Three new DVD releases featuring The Incredible Hulk will debut over the next two months hoping to gain momentum from the release of Ang Lee's blockbuster version of the Hulk saga, which bows on June 20. With licensing deals that dwarf Spider-Man's (see 'Hulk Licensing Bigger Than Spider-Man'), retailers shouldn't be bothered by a lack of potential tie-in merchandise. Although only one of these three DVD releases is from a company involved in the production of Ang Lee's film, retailers may still be able to profit from these DVDs based on the live action and animated Hulk television series.
First up, on May 6, is Anchor Bay's The Incredible Hulk Collection, a two-DVD set (189 minutes, SRP $29.98), which includes two made-for-TV movies from the 1980s, The Incredible Hulk Returns and The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. The Incredible Hulk Returns was made some six years after the end of the regular series and features a major guest appearance from fellow Marvel superhero Thor (Eric Allen Kramer) as well as classic turns by Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno as Dr. 'David' Banner (why they changed his name from 'Bruce' for the TV series remains a mystery) and the 'not-so-jolly' green giant. Bill Bixby himself directed The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, which was filmed in 1989, and includes a cameo appearance by Stan Lee, as well as a major role for another Marvel superhero, Daredevil.
Universal, the studio that is producing Ang Lee's Hulk film, has its own DVD tribute to the Hulk TV series set for a June 3 debut. The Incredible Hulk -- The Original TV Premiere includes the two-hour pilot episode from the classic live action Hulk TV series. With a suggested retail price of $19.98, this DVD package offers the best value, especially considering the fact that it includes a second classic 2-hour Hulk saga, Married, for which Mariette Hartley won the first dramatic Emmy ever earned by a TV science fiction series. While the Anchor Bay made-for-TV movies are cool, they were done in the 1980s long after the series ended, while the Universal offerings provide a better flavor of what was perhaps the finest American TV series based on a superhero comic book. Major fans of the Hulk TV series will want to have both the Anchor Bay and Universal releases, but Universal's is the one to recommend first. Fans who purchase the Universal disk will also receive a mail-in rebate, which they can send in along with a ticket stub from Ang Lee's movie to further reduce the cost of their purchase, plus audio commentaries, an introduction by Lou Ferrigno as well as a behind-the-scenes preview of the new Hulk film.
Collection
The third new Hulk release debuts on June 17. Buena Vista, which upset Marvel by releasing vintage Spider-Man TV cartoons just prior to the debut of last year's blockbuster film, is at it again with a collection of old school Hulk animation. Simply entitled The Incredible Hulk, this DVD contains 83 minutes of animated action along with a few extras including an exclusive interview with long time Hulk writer Peter David.
