'Watchmen' Gets DVD-Only Bonus Movie

We've detailed the great move by Warner Bros. Animation to release Batman: Gotham Knight ten days before The Dark Knight hits theaters this summer. The DVD is an anime anthology of adventures set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It's an exciting way to whet your appetite for the follow-up, if, by some chance, you're not already geeked about seeing it. But it appears that it could be part of a bigger plan for Warner. The New York Times reports that, in hopes of increasing its DVD sales, the studio will go full-scale with next year's anticipated graphic novel flick, Watchmen. Zack Snyder will direct a feature film released exclusively on DVD five days after Watchmen is released on March 6th. That animated film, Tales of the Black Freighter, is a bit of an inside story. Within the Watchmen storyline, there's a teenager always reading a comic book at the newsstand. That comic is Tales of the Black Freighter, and for the DVD, Gerard Butler will voice the captain of the ship of the dead. The Times also reports that the DVD will contain a bonus feature, a pseudo-documentary called Under the Hood, which will go deeper into character backstories. That's exactly what comic book movies need, especially those that deal with groups of crime fighters as opposed to one hero. So, I think we can all agree, this is tremendously cool. And give Warner props for understanding that the market is shifting. DVD sales were down last year after fifteen years of growth. They probably won't continue going up. And as the number one seller of DVDs, it really impacts Warner quite a bit. So in addition to making a great artistic decision, the studio has made, in my estimation, a terrific business decision, as well. “There is a fear that if the DVD category declines over time that any well-run retailer is going to re-evaluate its commitment,” said Ron Sanders, the president of Warner Home Video. “We are offering retailers a meaningful opportunity to be involved with the theatrical event, to have a product that will generate foot traffic and sales.” To that end, Zack Snyder envisions at least three versions of Watchmen DVDs: Tales of the Black Freighter, the theatrical film, and a kind of ultimate collection that contains everything. “The überfans of this property are going to go crazy for that,” quipped Snyder. Yes, they will. And between this move and Gotham Knight, Warner truly has my attention.