Could we finally see a proper Thundercats DVD set???

Cartoons ThunderCats (1985)
1

Don’t know how many people saw this as it was just announced within the last two days, but below is a link detailing a partnership between WB and Shout! Factory where Shout! will release a WB owned property called “Max Headroom” on DVD.

http://www.toonzone.net/news/articles/32854/shout-factory-to-distribute-max-headroom-on-dvd

Why is this important to Cats fans? Most of you probably own both of the awesome “Real American Hero” and “Matrix of Leadership” DVD sets that were released last year for G.I. Joe and Transformers respectively. It is possible that WB may look to Shout! to put out a DVD set to capitalize on the 25th Anniversary of the show this year!

There is NO evidence this is in the works yet, but it makes complete sense to me. I would think WB wouldn’t just partner with a company with Shout! Factory’s track record for one single series of DVD’s from its vast library.

If people would want to see a “Code of Thundera” DVD set (which anyone who has either of those two sets above, I couldn’t imagine they WOULDN’T), then get on the Shout! and WB message boards, get in contact with whoever you can with those two companies and see if we can get a Shout! Factory Thundercats DVD set released.

2

Who would buy two full sets of ThunderCats DVDs? Certainly not enough to warrant this move. This just won’t happen.

3

I only bought the Shout! Factory DVDs for G.I. Joe as I’m not that big of a fan but wanted to add to my 80’s DVD collection (I must admit after watching some, wished I had gotten more into these as a kid). But I have both the Shout! Factory and the Rhino Transformers DVD sets and the Shout set is far and away superior. The Matrix of Leadership edition is the best public edition of Transformers, IMO and I’ve read nothing but great reviews about it (if for no other reason than for some of the great DVD extras).

I’ve also read on some forums that people, while happy to have Thundercats on DVD, weren’t exactly blown away by Warner Bros. crack at it. There appeared to be no attempt at restoration of the source material, and the bonus material that I have watched (some fan commentation) is bare bones in comparison to either of those DVD set releases.

That’s all the reason for a proper set to be released. Shortly after posting this I sadly read on the Shout! Factory website that currently the deal is only for Max Headroom and no animations are being considered at this time. I think a 25th anniversary DVD set with as much video and audio restoration as possible along with similar bonus features offered in those two sets (the character booklet, toy commercials, etc) would be a proper DVD set for the series.

Not only that but if the fans can get behind this concept, it could lead to other Rankin/Bass productions that either have only had half a release or none at all (SilverHawks, The Comic Strip come to mind) to possibly finally be completed or see the light of day. Shout! Factory, unlike Warner Bros. has an excellent track record (not perfect by their bare bones attempt at C.O.P.S., but that was 4 years ago) of doing justice to similar shows of this era. I can’t think of a better year to update the Thundercats DVD set than this one and just like with Transformers, you put “25th Anniversary” on the label and fans will buy it.
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For anyone who really isn’t familiar with the numbers, let me break it down for you (from memory so to speak)

There were 5 DVDs of the Rhino Transformers set, each initially retailing for around $50 plus tax. If you add those up that is $250 total worth of sales. That was probably somewhat of a turnoff for Transformers fans. If you look at the 25th Anniversary single season sets currently being released, they are retailing for about $30 a piece. I believe, initially, the Matrix of Leadership box set when it first shipped July of last year was about $145 plus shipping from Shout! (before it hit retail). That’s about $100 difference in price. I don’t have any sales numbers for those sets (if someone can get them or a sale report from Shout! to post here that would be fantastic) so I can’t speak to that, however the price point difference I’m sure brought on some fans that missed the Rhino releases. Also, from some of the sights I’ve read that have reviewed the DVD set have said it is the definitive Transformers series DVD set to have for the original G1 show. If need be to apease Grizzlor, I’ll go digging around to try to find some testimonials to try to see if there’s evidence of a significant amount of people that owned the Rhino set like myself that also went out and got the Matrix of Leadership edition.

In any other year, I would agree with Grizzlor that it probably wouldn’t be worthwhile sales wise. But tagging the set with “25th Anniversary edition”, updating the bonus content with fresh stuff, attempting to digitally restore/remaster the series, and chopping it down to about $115-$125 for a complete box set I think would get some fans that didn’t shell out the $200+ for the 4 volumes of Warner Bros “lackluster” offering, to jump on and snag that set up.

:liono

If anyone out there owns either of the sets Shout! put out last year, I would think you’d have to want to see this happen.
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Just found this over at the Shout! Factory forum

http://www.shoutfactory.com/community/2121/thread.aspx

Brian I believe is either the head of Shout! or very high up on the chain. Somewhere about 10 or so posts down he says they hope to do a great release on Max Headroom so WB will allow them to release more shows.

Again, there’s 0 reference to Thundercats in this thread, but if WB has any marketing brains at all, they will try to capitalize on the silver anniversary of the show with a box set.

