oh why not....THE ABYSS (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Even just more or less going back to the original theatrical ending would be much better me thinks. The extended hokey/preachiness of that extended version just makes it much worse IMHO...

_Man_

It has been years since I saw THE ABYSS and I hardly remember the extended ending.

However, if both versions are available on the 4k disc -- which seems to be what is rumored -- then it will make everyone happy as they can choose the version that best suits them. Any alterations to what has already been out there would result in an outcry.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

It has been years since I saw THE ABYSS and I hardly remember the extended ending.

However, if both versions are available on the 4k disc -- which seems to be what is rumored -- then it will make everyone happy as they can choose the version that best suits them. Any alterations to what has already been out there would result in an outcry.

I do like pretty much everything else about the extended/director's cut. It's basically just the latter half of that extended ending that completely ruins it for me, so if they just give me the option of replacing that part of the ending starting around where Ed Harris' character meets the aliens, I'd be alright enough w/ that -- the original theatrical ending isn't great either, but I'd rather have it that way than the hamhanded, overly preachy extended version.

_Man_

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I do like pretty much everything else about the extended/director's cut. It's basically just the latter half of that extended ending that completely ruins it for me, so if they just give me the option of replacing that part of the ending starting around where Ed Harris' character meets the aliens, I'd be alright enough w/ that -- the original theatrical ending isn't great either, but I'd rather have it that way than the hamhanded, overly preachy extended version.

_Man_

Man, please don't take this as me mocking you.

However, are you asking that the studio release a product that allows you to take out a portion of an ending that you personally dislike/disagree with?

 

[JoshZ]

Some possible movement on The Abyss. From Bill Hunt @ The Digital Bits:

"First things first: Our sources continue to report that Disney is likely to release both James Cameron’s original Avatar (2009) and his long-awaited remaster of The Abyss (1989) on physical 4K Ultra HD early next year. Both titles are expected to arrive on disc at the same time as the home video release of the sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, which debuts in theaters in just 9 days. We don’t have any details as to which version(s) of The Abyss this release may include, but when we’re able to confirm we’ll certainly post an update here."

Our exclusive 4K Ultra HD catalog update for early 2023 is here with news of Avatar, Abyss, Dragonslayer, Swamp Thing, African Queen, Maltese Falcon & much more!

All right, we’ve got a bunch of ground to cover today, and the subject for today’s My Two Cents post is what we’re hearing from our industry and retail sources about forthcoming 4K Ultra HD catalog titles expected in the new year. But first, we have a pair of new reviews for you this...

thedigitalbits.com

It's almost the end of the year. Time for the Bits' annual "The Abyss and True Lies are headed for Blu-ray soon!" announcement. 16 years running. Can't break the streak.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

It's almost the end of the year. Time for the Bits' annual "The Abyss and True Lies are headed for Blu-ray soon!" announcement. 16 years running. Can't break the streak.

I will again tell you that you are being very unfair to Bill Hunt.

This is the exact reason why studios no longer talk to people on forums like these about upcoming releases.

This is the reason why studio execs like George Feltenstein stopped talking about upcoming plans.

Release plans change all the time

THE ABYSS had been scheduled many times to be released over the past decade. I know that for a fact because I talked to the former Home Video executives at Fox.

This is one of those titles that was put on the release calendar and then just sat there because approval was needed from James Cameron.

And James Cameron can sit there and blame it on the studios, but I know that THE ABYSS was a title that Fox wanted to desperately get out and had its hands tied to do so until it got official approval from the Director.

I think Bill is very careful to risk his reputation when he shares rumors with his readers. Anyone running a reputable website would.

The fact that you are not getting something you think you were promised because of internal issues doesn't give you the right to mock Bill Hunt.

 

[JoshZ]

I will again tell you that you are being very unfair to Bill Hunt.

This is the exact reason why studios no longer talk to people on forums like these about upcoming releases.

This is the reason why studio execs like George Feltenstein stopped talking about upcoming plans.

Release plans change all the time

THE ABYSS had been scheduled many times to be released over the past decade. I know that for a fact because I talked to the former Home Video executives at Fox.

You've of course heard the phrase "Burn me once..." etc.

Hunt has been burned over and over and over and over and over again with these announcements about The Abyss. Every year like clockwork he posts the same rumor. Every year it fails to materialize. You would think that after a certain point he would learn stop posting rumors about that title until an official announcement is made.

