Spider-man 3.1 finally?!

[henzINNIT]

A set's listed running time is only including the movies, not bonus features. The runtime listing for the Spider-Man 3 bonus disc (given since it's a disc of its own) is still listing 486 minutes--which the Japanese press release explicitly said included the 137 runtime of Spider-Man 3.1.

This reads like a backpedaling to hide the inclusion of 3.1, since the numbers still suggest it's being included. If it really isn't coming, then expect the runtime numbers (660 minutes and 486 minutes for the movies and bonus disc respectively) to change also. But they haven't yet.

Fair play, cheers for that. Odd that the run time wasn't altered. Hiding is possible. I'd argue that it is equally likely that incompetence was behind it. The run time not being updated is consistent with mistakenly putting up incorrect information in the first place. I much prefer the first option, naturally.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

LOL. Yeah, relax. It's a 10,00 to 1 it's going to come out on June 13.

I don't need it in my hand to know the odds are astronomical against it. And yes, it probably exists and they pulled it for some reason -- most likely to save for the Venom movie release.

So we can get excited again maybe next year if that movie gets made and they use it to promote Venom.

Yeah, relax. It isn't worth acting all huffy and hurt over, especially acting like we have no right to continue to speculate the possibility.

Are the odds astronomical? Oh yeah. But that in itself isn't proof. If it really isn't coming, then as I said, the runtimes will get changed too. Until they are, the chance remains. This ordeal has proven it exists, at any rate.

My theory? They've hit a snag on the ability to include the cut--if I was right and 3.1 has been sitting finished for years, maybe it was going to be included but suddenly they aren't sure if it will make it after all. You never know--Sam Raimi or Avi Arad or somebody may have thrown a monkey wrench into the proceedings and until Sony knows for sure, they removed mention of it but haven't changed the runtimes because they expect to get it sorted out in-time for the release? This probably explains why the US/UK haven't gotten the press release yet--the situation is still in flux and they don't want to announce it stateside until they're sure of it way or the other.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

Fair play. Odd that the run time wasn't altered. Hiding is possible. I'd argue that it is equally likely that incompetence was behind it. The run time not being updated is consistent with mistakenly putting up incorrect information in the first place. I much prefer the first option, naturally.

For Amazon, that makes total sense that runtimes would get left unchanged, but when it was altered on the Japanese Sony site, why wouldn't you change the runtimes too while you were at it? Amazon is one thing, the official company is another. It takes an extra 2 seconds to fix the runtimes (while you're editing it anyway) and you'd want to do it in the interest of product accuracy.

But like I said, the mention/inclusion of a nonexistant/fictional/unplanned extra edition of a movie is less realistic than the fact that it was going to be included and now isn't. You don't add that info without being told to by your bosses.

 

[Krystal]

Yes, maybe we'll be getting a 157 minute cut.

And I love the speculation! After all, it's all we're going to have in the end. Not hurt at all. Just it's amusing some people here and elsewhere want to spend so much time figuring why we're probably not getting it. Also weird that Amazon Japan took down the 3.1/137 info two days before Sony.
Did Sony tell Amazon it was inaccurate and to change it and forget to first adjust their own listing. That's sad.

 

[PeterBenParker]

I don't see why they'd hide it, though. I mean, it's Sony so anything could be possible but what do they gain from it? If anything, promoting it could ensure more people buy it. Only people, imo, that are interested in these sets overall are the people who don't have 'em already or want them just for collection's sake.

 

[henzINNIT]

For Amazon, that makes total sense that runtimes would get left unchanged, but when it was altered on the Japanese Sony site, why wouldn't you change the runtimes too while you were at it? Amazon is one thing, the official company is another. It takes an extra 2 seconds to fix the runtimes (while you're editing it anyway) and you'd want to do it in the interest of product accuracy.

But like I said, the mention/inclusion of a nonexistant/fictional/unplanned extra edition of a movie is less realistic than the fact that it was going to be included and now isn't. You don't add that info without being told to by your bosses.

Again, I'm going to be haunted by this speculation. Spider-Man 3.1 was pretty much hypothetical until a couple of weeks ago. This rumour seems to confirm it was a real thing, real enough to be written up as a bonus feature.

I'm concerned you are right and Sony hit a snag somewhere, because I can't imagine this would be deemed worth fighting for.

 

[Krystal]

Many, many good reasons to hide it.
1.) Surprise
2.) straightening things out
3.) clearing up lawsuit
4.) want fanatics to spread rumors online that will eventually help sales.

Many more. Could be a dozen reasons they handled this release different than they do for every other release.

Unless it's just a cheap cash-grab and has zero going for except a book.

 

[henzINNIT]

I don't see why they'd hide it, though. I mean, it's Sony so anything could be possible but what do they gain from it? If anything, promoting it could ensure more people buy it. Only people, imo, that are interested in these sets overall are the people who don't have 'em already or want them just for collection's sake.

If Sony are yet to close the deal on Spider-Man 3.1 (legal stuff or whatever), then it would explain why they are keeping things quiet. There's not many explanations though. There is nothing to gain from a "surprise" release.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

I don't see why they'd hide it, though. I mean, it's Sony so anything could be possible but what do they gain from it? If anything, promoting it could ensure more people buy it. Only people, imo, that are interested in these sets overall are the people who don't have 'em already or want them just for collection's sake.

