The Chronicles of Narnia Get More Impressive

I get a little frustrated with studios releasing multiple editions on DVD simultaneously. It’s a little annoying and can sometimes be confusing for the average viewer. I can understand the desire to release separate widescreen and full screen versions of a movie, if only to improve the quality of the film on the disc by not having two separate versions encoded on it. I can understand releasing separate bare bones and fully stocked “special edition” versions of DVDs, although I think that defeats the purpose of DVDs a little bit. However, if the price points are distinctly different and the bonus material is worthy, I can tolerate that. Going further than that seems to be getting a little crazy however, don’t you think?

As if two editions of The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe weren’t enough, Buena Vista home video is releasing two more editions for a limited time. If you haven’t already bought the movie on DVD (which is kind of hard to believe if you’re a real fan considering how good the first “Collector’s Edition” was) than here’s your chance to go the extra mile and really have a nice set, although it does shortchange those of us who already bought what we thought was the best edition previously.

The DVD release itself is a four disc extended edition set, featuring an extended version of the film that runs approximately ten minutes longer than the theatrical version. It contains all the bonus materials that the previous two disc edition had, most likely even including the same commentary tracks that just silence out during the new footage (although that’s just speculation). Add on top of that a third disc with a brand new feature length film about C.S. Lewis and a fourth disc with “the complete production experience” and you’ve got quite a set.

Still not enough Narnia for you? On top of the new four disc edition, you can also get a gift set that includes the new edition plus a set of bookends made by WETA Ltd – you know, the folks who made those awesome gift sets for the LotR movies? I can only imagine how cool these bookends will be. I want them already, and I haven’t even seen pictures of them yet.

I’d love to call this a blatant case of double dipping but the truth is the first set that came out was pretty good. This, however, is incredible. Expect to see a surplus of those two disc editions in the used section at your local GameStop as fans go out with the old to make room for the new.

The Extended Edition and Gift Set editions of The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe comes out December 12th, 2006.

(And yes, this news is a week or two old to you naysayers out there. Disney announced the DVD set during Comic-Con, but we didn’t have a DVD News section at the time, so we’re reporting about it now.)