers to a world beyond imagination.

The Music of Van Helsing

Darkness Falls: Dracula’s Lair is Transformed – Time-lapse photography captures the transformation of Dracula’s Coffin Room to his Lab in a matter of minutes through this eye-opening sequence.

Buyers of the Van Helsing DVD will receive a coupon for an instant $5.00 off on any of the titles from Universal Studios Home Video’s six Monster Legacy Collections: “Dracula: The Legacy Collection,” “Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection” and “The Wolf Man: The Legacy Collection” and the upcoming “The Mummy: The Legacy Collection,” “The Invisible Man: The Legacy Collection” and “The Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Legacy Collection”. These DVD collections represent the definitive releases of the landmark horror franchises that launched an entire genre of entertainment and belong in every collector’s library.