I’m going on a hunch here and assuming you’ve seen Avatar in theatres.  I mean, $737 million in domestic ticket sales doesn’t just spring out of no where.  And I bet you can’t wait to get your mits on your own copy.  Avatar is set to release on DVD and Blu-Ray on April 22 to coincide with Earth Day (how cute).  The April DVD/Blu-Ray release will not include any bonus features.  That means no deleted scenes, no behind-the-scenes featurettes, no nothing.  Why, you ask?  “Sources at Fox said the April disc will come without extra features so that all available storage space can be used for the best picture and sound possible.”  So where’s all the extra features then?  Apparently they will be packed into a second release (dubbed “The Ultimate Edition”) of the DVD/Blu-Ray packages in November.  And what about the 3D version of the movie; when can we watch it at home the way it’s meant to be seen?  That won’t come until sometime in 2011.  Consumers likely won’t have 3D TVs to play it on until then anyway.  So your safest bet is to wait until November to snag all the extras and play the rest by hear; who knows how fast 3D tech in the home will catch on.

Update: Sorry 3D fans, this update does not push forward the Avatar in 3D release.  But it does fix the no bonus features ’til November fiasco.  A fresh press release reveals The Avatar Program: “Connecting the two releases in April and November is “The Avatar Program,” an interactive consumer experience that offers an online hub for exclusive content, discounts and more.”  The Avatar DVD/Blu-Ray release on April 22 will come with a unique code that can be used to access bonus features online and adopt a “virtual hometree.”  Full PR after the break.

[Via Reuters; Gizmodo; BoxOfficeMojo; Engadget]

The Exhilarating World of Pandora Comes Home with AVATAR in High Definition Blu-ray

James Cameron and Jon Landau Unveil Blu-ray and DVD Launch and Initiative to Plant One Million Trees Globally Launch Begins Stateside April 22 on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

LOS ANGELES –(Business Wire)– Mar 23, 2010 Today, AVATAR director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau presented scenes from the film’s upcoming Blu-ray release, outlined the ongoing fan engagement program, and announced the global partnership between Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and Earth Day Network, the international non-profit organization that coordinates Earth Day programs annually.

The ultimate high definition experience for home viewing audiences, AVATAR will be available on Blu-ray and DVD everywhere in the United States and Canada on Earth Day, April 22. Internationally, the roll out begins April 21 ending May 6. An ultimate edition release with immersive bonus materials is slated for November. Connecting the two releases in April and November is “The Avatar Program,” an interactive consumer experience that offers an online hub for exclusive content, discounts and more.

An action-adventure journey of self-discovery, AVATAR dramatically demonstrates how human invasion almost destroys the balance of life on the planet of Pandora. The audience passionately roots for Pandora’s survival, everyone learns that all living beings are connected and that those who seek to exploit nature rather than respect it will only destroy themselves. Taking that message of conservation and ecological harmony, the studio and Earth Day Network, together with various organizations worldwide, will pledge to plant one million trees across the globe by the end of 2010.

April Means AVATAR

Determined to achieve the very best home entertainment presentation, the April AVATAR Blu-ray and DVD release features the film and corresponding menu, utilizing the disc’s entire storage space in order to provide the highest quality optimal picture and sound.

“We wanted the best presentation of any film in the history of the Blu-ray and DVD formats,” said AVATAR producer Jon Landau. “Our launch into the home in April will allow fans to return to Pandora again and again.”

The AVATAR Program

Through a unique code found inside the AVATAR Blu-ray/DVD, consumers can register at www.avatarmovie.com into “The AVATAR Program” and gain exclusive access to first-look bonus materials, special content, money saving offers and much more. Additionally, only those fans will be able to adopt one of the one million trees being planted on behalf of Earth Day and receive a virtual hometree they can locate on a map to see where it’s actually planted.

Other AVATAR digital initiatives include:

* “Pandorama” – Via a computer’s webcam users can immerse themselves into the world of Pandora, inserting themselves into different locations from the movie and interacting with the elements in each; users can snap postcards and share amongst friends only at www.pandorama.avatarmovie.com
* “Pandorapedia” – The official guide to the world of Pandora and James Cameron’s AVATAR, fans enter a world beyond imagination with hundreds of facts on Pandora that can be accessed online at www.pandorapedia.com
* “Immersive Trailer” – The first-ever interactive trailer allows fans to click on any part of the video to explore detail frame-by-frame and in-context “hot spots” that will offer meticulous information on characters, locations and more
* “Interactive Desktop Wallpaper” – Instant access to all things AVATAR including newsfeeds, videos, social network updates and exclusive content that is updated automatically right on your desktop

Blue Goes Green

Earth Day Network will spearhead the initiative and collaborate with its international partners to plant one million trees, indigenous to each region in 15 different countries, by the end of 2010. The organization is committed to caring for and nurturing the trees to maturity, as well as considering natural disasters such as fires and landslides during the planting process.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to share the environmental messages from AVATAR through the efforts during the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and with Earth Day Network,” said James Cameron. “Earth Day Network’s commitment and actions to promote a healthy, sustainable planet go hand-in-hand with the themes of AVATAR.”

“AVATAR sends a universal message about the danger of exploiting our natural resources and brings to the forefront of the global consciousness the need to protect our planet and humanity, said Kathleen Rogers, President, Earth Day Network. “We hope this commitment from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment to plant one million trees, will inspire others to stand up against climate change for Earth Day.”

AVATAR Impact

Since its global theatrical release last December, AVATAR has continued to make motion picture history. Written by James Cameron and produced with his long-time collaborator Jon Landau, AVATAR stars Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang,

Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Wes Studi and Laz Alonso.

The Oscar® and Golden Globe® winning epic is the highest grossing film of all time, taking in over $2.6 billion in worldwide box office. Director James Cameron takes audiences to a spectacular world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. AVATAR delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the epic nature of the story.

The AVATAR Blu-ray Disc and DVD will be available around the world as follows:

FRANCE – April 21 BELGIUM – April 21
NETHERLANDS – April 21 SPAIN – April 21
CHINA – April 22 BRAZIL – April 22
RUSSIA – April 22 NORTH AMERICA – April 22
GERMANY – April 23 JAPAN – April 23
SWITZERLAND – April 23 MEXICO – April 23
UK – April 26 DENMARK – April 27
NORWAY – April 28 SWEDEN – April 28
NEW ZEALAND – April 28 AUSTRALIA – April 29
FINLAND – April 30 ITALY – May 6