Big Picture Big Sound

As we first announced yesterday, Warner will be releasing a complete boxed set of all of the Superman feature films produced thus far. We now know that the official name for the eight-disc collection will be Superman: The Motion Picture Anthology 1978-2006. It will be available here in the U.S. on June 7, 2011, at a suggested retail price of $129.95.

Below you'll find a thorough listing of what is planned to appear on each platter, including the alternate versions of certain films and the final disc which will be entirely devoted to supplements. Many of these extras will no doubt be familiar to Super fans, as they represent content previously released on DVDs such as the "Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition" tin.

We here at Big Picture Big Sound are cautiously optimistic about the promise of new 1080p masters for all of these movies, as each could certainly use a big bump up in quality. It is also our understanding that four of the five--Superman, Superman II, Superman III and Superman Returns--will be available with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack for the first time, while Superman IV will be in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Superman will also include DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, possibly as a secondary track.

And so, part the curtains, fly over the Daily Planet building and on past the moon to behold these wonders:

Disc One: Superman: The Movie, Original Theatrical Version

• Audio Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
• "The Making of Superman: The Movie" (1978 TV special)
• Superman and the Mole-Men (1951 feature starring George Reeves)
  

  You will believe a box can open by itself!
• Warner Bros. Cartoons:
  • "Super-Rabbit" (1943)
  • "Snafuperman (1944)
  • "Stupor Duck" (1956)
• Trailers

Disc Two: Superman: The Movie, Expanded Edition

• Audio Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz
• "Taking Flight: The Development of Superman"
• "Making Superman: Filming the Legend"
• "The Magic Behind the Cape"
• Screen Tests:
  • Superman
  • Lois Lane with Optional Commentary
  • Ursa
• A Selection of Restored Scenes
• Music-Only Track
• Additional Music Cues:
  • Main Titles
  • Alternate Main Titles
  • "The Council's Decision"
  • "The Krypton Quake"
  • "More Mugger/Introducing Otis"
  • "Air Force One"
  • "Can You Read My Mind?" Pop Version

Disc Three: Superman II, Original Theatrical Version

• Audio Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
• "The Making of Superman II" (1980 TV special)
• Deleted Scene
• "First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series"
• Fleischer Superman Cartoons:
  • "Superman"
  • "The Mechanical Monsters"
  • "Billion Dollar Limited"
  • "The Arctic Giant"
  • "The Bulleteers"
  • "The Magnetic Telescope"
  • "Electric Earthquake
  • "Volcano"
  • "Terror on the Midway"
  • Theatrical Trailer

Disc Four: Superman II - The Richard Donner Cut

• Audio Commentary by Richard Donner and Tom Mankiewicz
• Introduction by Richard Donner
• Superman II: Restoring the Vision
• Deleted Scenes
• Famous Studios' Superman Cartoons:
  • "Japoteurs"
  • "Showdown
  • "Eleventh Hour
  • "Destruction, Inc
  • "The Mummy Strikes
  • "Jungle Drums"
  • "The Underground World"
  • "Secret Agent"

Disc Five: Superman III

• Audio Commentary by Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler
• "The Making of Superman III" (1983 TV Special)
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc Six: Superman IV: The Quest For Peace

• Audio Commentary by Mark Rosenthal
• "Superman 50th Anniversary Special" (1988 TV Special)
• Deleted Scenes
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc Seven: Superman Returns

• "Requiem for Krypton: Making Superman Returns":
  • Part One: "Secret Origins and First Issues: Crystallizing Superman"
  • Part Two: "The Crystal Method: Designing Superman
  • Part Three: "An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman - Superman on the Farm"
  • Part Four: "An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman - Superman in the City"
  • Part Five: "An Affinity for Beachfront Property: Shooting Superman - Superman in Peril
  • Part Six: "The Joy of Lex: Menacing Superman"
  • Part Seven: "He's Always Around: Wrapping Superman"
• "Resurrecting Jor-El"
• Deleted Scenes including the never-before-seen original opening to Superman Returns
• Bryan Singer's Video Production Journals
• Trailers

Disc Eight: Additional Bonus Material

• "Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman" in HD
• "You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman":
  • Part One: Origin
  • Part Two: Vision
  • Part Three: Ascent
  • Part Four: Crisis
  • Part Five: Redemption
• "The Science of Superman" in HD
• "The Mythology of Superman"
• "The Heart of a Hero: A Tribute to Christopher Reeve"
• 1958 TV Pilot, The Adventures of Superpup

Where to Buy:

• Pre-Order The Superman Anthology Blu-ray on Amazon.com

Related Story:

• "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's... a Superman Anthology Blu-ray, This Summer?"