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If Batman ever comes to DVD.... (1 Viewer)

ScottR

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How do you think they will break the sets down? The first season was mid-season but ran twice a week, therefore having the same number of episodes as a show that ran a full season. The second season also had two episodes a week, making it double the normal season. The third, and final season, ran once a week. So, do you think they will divide season two in half?

Season One Set
Season Two (Part One) Set
Season Two (Part Two) Set
Season Three
 

ElijahS

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That's the way it needs to be done, because excluding what will hopefully be a tremendous amount of bonus features, season 2 would have to be (at eight episodes per disc) 8 discs. Splitting up season 2 would make four sets of four discs.
 

Ronald Epstein

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Don't expect to see the Batman TV series
on DVD anytime soon (or perhaps) later.
 

Daniel-M

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This thing is rediculos. Why does Time Warner and Fox have to fight over who gets more money. At least if they release it yheu will get some money
 

Joseph Bolus

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Now that "Batman Begins" has come and gone, the next good window for a Batman TV series DVD release will most probably be the year of the theatrical release of the first sequel.

So ... What are we looking at here? June 2007? (At least by then we *may* have a unified High-Def optical disc format. Perhaps they could release the entire series in standard definition on two four layer Blu-ray discs??)
 

Ronald Epstein

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I'm afraid this is correct.

This is certainly nothing official from Fox.

I have learned to read between the lines on
these things.

The problem, as I see it, is not with Fox.
I know they want this series out for fans.

The problem seems to be Warner Brothers who
doesn't want this "campy" classic ruining the
franchise that they have in place.

Things can always change, so its difficult to
say that Batman will NEVER see the light of day,
but at this point, it doesn't look good.

...and this is a real shame. Batman
has always been amongst the most highly requested
TV shows for DVD. For Warner Brothers to block
Fox from releasing this series is just inane.
 

Steve...O

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Quote: "The problem seems to be Warner Brothers who
doesn't want this "campy" classic ruining the
franchise that they have in place."

About a year or so ago, someone (Carlos?) indicated something very similar. Thanks to Ron for providing additional confirmation.

It seems that someone inside WB is allowing their personal agenda and biases to override consumer demand. Not the first time that this has happened with a studio and one of their popular properties.

There is a glimmer of hope in that these decision makers occasionally change jobs. The best thing that could happen is that their successor is more open minded.

Batman is one of the few shows of my childhood that "hold up" for me so I would love to be able to own this in unedited format while Adam West, who's in his late 70s, is still alive to contribute.

Steve
 

Ronald Epstein

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What is sort of sad here is that both
Warner and Fox could make a nice profit off
of releasing the '60s series now to tie-in
with the theatrical release.

It's a shame that (if my thoughts are correct)
Warner Brothers sees the release of a "campy"
classic ruining the integrity of their "serious"
film.

That's nonsense!

The public isn't going to judge one against
the other if DVDs were released at the same time
any more than fans of the '60s show are now judging
the new theatrical release.

What came out in the '60s was an entirely different
approach to the current Batman Begins. Why
would one affect the other?

This is a really sad situation for Fox, who
I know would have loved to release the series
to DVD but can't on their own.
 

Paul_Scott

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didn't someone say in the chat that Warner has nothing to do with holding up the release- that the real sticking point is coming from DC specifically (a warner sub company)?

from what i have heard about the way DC was run in the past from people that used to work there, i can easily believe they are the ones with the feelings Ron is attributing to Warner suits.
i could be wrong. Ron knows a lot more about the inside stuff here than i do, and since Warner is not the kind of company to liscense out material in general, maybe that is an indication right there.

but i don't think it would take the sequel to see this series on the shelf. it has cachet independant of any new media tie-in. much more so than even something like Lost In Space.
they could release it at any point and it would sell.
an maybe, in their minds- if they do want to distance the porperties from each other a better time to release it would be between theatrical properties.
i think it did help to keep the Burton Scumacher material away until this new interpretation had a chance to get a foothold on its own.
 

Shane_M

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At least I can still watch it in syndication for the time being. At least I'm getting my campy 60's Batman daily dose.

Batman: Come Robin. To the DVD store.

Robin: Holy silver disc Batman! They're gone.

Batman: Incredible all the discs seem to be missing. The only one clever enough to steal all the Batman TV series DVDs is the devious Joker.
 

Carlos Garcia

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We should've seen the writing on the wall the moment Warner Brothers let it be known that they no longer would allow Adam West to wear the Batman suit and cowl at any fan convention. This happened around the time the Michael Keaton movie came out. Anyone remember when Clayton Moore was no longer allowed to wear "the" mask as the Lone Ranger, and had to do appearances wearing glasses instead? It seems studios don't want the past to interfere with the present when it comes to their products. Instead they should be embracing both. I for one refuse to go to any new Batman movie or buy any new Batman products until the TV show is finally released. Perhaps if other fans of the show would do the same, then the studios would get the message. However, if they continue to see $$$ rolling in with the new Batman franchise, and they continue to dread the old "campy" series, fearing the camp label will take down their precious "new" Batman movie and cartoon series, what reason will they have to ever release the old TV show?
 

Randy*S

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Don't forget Batfans that the 1966 Batman movie is coming for the PSP. :)

Releaseing the Batman tv series on DVD is the only way warners will ever get my money for any Batman products.

I for one will not buy any of the new Batman WB rubbish or pay to see any of the new movies.

Tim Burton/Danny Elfman ruined the franchise for me, and they always miscast the role.

I really miss the caped crusader Batman.
BTW, is anyone else sick of the black rubber nipple suit?
 

Mark Oates

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Count me in as one of the people who regards Adam West as the one true Batman. There is obviously something weird going on behind the scenes at Time-Warner (easier than pointing the finger at Warner Bros or DC Comics). I wonder if there isn't some kind of suit (like Avi Arad at Marvel) whose behind the 1966 show embargo in much the same way Arad clobbered the Corman version of Fantastic Four. It's odd the selfsame b*gger hasn't made a squeak about Sony's release of the 1949 serial, which doesn't stand up to scrutiny as well as the Fox tv show.

Or could this be some specific Fox-Warner needle going on?
 

ElijahS

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I'm surprised, though, that Warner Bros. has released the Wonder Woman series on DVD, because it seems to be somewhat (though not nearly as) campy as the Batman series and they've already announced plans to make a Wonder Woman movie for 2007.
 

Mark Oates

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There's the big difference. WW compares poorly for style and content with Batman (1966), but because it's Warner's own product, they're happy to release it. They simply don't want Fox to make any money out of the Dynamic Duo.
 

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