Blu-ray.com (via Jo Blo and Collider) have announced the spec and release date for The Avengers on Blu-ray and DVD. With the box office now past $1 billion, it seems unlikely that the announcement that this will come out on September 25 will in any way harm its theatrical profits.
Joss Whedon had previously discussed the almost 30 minutes worth of deleted scenes that were excised from the film. The scene he spoke about in particular is the “Steve Rogers – Man Out of Time” scene, set in Cap’s apartment. There’s also the “Banner and Security Guard” extended sequence with Harry Dean Stanton, one that Mark Ruffalo had discussed being cut down. It also seems that we’ll get a lot more Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), including an alternate opening and closing.
Most exciting is the new Marvel One Shot: Item 47, which we can guess is about an artefact that S.H.I.E.L.D has recovered. The previous one-shots have connected films together, and we might assume that this is about the recovery of the Tesseract or the weapon from the Destroyer. It might be the return of Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg).
BLU-RAY BONUS FEATURES:
- AUDIO COMMENTARY BY DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON
- MARVEL ONE-SHOT: ITEM 47
- SECOND SCREEN
- GAG REEL
- DELETED SCENES
- Alternate Opening – Maria Hill Interrogation
- Extended Scene – Loki & Barton Strategize
- Steve Rogers – Man Out of Time
- Nick Fury & World Security Council
- Extended Viaduct Fight – Raw Footage
- Fury & Hill Discuss the World Security Council
- Extended Scene – Banner and Security Guard
- Alternate Ending – Maria Hill Interrogation
- FEATURETTES
- A Visual Journey
- Assembling the Ultimate Team
- SOUNDGARDEN MUSIC VIDEO – “Live to Rise”
DVD BONUS FEATURES:
- AUDIO COMMENTARY BY DIRECTOR JOSS WHEDON
- FEATURETTES
- Assembling the Ultimate Team
Slightly concerned that Disney might pull a double dip on us and release an extended cut next year. Will be interesting to see if that happens. If they do plan on doing an extended cut then they should at least come clean before the release.
It’s a definite concern. With that much deleted material, it’s possible that the extended Avengers could be reissued in various formats for years to come!