The Death and Return of Superman Complete Film Collection Coming This Fall

5 years ago

Superman fans rejoice, as one of the hero's greatest storylines is coming home in a big way. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced The Death and Return of Superman: The Complete Film Collection. The studio is releasing a massive, 166-minute animated film, which serves as a massively extended version of the 75-minute Superman Doomsday. They've even released a trailer which previews the action. Have a look.

The limited-edition, numbered gift sets are set to arrive on October 1. Warner Bros. will release the tale on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray. Each set will come packed with 45 minutes worth of bonus features and a collectible steel figurine.

Here's a breakdown of the bonus features.

Long Live Superman (Featurette)- Superman is a symbol for hope across the world. Hear the story of how the Man of Tomorrow will always be the hero we need today. Long Live Superman!
The Death of Superman: The Brawl That Topped Them All (Featurette) - Experience the battle between Superman and Doomsday like never before as creators of the iconic comic and the new film explore the nuances of "The Greatest Fight" with the help of a martial arts expert.
Lex Luthor: The Greatest Nemesis (Featurette) - Evil Genius. Archenemy of Superman. Misunderstood hero? This documentary will look at one of the most renowned villains in literature and debate his ethics and motivations throughout his publication history and as the calculated anti-hero of Reign of the Supermen. We'll also explore how Lex Luthor is emblematic of technology without limit, often demonstrating what effect unbridled power, resources, and influence can have on humanity. We'll discuss the affinity for storytellers to associate Lex Luthor and with the field of science as they challenge our morals and integrity with real world issues such as cloning and what can happen if science fiction became science reality.
From the DC Vault: Legion of Superheroes, "Dark Victory: Part 1"
From the DC Vault: Legion of Superheroes, "Dark Victory: Part 2"
From the DC Vault: Superman: The Animated Series, "Heavy Metal"
From the DC Vault: Justice League Unlimited, "Panic in the Sky"

The Death and Return of Superman finds Superman in a fight to the finish when the Man of Steel becomes the only hero who can stand in the way of the monstrous creature Doomsday and his unstoppable rampage. Superman saves the planet, but not himself, leaving Earth's citizens - and his heroic contemporaries - dealing with a world without Superman. The aftermath of Superman's death, and the subsequent disappearance of his body, leads to a new mystery - is Superman still alive? The question is further complicated when four new super-powered individuals - Steel, Cyborg Superman, Superboy and the Eradicator - emerge to proclaim themselves as the ultimate hero. In the end, only one will be able to proclaim himself the world's true Superman.

"The collected work of The Death and Return of Superman with its two films and added footage, is truly an epic, authentic animated retelling of "˜The Death of Superman' saga, giving fans the complete tale just as they have craved since the inception of the DC Universe Movies," said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. "The Warner Bros. Animation filmmaking team and the all-star cast have gone far beyond expectations to bring this important Superman story to life."

This comes at a time when Superman's future on the big screen is very uncertain. It's entirely unclear if Henry Cavill will ever suit up as the Man of Steel again, and Warner Bros. seems to have no plans for a new solo movie centered on the beloved hero. So, something like this could help fill the void for DC fans.

Pre-orders for The Death and Return of Superman are available now over at WBShop.com . We've included box art for both versions below. The 4K version goes for $54.97 and the Blu-ray is available for $44.98.

So what do you think? Is this worth picking up? Would you prefer Warner Bros. just go ahead and finally make Man of Steel 2 instead? Sound off in the comments!