It’s time again to look ahead to what WWE has planned for the DVD/Blu Ray market in the coming year. Every year there are tons of rumors and some of them make to stores and some never see the light of day. 2013 actually allowed a lot of fans to cross heavily desired matches and wrestlers off their dvd want list.
2013 saw Goldberg get a match compilation, HHH get a new set with documentary including a rare out of character interviews with Undertaker, Best Of Madison Square Garden, a look back in time at a personal favorite of mine Mid-South wrestling, and probably one of the most anticipated wrestling releases since WWE started putting out DVDs, a complete set of all of WCW’s War Games matches. Add to that a Top 25 rivalries countdown, a Money in the Bank match anthology, a Mankind documentary, WCW Nitro Vol. 2, and unreleased Bret Hart matches, that makes 2013 pretty hard to top.
WWE sent out 3 surveys back in October to gauge fan interest in various DVD ideas, and we’re going to take a look at those possabilities in this 4 part series of articles. 4 full DVD sets, 1 single disc budget dvd, and 1 cartoon movie have been confirmed and that’s what we’re going to look at here today. Then we will follow up later in the week with the possabilites of what the future might hold. So let’s get started with a legendeary hall of famer, a show stopper even.
SHAWN MICHAELS: MR. WRESTLEMANIA
There have been multiple HBK dvds over the years, and his biggest Mania matches have been on those and many other releases. I think this set is geared more to the casual fan who might not buy a lot of DVDs, but jsut wants the ones of their favorite wrestlers. The bonus here is Shawn’s early single digit Mania matches, The Rockers matches and singles against Tatanka might not be as awesome as his matches against Undertaker, Bret Hart, John Cena or the legandary Wrestlemania X ladder match, but it’s an interesting snapshot of his career whataching him evolve year by year. I think it’s cool to have every Mania match from a hall of fame wrestler in one spot, and this match includes them all… well except that one match where he wrestled Triple H and that other guy.
I guess that where the controversey starts with this set. Originally announced as all of Shawn’s Wrestlemania matches, WWE soon issued a statement that the triple threat match featuring Chris Benoit’s Championship win will not be included. While I can understand them not wanting to glorify Benoit because of his possible actions I personally would of included the match. I would of cut things off right off the Benoit wins no need to air the celebaration, but without that match there is an obvious hole in this “complete” set. WWE has aired matches featuring Benoit on WWE classics on demand, but nothing where he is the focal point like this match would be. I understand their decision is probably “best for business” as some say, and it probably won’t cost them any sales from their target audiences, but there may be some minor nerd rage on the internet. Then again we expect that with any WWE release. The next announcement takes us away from WWE and back to…
BEST OF WCW PPV MATCHES Vol. 1
The WCW DVDs are some of the best selling releases WWE puts out, this set should continue that trend. Again we will probably see a lot of stuff we’ve seen before like Starrcade 97 Sting vs. Hogan, Eddie vs Rey from Halloween Havoc 97, and Hogan vs. Flair at Bash at the Beach 94, but hopefully we’ll se some stuff we haven’t seen in awhile and hopefully some stuff pre-NWO. WHile they have been out there before I’d like to see Cactus Jack vs. Sting from Beach Blast 92 and Flair vs. Vader from Starcade 93. While I agree WCW has had it’s train wreck moments there is plenty of gold that could be put on this set. After best of Nitro Vol. 1 and 2 selling so well this is already being announced as Vol. 1 of a possible on going series. Now speaking of trainwrecks that leads us to…
ULTIMATE WARRIOR
This is Warrior’s second release, he wasn’t involved in the first set and it was mainly used to bash him while he was filing multiple lawsuits against WWE. While originally announced as jsut matches, it was recently leaked that WWE was trying to get Warrior to tape some interview segemtns for some of the matches, and include new interviews with other wrestlers. Warrior and Vince appear to be back on good terms again and this set could make up for the other set which did not really show Warrior in a good light. The difficult part here is most of Warrior’s most well known matches were on the first release so again a lot of repeats but the orginal set was 2 dvds, so with this being a 3 disc set I’m sure we will get some fresh matches.
The bonus for Ultimate Warrior fans is this set is being released in the much coveted first Tuesday in April spot, otherwise known as the Hall of Fame spot. For the past few years who ever had a DVD released on the first Tuesday in April went into the Hall of Fame that year, see Mick Foley and Edge. So this is a good sign that Ultimate Warrior will be going into the Hall of Fame Wrestlemania 30 weekend. Next is possibly my favorite of the confirmed releases so far.
RAW: OFF AIR
When Monday Night Raw finishes on your TV screen WWE usually has something extra saved for the arena audience. Sometimes it’s just a bonus match, other times we get a comedy skit of Mae Young trying to do a spin-a-roonie. Some of these have leaked to the internet due to the modern camera phone age, but the gold here is that msot of this stuff has never been seen and if it has almost never on DVD. I’m looking forward to some never before seen matches, but also the fun of seeing wrestlers break character and have fun in the post Raw segmens. I’m sure we can expect to see the amazing Flair tribute in full, as well as a couple of the often talked about post show birthday celebrations for people like Vince McMahon and many others. I really can’t wait to see the match segment list for this. I also hope they dig deep in to the 20 years of Raw and not just the past few years. I’m sure there were some gems in the first five years of Raw as well.
Here is where we take a differen direction. Last year WWE released a series of 1 DVD releases at a budget price of $9.99 often released on sale for $5.99 each one show cased a half a dozen matches from one wrestler. This year WWE appears to be trying something similiar, but instead of one wrestler the releases will be themed. In one of the upcoming articles I will go through the list of ideas WWE is considering but so far only one has been confirmed.
MUSIC OF WWE
This is a behind scenes look at the wrestler’s themes including interviews with long time WWE music producer Jim Johnston. It is expected to include 25 entrance themes and interviews with the wrestlers on what effect the music has on them and their character. This could be a fun behind scenes DVD, and I find it interesting with this and Raw: Off Air and a couple of the rumored releases that they are releasing more and more out of character or broken kayfabe material. The last of the confirmed releases takes out of reality and into cartoons.
SCOOBY DOO: WRESTLEMANIA MYSTERY
In more marketing geared towards kids WWE has hooked up with Warner Brothers for some animated cross overs starting with Scooby Doo. This movie features the voices of John Cena, The Miz, Kane, AJ Lee, HHH and more. Shaggy wins tickets to wrestlemania, a ghost bear tries to ruin the show hijinks ensue. I’ll be picking this up for my son as I’m sure it will be fun. WWE plans to follow this up next year with a Flinstones/WWE crossover movie in 2015 also around Wrestlemania.
So thats the confirmed releases for 2014, what are you most looking forward too? Stay tuned for a look at the over 30 concepts WWE are considering for possible future releases.