That's probably why they've been quiet on it--they might have had to drop it from the set at the last minute and it's been in a state of flux for weeks now. That makes more sense than the intentional hiding of a significant bonus feature. It could be over pay disputes for people who worked on it--be it Raimi or Arad or whoever--I could see Sony thinking that they could just include it years later without having to pay out the negotiated royalties.

Legally, they own the footage and could release it however they please, but if they tried to do so against the blessings of Arad or Raimi (or without the royalties due for an actual release), it could damage relationships or be grounds for legal action. If 3.1 was indeed made years ago in the run-up to Spider-Man 4, Raimi (et. al) would have already gotten his pay for working on it... but nothing else since it didn't come out. Royalties would factor in.

I think that's the only thing that makes sense in terms of why it was listed and now isn't. If we don't end up getting it, I'm sure that will be why it happened. Holding it for a solo release down the road makes little sense--the film is irrelevant now, and using it to promote the hypothetical Venom makes less sense since he ain't in it much and Spider-Man won't even be in the Venom movie.

 

[henzINNIT]

Many, many good reasons to hide it.
1.) Surprise
2.) straightening things out
3.) clearing up lawsuit
4.) want fanatics to spread rumors online that will eventually help sales.

Many more. Could be a dozen reasons they handled this release different than they do for every other release.

Unless it's just a cheap cash-grab and has zero going for except a book.

I was quite looking forward to that book come to think of it. Will be disappointing not getting it, but I can't pay for a triple dip. I not long ago got the steelbooks for the whole set.

 

[DocLathropBrown]

I was quite looking forward to that book come to think of it. Will be disappointing not getting it, but I can't pay for a triple dip. I not long ago got the steelbooks for the whole set.

Hell, I want the new sets anyway just because I love digibook packaging and we'll get those last bonus features that didn't carry over from DVD. Don't forget that other new archival features are still listed (off the top of my head, wasn't there mention of more deleted scenes on ASM2 and some other stuff?)

 

[Krystal]

I was quite looking forward to that book come to think of it. Will be disappointing not getting it, but I can't pay for a triple dip. I not long ago got the steelbooks for the whole set.

Yeah, I really wanted that book too and I'd still buy it if they were the 4K masters that are OOP as solo releases. But they probably aren't going to give us 4K masters either. They'll make us buy the UHD 4K discs.

 

[henzINNIT]

I like the book and the artwork is decent, but no 3.1, no deal for me. Sony need to earn my money. They give me what I want, I'll give them my money. Call it positive reinforcement, lol.

I think that's the only thing that makes sense in terms of why it was listed and now isn't. If we don't end up getting it, I'm sure that will be why it happened. Holding it for a solo release down the road makes little sense--the film is irrelevant now, and using it to promote the hypothetical Venom makes less sense since he ain't in it much and Spider-Man won't even be in the Venom movie.

There will no doubt be a ton of re-releases of the trilogy, Sony have squeezed so many out already. It could be thrown on any of those really. I agree that a Spider-Man 3.1 solo release makes no sense. It's irrelevant and unpopular. You'll make more money putting it in a boxset and probably sell more too as there's more fan support for 1&2 than 3 anyway.

 

[The Joker]

Sony's silence on this has been deafening. That's the main thing that makes this look unlikely. I don't see why they wouldn't promote it to boost sales.

 

[letmynuztgo]

Googling "Spider-Man 3" brings this up on the side

 

[henzINNIT]

WHAT. THE. HELL?

This just gets more and more bizarre.

 

[henzINNIT]

How about this for a theory?

The hold up on the press release is Sam Raimi's approval. "3.1 supervised by Raimi" fell apart and a newly branded Editor's Cut is popping up in its wake. The silence and retractions could reflect this last minute shift.

 

[PeterBenParker]

Can confirm that pops up as soon as Spider-Man 3 is typed.

 

[PeterBenParker]

If it's suddenly an editor's cut, what exactly did they edit in or out? Surely it won't be enough either way to change the film as a whole.

 

[Krystal]

That wouldn't help us getting it on disc this June 13.
Those discs and the packaging would have been printed and couldn't be fixed that quick.
Good theory though.

 

[henzINNIT]

If it's suddenly an editor's cut, what exactly did they edit in or out? Surely it won't be enough either way to change the film as a whole.

Heaven help me if it just has 2 minutes of the most divisive moments removed and nothing else.

 

[PeterBenParker]

Heaven help me if it just has 2 minutes of the most divisive moments removed and nothing else.

There's a lot that would need to be either reworked/moved, trimmed, cut and/or added to change the film for the better. I just don't see that happening under an 'editor's cut'. I wanna keep hope alive, regardless!

 

[harryoscop]

How about this for a theory?

The hold up on the press release is Sam Raimi's approval. "3.1 supervised by Raimi" fell apart and a newly branded Editor's Cut is popping up in its wake. The silence and retractions could reflect this last minute shift.

Yeah like wtf

 

[webhead731]

This is a mess but I am still keeping hope.

 

[Krystal]

This is a mess but I am still keeping hope.

Hope for what? It's coming in 26 days?

I'm more inclined to believe that the release is being postponed or cancelled than it's coming out in 26 days with an alternate cut.