Here's another famous phrase I'm sure you've heard: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Man, please don't take this as me mocking you.

However, are you asking that the studio release a product that allows you to take out a portion of an ending that you personally dislike/disagree with?

I'd like them to at least restore the latter half of the original theatrical ending (or heck, just restore the entire original ending if that actually makes it more doable) -- certainly, seems like enough folks who mattered at the studio felt that was better than the extended version.

But yeah, they're not at all likely to offer such an option...

_Man_

 

[JoshZ]

I'd like them to at least restore the latter half of the original theatrical ending (or heck, just restore the entire original ending if that actually makes it more doable) -- certainly, seems like enough folks who mattered at the studio felt that was better than the extended version.

But yeah, they're not at all likely to offer such an option...

_Man_

We do sort of have precedent for this with Close Encounters, where Spielberg removed the extended ending from the previous Special Edition cut and restored the original ending in the Collector's Edition.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I have to say, it’s slightly frustrating that I have posted the same rumor mill roundup, fact finding and speculation, and reasoning for said speculation, as Bill Hunt has posted on this subject, and whenever I do, it’s mostly ignored, and then when Bill Hunt says the exact same thing citing the exact same information, it’s treated here like some new revelation. It sometimes feels like people care more about posting a link in a thread than actually participating in a thread. Maybe we could be spared some of this merry-go-round if we better engaged each other in good faith rather than being in a rush to quote new Twitter posts of old information.

With that off my chest…

Of course The Abyss date has changed again and again. The one constant in every rumor, theory and leak is that Abyss on physical media was dependent on two factors: Cameron taking the time to approve a new master, and the home video release of Avatar 2. We know that Cameron approved the new master in early 2021 during a Covid-related pause in production. The holdup since then has been Avatar 2. There can’t be a simultaneous release of Avatar 2 and Abyss on disc if Avatar 2 isn’t done yet. Avatar 2 had a date on the calendar for about the past five years and moved each time. No one was lying about Abyss coming. No one was making up rumors. It just seems that some were willfully ignoring the part of the equation that Abyss was coming with Avatar 2.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

I have to say, it’s slightly frustrating that I have posted the same rumor mill roundup, fact finding and speculation, and reasoning for said speculation, as Bill Hunt has posted on this subject, and whenever I do, it’s mostly ignored, and then when Bill Hunt says the exact same thing citing the exact same information, it’s treated here like some new revelation. It sometimes feels like people care more about posting a link in a thread than actually participating in a thread. Maybe we could be spared some of this merry-go-round if we better engaged each other in good faith rather than being in a rush to quote new Twitter posts of old information.

With that off my chest…

Of course The Abyss date has changed again and again. The one constant in every rumor, theory and leak is that Abyss on physical media was dependent on two factors: Cameron taking the time to approve a new master, and the home video release of Avatar 2. We know that Cameron approved the new master in early 2021 during a Covid-related pause in production. The holdup since then has been Avatar 2. There can’t be a simultaneous release of Avatar 2 and Abyss on disc if Avatar 2 isn’t done yet. Avatar 2 had a date on the calendar for about the past five years and moved each time. No one was lying about Abyss coming. No one was making up rumors. It just seems that some were willfully ignoring the part of the equation that Abyss was coming with Avatar 2.

If I were to hazard a guess, I would say next spring at the earliest, though that is also dependent on the legs of Avatar 2 at the box office. If it performs anything like Top Gun: Maverick, we could be looking at late April/early May 2023.

 

[JoshZ]

Of course The Abyss date has changed again and again. The one constant in every rumor, theory and leak is that Abyss on physical media was dependent on two factors: Cameron taking the time to approve a new master, and the home video release of Avatar 2. We know that Cameron approved the new master in early 2021 during a Covid-related pause in production. The holdup since then has been Avatar 2. There can’t be a simultaneous release of Avatar 2 and Abyss on disc if Avatar 2 isn’t done yet. Avatar 2 had a date on the calendar for about the past five years and moved each time. No one was lying about Abyss coming. No one was making up rumors. It just seems that some were willfully ignoring the part of the equation that Abyss was coming with Avatar 2.