Also hopefully Silverhawks and the comic strip would find there way in, but for now here’s hoping for a truely great Thundercats DVD set!! I don’t expect there to be any more news on future liscenses until after August as that appears to be when the set will hit retail. I’ll continue to monitor it and post any updates, but that shouldn’t stop any fans who either

A) Are ardent fans of Thundercats who weren’t blown away by WB’s go at the Cats DVD release
OR
B) Have previous Shout! Factory releases that can attest to how well this company does box sets for similar shows

From going to forums like Shout’s and any Warner Bros ones and voicing for Thundercats to have a Shout! set released!

4

As to buying two complete sets, depends on the fan and what each set offers. I have bought two complete sets in the past. Voltron is one example. It was released in Australia ahead of a domestic release, so I bought those. When the domestic set finally came out, I bought those too. Granted it offered something different - the packaging and extras were different, and yeah, it’s nice to have something that you don’t need a regionless player to view.

That said, I’d consider buying a second set of tcats dvds IF it offered enough incentive to do so…good stuff beyond the standard 130 eps would do it for me.

5

Purrsia - Here’s a listing of the extras that came in the Real American Hero box set. Just sort of try to think of the equivalent (if there is one) for Thundercats and you tell me if those extras would be worth it? :slight_smile:

* Looking Back with writer Ron Friedman, Parts One, Two, and Three
* “Knowing Is Half the Battle” PSAs
* G.I. JOE’s original 1963 Toy Fair presentation
* Archival Hasbro toy commercials
* Printable “Jungle Trap” script
* Every Day Heroes: The History of G.I. JOE (includes brand-new interviews)
* Men & Women of Action: Creating the G.I. JOE Animated Series (with creative team members and voice talent)
* Voices of A Real American Hero (roundtable discussion with eight voice cast members, including those who played Duke, Spirit, Destro, Serpentor, and Scarlett)
* Greenshirts: The G.I. JOE Fandom
* Declassified: A Conversation With Larry Hama
* Fan Material – Live-action fan film Battle for the Serpent Stone

That doesn’t make mention of the two rub-on tattoes, the 1GB dog tag which contained something on it (can’t remember right off the top of my head) and a 60 page character book. I don’t recall there being any PSA’s, but perhaps they could replace that w/ a toy gallery to go along with the toy commercials, or maybe include something on the old Marvel or newer Wildstorm comics instead.

My main thing would be could they improve the video/audio quality? Some of those episodes from Season 1 had some shoddy video in some scenes, and overall the WB DVD’s didn’t look as crisp and bright as the Transformers set.
All in all I think Shout! Factory could accomplish all of these things and put out a truely worthy DVD set for the show and I’m hoping maybe some of the fans here agree with me and would try to voice that to Shout! and WB. Or heck even if you DON’T, you could still voice it. Just because they put it out doesn’t mean you HAVE to buy it. But more options always make more fans happy.

6

You know, when T-Cats first came out on DVD, I was just excited to get it. However, when I compared it to other DVD presentations like the excellent presentation of Masters of the Universe, I do wish that T-Cats had gotten a little bit more.

I’m not going to buy a second set. I have this one, and I don’t feel like spending more money just to get it again, but a better presentation would be a great way to reintroduce the series.

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PKELL - that is one of the main reasons I want Shout! to do the set. Their presentation of the above mentioned sets is superb. I am by no means an expert, but I would be very surprised if Shout! couldn’t remaster, restore, or just make general improvements to the video and audio quality of the WB sets. I won’t repost it, but you can get an idea that they could DEFINITELY improve the bonus material.

As for your final point, about repurchasing. You could always recoup some of the loss by reselling your old DVD’s. I don’t know how much those go for now but I think the whole set should be able to fetch you $50 easy (that is a very conservative estimate). That coupled with, what I would GUESTIMATE the pricepoint of the set to be (given Transformers has roughly about 30 less episodes, I’ll guestimate it to be $165) it would put you out a little over $100. For some people that wouldn’t be worth it. For me it would if the video/audio quality were improved upon, and the bonus material was on par with the Real American Hero set put out.

8

Grune - yeah, I’d invest in another set like that :slight_smile:

9

I have purchased the Region 2 European version of Thunercats which was released around 2 years after the Region 1 American DVDs. The first DVD set,season 1 Volume 1 came out in January 2007. I remember being very excited about the Thundercats first official DVD coming out and bought it right off the bat. Admittedly, the extras included aren’t the best and most extensive presentation to find. Still, i enjoyed a lot the “Feel the Magic,Hear the Roar:Thunercats fans speak out” interview featurette as well as the “Thundercats Ho!The Making of a Pop culture Phenomenon”. The overall picture is preety good though i don’t think it was enhanced with the best quality. About a new Thundercats production it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make a Blue-Ray set for the 130 episodes.