Following up a record-breaking run in theaters to kick of the summer, Joss Whedon's smash hit "The Avengers" reaches the home market this week with expectations of being the top selling DVD and Blu-ray of the entire year. Also hitting stores this week will be a special 50th anniversary James Bond collection and a couple of older titles reaching Blu-ray, including "Dave," "The American President" and "Arachnophobia." The complete first season of acclaimed TV series "American Horror Story" was also launched this week and seldom seen theatrical releases like "The Samaritan," "Damsels in Distress" and "Goodbye First Love" will reach DVD and Blu-ray this week as well.
With enormous expectations from fans heading into its early May release, it was hard to imagine that "The Avengers" would actually live up to the hype. But with plenty of critical support and virtually no competition for action audiences, "The Avengers" became nothing short of a phenomenon when it hit theaters, racking up a record-breaking $207 million in the U.S. over its first weekend. "The Avengers" didn't slow down much after its opening weekend either, as the Disney distribution packed theaters around the globe on its way to an eye-popping $1.51 billion in worldwide revenue.
In the process of its success, "The Avengers" also propelled writer/director Joss Whedon to the forefront of action filmmakers after years of being associated with cult TV series hits like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Firefly" and "Dollhouse." Though many fans worried about the difficulty of balancing so many superheroes and major action stars, "The Avengers" was praised for its wit and good sense of humor, helping separate it from many of the other action films that hit theaters over the summer.
With the incredible success of "The Avengers," a sequel has already been green-lit and is scheduled to hit theaters at the start of the 2015 summer season. Whedon is already signed to be back in the director's chair, with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner all expected to be back as well. As it hits DVD and Blu-ray this week, "The Avengers" will have a similar lack of competition for action audiences, which should lead to a very big run in the home market as well.
While some action fans scoop up "The Avengers," others might check out the 50th anniversary James Bond collector's edition this week. With the highly anticipated release "Skyfall" looming, this new set will bring all 22 releases to the high-definition of Blu-ray, starting with 1962 classic "Dr. No" and ending with 2008's "Quantum of Solace." Over five full decades of releases and six different actors taking on the role, James Bond remains the most resilient and reinvented action hero in movie history.
Also getting launched this week on DVD and Blu-ray will be the complete first season of FX's popular series "American Horror Story." Well received by both horror fans and critics, "American Horror Story" is an inventive take on traditional horror elements, taking audiences inside the story of a troubled couple that unknowingly moves to a haunted mansion. The second season is set to debut in mid-October, though it will involve an entirely new setting with new main characters.
This week will also see the DVD launching of a few minor film releases that didn't have much of an opportunity in theaters. Samuel L. Jackson's R-rated thriller "The Samaritan" was in theaters for just seven days back in May thanks to disastrous reviews and a minimal marketing effort, and it doesn't seem likely it will have much more of an impact in the home market either. Indie comedy "Damsels in Distress" also struggled to get a theatrical release, though positive reviews could help it reach its audience on DVD and Blu-ray this week. Franco-German romantic drama "Goodbye First Love" will also take a crack at adult audiences this week, though it could have a hard time connecting with American audiences after it was released at just five total theaters in the U.S.
While most of the new releases outside of "The Avengers" hit the home market in general obscurity, there are also a couple of older titles reaching Blu-ray for the first time. Popular romantic comedy "The American President," starring Michael Douglas and Annette Bening, gets its Blu-ray launch this week, giving fans of writer Aaron Sorkin a chance to see one of his early film credits. Director Ivan Reitman's critically acclaimed comedy "Dave" is another title hitting Blu-ray this week and horror-thriller "Arachnophobia" will also get its Blu-ray launch 22 years after first reaching theaters.
Next week, Tim Burton's latest film, "Dark Shadows," will be among the most prominent new titles hitting DVD and Blu-ray in a fairly slow week. Older titles reaching Blu-ray next week include Kar Wai Wong's celebrated film "In the Mood for Love" and Rob Reiner's "The Princess Bride," which has turned into a cult hit since its release in 1987.
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