King Kong out on DVD March 28

"Time for some chest-thumping
By Thomas K. Arnold, Special for USA TODAY
DVD fans can really go ape on March 28.

Naomi Watts and King Kong in Peter Jackson’s blockbuster remake, which arrives on March 28.
Weta Digital Ltd/Universal Studios

That's when Peter Jackson's big-budget remake of King Kong arrives on DVD, along with a zoo's worth of other simian and monster movies to capitalize on what Universal Studios Home Entertainment president Craig Kornblau hopes will be "Kong mania."

"It's long been a popular practice in the video industry, piggybacking on some high-profile new release," says analyst Tom Adams, president of Adams Media Research.

"It dates back to the 1980s, when Disney began releasing their animated classics, and a budget supplier called UAV put out a $4 or $5 clone with the same title but different animation."

The big enchilada March 28 will be two different editions of the new King Kong: a movie-only, single-disc version ($30) and a lavish two-disc special edition ($31). Typically, the major discount chains slash prices on new releases while pricing special editions more in line with the suggested retail price. The single disc probably will be available for about $15 its first week out, while the two-disc edition should be selling for around $25.

Kong's DVD case doesn't use the theatrical art but rather specially designed original art by Weta, the production company behind the film's visual effects. The special edition includes a personal introduction from director Jackson, along with nearly three hours of new post-production video diaries, a mock documentary on the fictional Skull Island and a tribute to the 1930s New York City immortalized in the original Kong.

Says Universal's Kornblau: "From the first frame, Peter Jackson and his team take us on an unforgettable adventure that not only thrills but also touches us on a deep emotional level."

Universal is mounting one of the most ambitious promotional campaigns in studio history, highlighted by a media blitz involving television, radio and print, Kornblau says.

Not to be outdone, Warner Home Video, also on March 28, will release a single-disc DVD of the original 1933 King Kong, using the same restored version that was the centerpiece of fall's collector's edition. This one is short on bonus features, but Warner's Jeff Baker says the film will be available in retail stores for less than $10. He's hoping that will be cheap enough for consumers drawn to stores by the new Kong to buy the old one, too.

Analyst Adams agrees. "Consumers love getting movies for 10 bucks or less," he says. "I suspect they will do very well with that."

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is preparing a 14-disc Planet of the Apes Ultimate DVD Collection ($180) that includes all five original Planet of the Apes movies, the 2001 remake, the animated TV series and even a collectible bust of a giant ape.

Fox's marketing campaign plays off King Kong with the taglines "It takes more than one ape to rule" and "Who's the king now?"

"With that big monkey movie hitting retail, everyone is thinking about apes," Fox's Steve Feldstein says. "It's the perfect opportunity for us to finally give Planet of the Apes fans what they've been clamoring for."

To further entice collectors, Fox is releasing only a few thousand sets, all of them numbered.

"When they're gone, they're gone forever," Feldstein said.

Adams calls this approach "an innovative wrinkle, trying to parlay the ape factor."

The mania isn't limited to giant apes. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is preparing a "monster edition" of Godzilla that includes three episodes from the TV series as well as bonus materials such as a never-before-seen production art gallery, a commentary from the special effects supervisor and an All-Time Best of Godzilla Fight Scenes featurette.

"With King Kong coming out, monsters are in the spotlight," Sony's Lexine Wong says. "And two of the biggest monster icons in movie history are King Kong and Godzilla, so how appropriate to service both fan bases on the same day."