It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...Superman: The Animated Series finally getting released on Blu-ray for the show's 25th anniversary!
A few years ago, Batman: The Animated Series got the high-definition home video release that it deserves. Now, the Man of Steel will be following in the Caped Crusader's footsteps with a brand new, fully remastered box set featuring every single episode of the superhero cartoon and several hours of bonus features, including an all-new documentary diving into the creation of the show from executive producers Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett. Get all the details on the Superman: The Animated Series Blu-ray release below.
Superman: The Animated Series Blu-ray Release
Just as Batman: The Animated Series is considered one of the definitive depictions of the Dark Knight, Superman: The Animated Series is one of the most acclaimed adaptations of the Big Blue Boy Scout. Debuting on September 6, 1996, the series lasted for 54 episodes, earning 11 Emmy nominations and a couple of Emmy wins. On October 12, 2021, you'll be able to bring the entire series home for $69.99.
All 54 episodes are being remastered from their original 35mm Interpositive film sources, allowing for extensive color correction, dirt and scratch clean up, and adding a grain reduction pass to create a pristine picture, all while making sure not to affect the original lines in the artwork of the animation.
Aside from the vibrant animation that brought Superman to life, the voice cast features an outstanding assembly of talent. Tim Daly (Madame Secretary, Private Practice) led the cast as Clark Kent and Superman alongside Dana Delany (Body of Proof, Desperate Housewives) as Lois Lane, David Kaufman (Danny Phantom) as Jimmy Olsen and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, SpongeBob SquarePants) as Lex Luthor. Other series regulars included Lauren Tom (Angela Chen), Victor Brandt (Professor Hamilton), Corey Burton (Brainiac), Joseph Bologna (Dan Turpin), George Dzundza (Perry White), Brad Garrett (Bibbo Bibbowski), Shelley Fabares (Martha Kent), Joanna Cassidy (Maggie Sawyer), Lisa Edelstein (Mercy Graves), Mike Farrell (Jonathan Kent) and Michael Ironside (Darkseid).
But this box set won't just have all the episodes of Superman: The Animated Series collected for your entertainment. There's also a fantastic array of special features.
Superman: The Animated Series Blu-ray Special Features
The Superman: The Animated Series Blu-ray box set will come with all these special features:
Featurettes
Superman: Timeless Icon (New Featurette) – An all-new bonus feature, produced specifically for the remastered Blu-ray release of Superman: The Animated Series, reveals the complicated journey of the show and those who created the new mythology for The Man of Steel, as told by producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, director Dan Riba, writer Bob Goodman, casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano, and Tim Daly & Clancy Brown, the heralded voices of Superman and Lex Luthor, respectively.
A Little Piece of Trivia (Featurette) – So you think you know your Superman trivia? Wait until you hear about the series' connection to Telly Savalas! A brain teaser to entertain every Superman: The Animated Series fan!
Superman: Learning to Fly (Featurette) – Get into the minds of the creative team behind Superman: The Animated Series as they detail the birth of this animated version of Superman and his incredible worlds. Featured speakers include producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami and directors Dan Riba and James Tucker.
Building the Mythology: Superman's Supporting Cast (Featurette) – The characters around Superman get the spotlight in this in-depth look at everyone from Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White to Maggie Sawyer, Lana Lang, and Ma & Pa Kent. Producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami and directors Dan Riba and James Tucker give viewers the inside scoop.
Menaces of Metropolis: Behind the Villains of Superman (Featurette) – Your hero is only as good as the villains around him, and Superman: The Animated Series has a rogues' gallery of top-grade baddies, including traditional opponents Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Bizarro, Metallo, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Toyman and Parasite, as well as new villains created for the series – like Live Wire and Luminus. Producers Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, directors James Tucker and Dan Riba and casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano give us a tour of the villains.
The Despot Darkseid: A Villain Worthy of Superman (Featurette) – Darkseid takes center stage in this examination of one of The Man of Steel's most vicious adversaries, plus other Fourth World characters that appear in Superman: The Animated Series. The featurette includes producers Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett, art director/producer Glen Murakami, writers Rich Fogel and Stan Berkowitz, director James Tucker and Charles Hatfield (Department of English, Cal State Northridge).
Audio Commentary
"Stolen Memories" – producers Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, director Curt Geda and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
"The Last Son of Krypton – Part 1" – producers Bruce Timm, Paul Dini and Alan Burnett, director Dan Riba and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
"The Main Man – Part 2" – producers Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, director Dan Riba and art director/producer Glen Murakami.
Video Commentary
"Mxyzpixilated" – producer Bruce Timm, producer/writer Paul Dini, director Dan Riba and moderator Jason Hillhouse.
