Zodiac Special Edition DVD - What we can look forward to in 2008

A few days ago we were reflecting on the disappointment that the Zodiac DVD we're to get on 24 July is the very definition of 'no frills'. Worse even - the DVD contains a preview of the Special Edition version we all want but have to wait until 2008 to get. Thanks to a good friend who uncovered some information about why this might be and sent me off to see what I could find.


David Fincher has been blamed for the staggered release, but the producer of the DVD, David Prior (who also produced the DVD package for Fincher's Panic Room), has refused to let Fincher take the blame and insists it is his fault because he couldn't finish the extras in time for the July date, on which, apparently, the studio would not budge. Prior also informs us that, if you want the theatrical release, then this July edition is the only version of it you'll find. The Special Edition will contain a new, extended director's cut. Therefore, as with Donnie Darko, the films on both DVDs will not be the same.


Here, in David Prior's words, is what happened: "Before you all get too bent out of shape about the staggered release dates of the vanilla and the director's cut, you should be aware that it was only reluctantly agreed to by Fincher because I needed more time on the bonus material. The studio was locked into their release date (and bound and determined to release a single-disc, which nobody except them wanted), so Fincher allowed that to be released first. It had nothing to do with Fincher "double dipping his own movie before it even makes it to stores" and everything to do with buying more time for the special edition."


This is what David Prior said on one forum: "It's accurate to say that nobody outside the studio wanted two releases, but that was a foregone conclusion a while ago. It's true that Fincher did not want the two releases to be staggered -- nobody did, in fact. However the studio would not or could not change the release date, so Fincher agreed to stagger the releases to allow more time for the special edition material. Simple as that." In another post on the same site: "Nobody wants fans feeling like they're being taken advantage of, and I know that double-dipping creates that impression. That's why it was so important to me that consumers be told there was another version coming. In this case it really was a rock-and-a-hard place situation, and delaying the second release was done strictly for the benefit of the final product... But this is a very ambitious project, easily the most far-reaching I've ever worked on, and owing largely to studio snafus that I can't really elaborate on, I didn't have enough time to do it properly. Thus Fincher bought me the extra time by agreeing to a staggered release, which I'm very grateful for."


The DVD Lounge speculates that this Special Edition will be released in time for the Oscar season - one would think this means new year. The site also tells us what we might expect from this 2-disc edition: "Commentary by David Fincher, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey, Jr., screenwriter James Vanderbilt, producer Brad Fischer, and special guest James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential); An in-depth examination of the Zodiac's actual crimes. Including all-new interviews with the original investigators, survivors and informants; Extensive behind-the-scenes supplements covering nearly every aspect of the creation of David Fincher's landmark film."


Includes picture from the DVDTalk Forum.