Rental version Blu-ray list

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Warner Brothers - rented at B&M Blockbuster location - extras missing and forced (more so than the Disney or Lionsgate trailers) SD trailers at the beginning.

Here are several for the list with links to BDInfo scans of the discs posted in the specs thread.

Aliens in the Attic

Only extras on rental version are some previews.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Only extras on rental version are some previews.

My Bloody Valentine (2009)

Rental version does not have 3-D encode, but otherwise seems to include all of the supplemental material.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Haven't rented this myself, but probably follows the pattern of other Fox titles (i.e. previews-only).

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Only extras on rental version are some previews.

The Hangover.

What's missing? Everything. Only "features" on the disc are "pause" and "language." No unrated version, commentary, setup menu, scene selection etc.

500 days of summer. No commentary, only extras are some trailers.

Terminator: Salvation. Director's cut not included

The rental copy at the local B&M Blockbuster store (NJ)) had the 3D encode.

I think this thread is going to be a great source of information, and am very glad to see it launched! I also think it would be helpful to know where the rental versions are being stocked, so going forward can people please post this as well? I specifically ask because:

1) So far, I have mostly seen reports of rental versions at Blockbuster B&M, but cannot confirm if the rental discs posted to date are also being stocked at Netflix - I'm guessing that is the case, but rather know for certain.

2) Redbox may purchase retail discs and stock these at their kiosks to get around studio imposed time window constraints. So, it would be helpful to know if retail or rental Blu-ray discs show up at Redbox. For what it's worth, I've noticed that my local redbox kiosks have not been stocking either type of disc for the most recent Warner Blu-Ray releases, though they have had Blu-ray titles such as District 9 for rental day and date with everybody else.

Thanks,

-db

Unfortunately, that is the case...even when Netflix lists a disc as UNRATED. Guess they didn't know that Fox and WB were gonna shaft the consumers. If you want to see the Director Cuts, you have to use OnDemand

Like "My Bloody Valentine" Netflix only offers the 2D version of "Journey To The Center Of The Earth".

I have the feeling it will be the same story when "The Final Destination" gets released next week.

I rented Notorious from Netflix a while back and that is definitely a rental version. If I remember correctly the only extras were previews as well.

I'm pretty sure Disney's Up was supposed to be stripped down, with the "closed captioning" even being removed which caused a media stir, however my rental from Blockbuster Online included everything. I'm testing a theory out that Blockbuster Online has retail version while local stores do not. I have Wolverine and Hangover both coming today actually and will report back. If BB Online has rental copies also I'll be taking my business to Redbox which should really market itself as the only place to get retail versions.

I love this thread and hope it is continually updated, even with past rumored rental releases.

EDIT: Got Wolverine tonight, some reason Hangover was shipped the same day but didn't arrive, anyway, it's the rental version, so looks like redbox might be the only place to get retail rentals, except I can't locate a redbox near me that rents blu-ray.

So far so good. I get the film with audio on all my rentals. I will pay for the extras if I want the extras. I pay for what's available when I rent. If I want a different version (DC, Unrated, etc.) then I will purchase it.

You can add Jennifer's Body to the list. No extras whatsoever. Rented from Blockbuster Online. The culprits seem to only be Warner Bros. and Fox. Even the rental covers for some of these titles in B&M Blockbuster stores are labeled with "Rental Exclusive" or "Rental Copy" for Fox and WB titles respectively.

Thanks for the contribution!


The version I rented (from Netflix) which says "Rental Exclusive" on the disc silkscreen also apparently lacks any features other than some preview trailers. Interestingly enough, however, all of the extras including the commentary appear to be on the disc itself, but they are not accessible from the menu - i.e. you could spin them up from a HTPC if you are so inclined by directly loading the files.

I think it's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" that has a rental version. "The Order of the Phoenix" was released two years ago, long before this phenomenon began.

Wish it truly was a "Rental Exclusive"...then one could go elsewhere to get the uncut version. Unfortunately, these two studios are shoving them down the throats of all providers.

The 2006 French film "Tell No One" has a rental disc through Netflix. I'm not sure if anything is missing, since it did include a featurette, deleted scenes, etc.

Hmmm.. what's your rental source? I rented this from Netflix and it contained both versions of the film. When the disc started it featured a bunch of promo crap and then gave me the option of selecting "Rated" or "Unrated".

I chose "Unrated" and then after the film I watched one of the extras (Gag reel).

Just rented Jennifer's Body from Family Video and it was the full version with all extras.

However, looking ahead a week, The Final Destination is a rental exclusive at the same store, while Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs looks like the retail copy.

I'm thinking stores either get the option to purchase a retail or rental copy, or maybe the studio screws up. If a rental version exists, it exists, but some stores get lucky. Rental versions should be listed if someone gets one because they're obviously out there.

I would imagine stores involved in a revenue sharing deal (most major rentailers) get the rental version, but smaller stores that still buy their movies outright from a distributor get the full version.

As someone else noted, it would be helpful to know the source of the rental. I primarily rent from Netflix and I'm wondering if their rental content differs from say Blockbuster online or BB instore.
I've got (500) Days of Summer on my NF queue but if I can't get all the extras (including commentary), I may just purchase it.

I recently spoke to a employee at Blockbuster about rental versions of BD releases. I too had noticed that some were and some were not. He relayed that if the title is mailed, online rental, it will be a rental version. If you rent the title at the store it is a full version since they sell previously viewed discs. I know it also depends on the studio but so far my experiences coincide with this theory.

bguzman

Not true here. The store rental editions are all the justifiably-despised "rental" versions. They are even marked as such.

So far District 9 and The Other Man have been the full versions. Like I said I think it has something to do with which studio the disc is from.

bguzman

I received the Directors cut from netflix a few weeks ago... so it is in their output

Right now, it's WB and Fox. However, WB will offer Director Cuts via OnDemand. Fox will only offer the theatrical.