Oz the Great and Powerful Home Video Release

Get a little Wicked with the Blu-Ray 3D

Disney has announced the details for the home video releases of Oz the Great and Powerful. For physical media, you have four choices: Blu-Ray 3D, Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack and a DVD. All will also contain access to a Digital Copy version. The sets will all be available June 11.

Some have been upset that if you want to have all of the available formats, you'll need to purchase two sets: the Blu-Ray 3D and the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack. I personally am not too worried because I don't plan to purchase the 3D version, although I did enjoy seeing the film in 3D. However, given that most other films released in 3D get a combo pack containing three versions on disc, this move for Disney proves odd. Even odder: the Blu-Ray 3D has no special features and has the same suggested retail price as the Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack.

The whole cast graces the combo pack

The movie will likely look as good as it did in theaters, the resolution depending on what edition you're viewing.

The Blu-Ray will contain a number of bonus features, but no deleted scenes, which we were hoping for since Sam Raimi mentioned that there were quite a few that he had to cut that explained more about the characters.

There is a feature called The Magic of “Oz The Great and Powerful”,  which is billed as a Second Screen Experience. It appears that it requires a Smart Phone to use an app to access certain bonus features while the movie plays. It could be possible that these are also accessible through the menu.

Get very Wicked and just go HD

The features listed for this in the press release are:

• The Enchanting Characters and Creatures of Oz - From Munchkins and Tinkers to good witches, bad witches, and flying baboons, this piece follows each character and creature of the Land of Oz from inspiration to final outcome.
• The Sounds of Magical Oz - What adds fragility to the sounds of China Girl's footsteps; ferocity to the tornado; or weight to the flutter of Finley's flapping wings?
• Sleight of Hand: Zach Braff Puppet Theater - Actor, and voice of Finley, Zach Braff introduces viewers to the Finley mockup.
• Mariah Carey Music Video

 There are other bonus features as well. We get a blooper reel, an interview with Danny Elfman, featurettes about the making of China Girl, Mila Kunis' makeup in the latter half of the movie, and the designs of Kansas and the Land of Oz.

Get the basics on just DVD

A couple other fascinating sounding features don't deal with the making of the film. The first is a piece titled My Journey in Oz, produced and directed by James Franco, who has said that he was a big fan of the Oz books as a child, one of the reasons why he wanted the role of the Wizard. This will likely touch on that, but the preview video seen at the press release page on DVDizzy shows behind-the-scenes footage that it appears James had shot himself.

The other one sounds quite fascinating: Walt Disney and the Road to Oz. The press release reads "It is well known that Walt Disney had a fascination with the Land of Oz since he was a child. See how that fascination grew into inspiration as he began planning for his own adaptation of the stories in the classic Baum books." So, sounds like we'll get a bit of The Rainbow Road to Oz here. I wouldn't hope to see the entire teaser piece from the Disneyland Fourth Anniversary Show, though. It'd be nice if they'll give a nod to Return to Oz on here.

On the DVD edition, you'll get just the blooper reel and "Walt Disney and the Road to Oz."

You can preorder (or order) your copy from Amazon here:
DVD edition
Blu-Ray/DVD Combo pack
Blu-Ray edition
Blu-Ray 3D