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Actually, since DVD is a medium which is gradually being phased out, Universal may well end up releasing that three-pack of their movies on Blu Ray. Whether or not all three will be? Maybe that is a question to be asked by contacting Universal's merchandising department itself...

I think it's unlikely given Universal's lack of care for the Balto franchise, but perhaps not entirely a lost cause. It'd all depend if they thought they could make money off of it or not.
I'd think the best hope would be a box set of all 3 Balto films, or perhaps a box set of the old popular films like they did with DVDs a while back (I believe the set consisted of Balto 1, An American Tail & The Land Before Time 1).

Though considering the petition a few years ago asking for a Special Edition Balto DVD with some better special features was met with a resounding "no" I wouldn't get your hopes up too high.
(They didn't even read that petition properly, and gave an answer saying there's no plans for a 4th Balto movie despite the fact the petition did NOT ask for a 4th movie.)

I also doubt there'd be a special edition version with a bunch of extras. I doubt that VERY highly. Maybe the documentary seen in the Region 2 version of the original release of the first movie...and the games. But more than that? Doubtful. VERY doubtful.

Again, we don't know what will happen when and IF the "Cruelest Miles" live-action movie, which seems to be currently in "development heck" , is ever released in theaters. That could spark a whole new round of interest in the serum run and Balto products (books, movies, cartoons, documentaries, collectibles, artifacts, tourism, etc.). And it won't be long before the 100th anniversary of the serum run arrives. Granted, that's still some years off...but...eh heh...

Pretty sure ANYTHING for the Balto franchise is sadly highly unlikely.
Not surprising given it's fanbase is rather small and given the competition it now has, it doesn't hold up as well as it used to and probably wouldn't draw enough profit even from a special re-release on BluRay.

I hope that Cruelest Miles adaption finally makes it some time soon. :c I really want to see that.

I'm afraid I 'll have to agree with White Wolf.

As much as I want to not think about it and not face the truth, I don't think Balto would be released on Blue ray. Even if they released it, I doubt that there would be much profits. And they probably won't put too much extras or special features in the dvd.

It's sad, but true.

These topics are always circular debates which posit the varying possibilities without a single solitary shred of concrete evidence to back them up either way. The plain fact is that none of us know whether or not Universal will bother with re-releasing any of the movies, or this combo pack (http://www.amazon.com/Spielberg-Animated-Favorites-Collection-American/dp/B000V5IP6U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357916904&sr=8-2&keywords=Balto%2FAn+American+Tail) on Blu-Ray.

Meanwhile, I have sent an official inquiry to Universal Studios, to the appropriate division, to see if I can get an answer on this. A little patience from all and MAYBE I'll have an answer in a short space...

Forgive my double-posting, but shockingly, Universal responded to my request a heck of a lot faster than I presumed they would. Albeit with a very vague and non-committal response, which neither says "absolutely not" nor "oh, sure we will!"

To wit:


Balto properties on Blu-Ray? (Inquiry #139198)

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Dear Mr. *****,

Thank you for contacting us.

No plans have been announced for the Blu-ray release of the "Balto" films. Many factors influence the timing and content of our releases. Unfortunately, no further information is available at this time.

For a listing of upcoming releases, please check our website periodically at: http://universalstudiosentertainment.com. You might also wish to subscribe to our online newsletter for product announcements at http://signup.universalstudios.com/form/39.

We appreciate your interest and hope that you will continue to enjoy Universal products.

Sincerely,

Consumer Relations
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT

No, I'm pretty sure they're saying that the "have no plans". Which is neither a "no" nor a "yes". It implies a "wait and see"...that they haven't made a decision on those particular properties. Nothing more or less than that.

So basically, Universal sent a neutral letter saying that they had no idea. They will or will not release it.

I don't know about you guys, but I think that Universal never thought about releasing Balto on Blu Ray until JC mentioned it.

Please correct me (nicely ,if possible,) if I'm wrong though.

Bottom line; the releasing of Balto on blu ray may be somewhat unlikely, since not too many people (especially kids) nowadays know about it.

Well, in response to both you and Kodi-Lennon, I don't think it's a question of whether or not they "knew until the question was posed". I think they determine which products will be released on Blu-Ray (or other newer formats) based upon that most universal of bottom lines: potential profitability. If they haven't seen that there is a potential profitability to re-releasing the Balto movies on Blu-Ray, then they won't release them that way. If they think that, sooner or later, there WILL be a potential profitability (especially during the anniversary dates of the original and real 1925 Nome serum run, or the possible upcoming release of the Cruelest Miles movie), then they yet may.


And as to your observations about Disney? What should we be thanking Disney for? Especially with regard to a Universal Studios product? And frankly, Disney is little better than Universal in terms of merchandising. Their infamous "vault", which they use to lock away popular animated and live-action movie products for certain periods, under the pretext of generating increased consumer desire to get hold of them (thus, in theory, driving up potential sales when they pull them back out of that stinking vault), is a key example. And that tactic of theirs hasn't always worked. Their re-releases of their products with 3-D and extra features is a noteworthy indication of that.


I have nothing to thank Disney for. WALT Disney, sure. The Disney Corporation? Not.