For those of you that bought the Batman Legacy DVD set you may be a bit upset to learn that on October 18 Warner Home Video debuts Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997, which will contain brand new two-disc Special Editions of the first four Batman movies, all of them will be available both individually and as a special edition gift set. The new “Two-Disc Special Edition” DVDs of Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin feature all-new digital transfers and more than 18 hours of never-seen bonus features, including director commentaries by Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, cast and crew interviews, new documentaries, making-of featurettes, and nine music videos from Prince, Seal, and the Smashing Pumpkins. Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1989-1997 will sell for $79.92 SRP, with individual titles priced at $26.99 SRP/$19.95 MAP.
The four Warner Bros. Batman films have grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, making Batman one of the top five most successful franchises in motion picture history. To date, combined DVD and VHS sales total nearly $650 million, with more than 50 million units sold. This new collection is sure to appeal to the legions of Batman fans and collectors alike.
In 1989, director Tim Burton breathed new life into one of the most complex and intriguing characters in popular culture. With his modern vision of Batman, Burton cast off the 1960s camp depiction of the Dark Knight and launched one of the most successful comic book film series ever. Starring Michael Keaton as Batman and Academy Award-winner Jack Nicholson as The Joker, Batman was the top grossing movie of 1989, with a box-office total of more than $250 million. Burton and Keaton returned for the second installment, Batman Returns, joined by Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman and Danny DeVito as The Penguin.
In 1995, Burton passed the reins to Schumacher, who injected the franchise with his unique style and included even more star power and action. Schumacher’s Batman Forever and Batman & Robin features Val Kilmer and George Clooney, respectively, as the Caped Crusader and included all-star casts with Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Drew Barrymore, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tommy Lee Jones, and Uma Thurman.