Rumors about The Abyss on Blu-ray have been repeated annually since the inception of the Blu-ray format. A need to tie-in with Avatar 2 is just the latest excuse. In 2009, the big hold-up was its absolute need to coincide with Avatar 1 on video. After that, it was "Cameron is too busy on production of Avatar 2 and can't look at his old movies." Now it's that they need it to tie in with Avatar 2 on video, as if the two movies had anything to do with one another.

In 2025, we'll be waiting for it to coincide with the Avatar 3 video release. So it goes.

 

[Lord Dalek]

James Cameron: "The Abyss is totally coming to Blu-ray as soon as Van returns my phone calls.......still waiting..."

 

[Keith Cobby]

It looks like some movement on The Abyss (which I won't be buying), but what about True Lies (Arnie's best film).

 

[Josh Steinberg]

A new master for True Lies exists and has previously been available to Hulu subscribers domestically and I believe also on Disney+ internationally.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

So you're saying there's a chance?!?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I will again tell you that you are being very unfair to Bill Hunt.

This is the exact reason why studios no longer talk to people on forums like these about upcoming releases.

This is the reason why studio execs like George Feltenstein stopped talking about upcoming plans.

Release plans change all the time

THE ABYSS had been scheduled many times to be released over the past decade. I know that for a fact because I talked to the former Home Video executives at Fox.

This is one of those titles that was put on the release calendar and then just sat there because approval was needed from James Cameron.

And James Cameron can sit there and blame it on the studios, but I know that THE ABYSS was a title that Fox wanted to desperately get out and had its hands tied to do so until it got official approval from the Director.

I think Bill is very careful to risk his reputation when he shares rumors with his readers. Anyone running a reputable website would.

The fact that you are not getting something you think you were promised because of internal issues doesn't give you the right to mock Bill Hunt.

Cameron's attempts to blame Fox were always absurd.

"Hey guys - James Cameron wants us to put out 'Abyss' on Blu-ray."

"The James Cameron who's made us billions of dollars and who's making massively expensive movies for us that we hope will earn more billions? Eff him - who cares what he wants?"

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Cameron's attempts to blame Fox were always absurd.

"Hey guys - James Cameron wants us to put out 'Abyss' on Blu-ray."

"The James Cameron who's made us billions of dollars and who's making massively expensive movies for us that we hope will earn more billions? Eff him - who cares what he wants?"

Exactly. Which is why I always shook my head when Cameron put the blame on Fox for not releasing it.

I always heard firsthand that they had a transfer ready to go and it just needed to be approved.

Fox was well aware that this was a title the fans wanted. They had no reason to hold back the release other than not getting approval from the Director.

Cameron simply wanted the blame taken off his back.

 

[Kyle_D]

To be fair to Cameron, he didn't really "blame" Fox/Disney until after the new master was approved in early 2021. Before that point, he acknowledged on several occasions that he was holding up the release because he was too busy to approve the new master.

And then after he approved the master, he simply said it was up to Fox/Disney to decide when to release it, and anyone with an ounce of marketing sense knew it wouldn't happen until it could tie-in with Avatar 2. Frankly, given Disney's stance on catalog releases for the last few years, I'm still skeptical a physical media release will happen.

 

[JoshZ]

Frankly, given Disney's stance on catalog releases for the last few years, I'm still skeptical a physical media release will happen.

This is exactly why these rumors should not be taken seriously until/unless the studio issues a formal announcement. Disney has next to no interest in releasing catalog titles on physical media anymore.

And as much as some people are big fans of the film, The Abyss is not a hot title likely to sell huge volumes if it ever does get released. This excuse about needing to tie in with Avatar 2 is a bunch of nonsense. The two movies have nothing to do with one another aside from being directed by James Cameron. The alleged marketing tie-in between the titles doesn't exist.

"Did you like this new movie by James Cameron? Well, here's an old one he made a long time ago that flopped at the box office!"

Not exactly a compelling sales hook there.

I do actually like The Abyss, but let's be real here. It was never a major title for Fox, and certainly isn't for Disney.

If we're very lucky, this master that was supposedly completed in 2019 will eventually turn up on Hulu. That's about as much as we can realistically hope for.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Frankly, given Disney's stance on catalog releases for the last few years, I'm still skeptical a physical media release will happen.

This could change with Iger back in the CEO's chair.