MGM will release its $19 million-grossing animated family movie Igor on DVD ($17.99) and Blu-ray ($39.99) on Jan. 20 (prebook Dec. 24).

The movie has an all-star voice cast, including John Cusack as Igor, John Cleese as Dr. Glickenstein, Steve Buscemi as Scamper, Will & Grace's Sean Hayes as Brain, Eddie Izzard as Dr. Schadenfraude, Jay Leno as King Malbert and Molly Shannon as Eva.

Extras on the low-priced DVD will include deleted scenes, bloopers and a "Be an Igor" featurette. Blu-ray will offer an alternate opening and commentary with director Tony Leondis, writer Chris McKenna and producer Max Howard.

Fox distributes MGM product.

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The future is green

Futurama continues its environmentally conscience promise in the fourth DVD premiere installment. 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder, spun off from the canceled TV series, follows the Planet Express crew—Bender, Leela and Fry—as they battle the ancient forces of darkness, whose powers could prevent mankind from beginning a wondrous new Green Age. Featuring guest voices Penn Jillette, Snoop Dogg and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, the supplement-filled production bows on Feb. 24 (prebook Jan. 28) on DVD ($29.98) and Blu-ray ($39.98).—Laurence Lerman

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Universal has two underperforming biopics on the schedule.

The Express, following Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win the Heisman Trophy, will arrive on Jan. 20. The $9.5 million-grossing movie will be priced at $29.98 on DVD and $39.98 on Blu-ray.

On Feb. 17, Universal will ride out the $3.7 million-grossing Flash of Genius, about the college professor who took on the Detroit automakers that stole his idea for the intermittent windshield wiper. It will bow on DVD only, priced at $29.98.

They both have interesting stories and star names -- The Express stars Dennis Quaid and Flash of Genius has Greg Kinnear -- so both stand to overperform on DVD.

Here's ...Read More

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I don't need to see Ron Livingston in high-def to enjoy Office Space, or hear Abigail Breslin's scream in high-def audio to enjoy Little Miss Sunshine any more than on DVD, but these two fabulous comedies are coming to Blu-ray on Feb. 3 (prebook Jan. 7). Fox is making it a trio with Napoleon Dynamite.

Each movie will be priced at $34.99 and will come with mucho bonuses.

Office Space:

·        Deleted Scenes:

o       Peter Lies to Lumbergh

o       Happy Hour at Chotchkie’s

o  &...Read More

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Last week Warner announced the March 24, ’09 release of the independent film Side Effects, starring Katherine Heigl of Knocked Up and TV’s Grey’s Anatomy fame. What Warner didn’t mention in their press release is that the 2005 film is a pick-up and that it was originally released by Hummingbird/Pro-Active back in the spring of 2006. VB contributor Mayna Bergmann reviewed the title in April of that year (http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6324066.html) and though she described it as “a formulaic but pleasurable romantic comedy,” she als...Read More

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Paramount has finally officially confirmed Eagle Eye for Sunday, Dec. 28. This won't be a surprise to those of you read Susanne Ault's report about the strange Kung Fu Panda release date shuffle kicking off a non-Tuesday street date trend.

Eagle Eye is joining The Duchess and Ghost Town on Dec. 28. (Click for our full quarterly new releases list.)

Prebook date has already passed, but the Shia LaBeouf-starring thriller, which grossed $98.7 million in theaters, will be released as a single DVD ($19.99), a two-DVD speci...Read More

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In theaters, this was the little movie that could.

Faith-based indie feature Fireproof, which cost $500,000 to produce with an all-volunteer cast and crew and went on to gross $30.2 million in theaters, will be released on DVD by Sony on Jan. 27 (prebook Dec. 25), priced at $28.95.

The drama stars Kirk Cameron as a firefighter who learns how to rescue his own marriage with help from a book called The Love Dare. The book has been as the top of The New York Times' paperback bestseller list.

The DVD will feature deleted scenes, featurettes and commentary.

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Rainn Wilson is a hit on The Office, but his comedy The Rocker failed to do much at the box office, grossing a measly $6.4 million. His following will no doubt expand in the home market, however, when the movie bows on DVD and Blu-ray on Jan. 27 (prebook Dec. 31).

Fox has priced the discs at $29.98 for DVD and $39.99 for Blu-ray.

Home viewers will be treated to a Born to Rock Edition, which Fox describes as "fully loaded." You be the judge. Here's the extras list for both versions:

·       Digital copy movie file for portable media players

·       Commentary with director Peter Cattaneo and actor Rainn Wilson

·  &...Read More

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Paramount will release the acclaimed Keira Knightley vehicle The Duchess on Dec. 28 (prebook was on Nov. 18) on DVD ($19.99) and Blu-ray ($29.99).

The movie grossed $13 million, but will no doubt attract more of an audience on home video.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix's Ralph Fiennes and Mamma Mia!'s Dominic Cooper also star in this story about the real-life Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer, a direct ancestor of Princess Diana who became a fashion icon and voice for the common man. Time's Richard Schickle called the movie "feisty, cool and scandalous." Everything you want in a movie about royalty.

The bonus features include "How Far She Went... Making the Duchess," a documentary abo...Read More

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The acclaimed Righteous Kill, pairing the great actors Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray Jan. 6 (prebook Dec. 4), priced at $29.98 and $39.98, respectively.

The movie, which grossed $39.6 million in theaters, stars De Niro and Pacino as detectives ready for retirement who take on one last case, the murder of a notorious pimp, which appears to have connections with a case the detectives solved years earlier and makes them wonder if they put the wrong man in jail.

Anchor Bay's DVD and Blu-ray will include commentary by producer/director Jon Avnet and two featurettes: "The Investigation: An In-Depth Look at Righteous Kill" and "The Thin Blue Line: An Exploration of Cops & Criminals." Blu-ray al...Read More

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Criterion's initial Blu-ray titles--Bottle Rocket, Chungking Express, The Third Man, The Man Who Fell to Earth and The Last Emperor--have been delayed again, this time to December.

The five were supposed to be released Nov. 18 but have now been scheduled for Dec. 16 (prebook Nov. 25), except The Last Emperor, which will bow Jan. 6 (prebook Nov. 11).

All will still be priced at $39.95.

Criterion's titles are distributed by Image.

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A bunch of catalog titles have been slated for Blu-ray debut:

From Universal: King Kong on Jan. 20 (prebook Nov. 25) priced at $29.98. Includes theatrical and extended version, commentary, picture-in-picture and BD Live features.

On Jan. 6 (prebook Dec. 2), Friday Night Lights. Priced at $29.98, with deleted scenes, featurettes, commentary and BD Live.

From Fox: The classic The French Connection and French Connection II on Feb. 24 (prebook Jan. 28), each pr...Read More

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