Tuesday 22 July 2014

The Many Releases of The LEGO Movie

The LEGO Movie is now available on DVD, Blu-ray and instant video around the world in a variety of editions. This article provides a round-up of what is out where, hopefully helping fans make sure they pick the right version for them and collectors make sure they don’t miss one. 


"Everything is Awesome" Edition
In the USA and Canada  there is a two disc edition of the DVD available, one disc for the movie and one for special features. The the regular Blu-ray features the theatrical movie poster as the cover, and comes with a DVD copy and the Ultraviolet version. 

The 3D version in the USA is the “Everything is Awesome” edition- it includes The Lego Movie in 3D, the regular Blu-ray with extras plus the DVD. There is an exclusive documentary called “Dream Job – Meet the LEGO Builders” among the special features, plus a 3D Emmet photo and the all-important exclusive Vitruvius before-he-is-blind mini-figure. This is the most comprehensive release, and thankfully it is region free (aside from the DVD), so no matter where you live it should play on your Blu-ray player. Oh, and in case that wasn’t enough the Warner Brothers online store also sold this version with an exclusive bag and stickers. 
French DVD Edition

In the UK there is the regular DVD edition, with the case coming in one of four classic LEGO brick colours. The Blu-ray edition lacks the DVD included elsewhere, and there is also the 3D edition showing Emmet and Wyldstyle blasting through a wall of bricks. For some reason, despite the UK usually being well served by LEGO releases, no edition is available that includes the exclusive Vitruvius mini-figure.


Italian Blu-ray Edition with Vitruvius
In Germany the releases match those available in the UK.

In France Le Grand Adventure LEGO was released along the same lines as the UK, although the Blu-ray editions include a DVD copy.

Italy, however, has got it good – nearly as good as the USA. Every edition available in the rest of Europe is out, plus a boxed Blu-ray with the exclusive Vitruvius mini-figure AND a boxed 3D Blu-ray with the mini-figure. These do not include the unique documentary, however.


Italian 3D Blu-ray Edition with Vitruvius
To summarise, if you need absolutely everything possible in your version of The LEGO Movie, buy the “Everything is Awesome” Edition. If you just need the film itself, by your local copy. If it’s all about the Vitruvius mini-figure, the Italian release is more cost effective from Europe than the USA version. And if you think LEGO and Warner Brothers should have just released a DVD, Blu-ray and “Everything is Awesome” edition everywhere… well, that would have just been too easy, wouldn’t it…


2 comments:

  1. I'm thinking of buying the Everything is Awesome edition from Amazon and shipping it to Australia. However, I'm worried that I might not be able to play the DVD (or Blu-Ray) in my region (which btw is region 4). Do you know if this is true?

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  2. Hi,

    As far as I understand Australia is Region B for Blu-ray, I am in Europe which is also Region B. Even though Australian DVDs are labelled Region 4 and Europe are labelled Region 2 they are all actually the same. Anyway, The LEGO Movie “Everything is Awesome” edition Blu-ray does play fine for me. So it must be Region free, and it should play fine for you. I haven’t checked the DVD, but I imagine it is Region 1 and will only play on a Region 1 or Region free DVD players (I have no idea why Blu-rays are so much more lax with this than DVDs).

    Hope that helps.

    Graham

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