DVD History

The History of the Back To The Future Trilogy on DVD

You thought waiting for the arrival of the Messiah was frustrating, imagine waiting for your favorite movie to be released on DVD!

Much to your dismay, thousands of DVDs are popping up all around you, from Terminator 2 to The Wizard of Oz to James and the Giant Peach. Yet, the one movie series that makes you all squishy inside continues to remain unavailable (after over 4 years of waiting).

Heck! During the week of June 5, 2001 alone over 100 DVD titles were released, yet BTTF was NO WHERE to be found. And I ask myself everyday, "Why are the Back To The Future Fans being punished while fans of The Chugalug Girls can scamper willy-nilly to their nearest DVD purveyor and achieve satisfaction?" It's wrong I tell you! W-R-O-N-G!

As you can tell, my angst has been festering for a while, so I thought I would use this forum to vent some of my frustration (and hopefully add a humorous spin) regarding the release (or lack thereof) of our favorite movie series.

I've also listed resources to the most up-to-date information regarding the pending release of the Back To The Future Trilogy.

A Brief History of Time... Travel

Ok, in a concise nutshell, here's a run down of the history of the Back To The Future Trilogy on DVD. I've added my own comments as we go along. The ultra-detailed version of the BTTF DVD Timeline can be found at www.bttf.com/dvd. Many thanks to Stephen Clark, President and Webmaster of The BTTF Fan Club for keeping us updated and providing us with all this great information.

Theatrical Releases

  • BTTF = July 3rd, 1985
  • BTTF 2 = November 22nd, 1989
  • BTTF 3 = May 25th, 1990

1997 - "Woo-HOO! BTTF on DVD!"

"Oh, if we only knew the long journey that lay ahead of us."

  • The first DVD players are sold.

  • Warner and Polygram are the first major studios to release titles on DVD.

  • July 10th- Universal Studios Home Video announces that BTTF will be one of its first 10 DVD releases.

  • October 6th- Universal Studios Home Video drops all previously announced Amblin titles from their release schedule, including BTTF. "D'oh!"

1998 - "One year later..."

"We've been in business for over 80 years! We'll give our customers what we want when we're ready!"

  • October 19th- Universal Studios Home Video announces that BTTF 1 & 2 will be released on DVD in the first half of 1999. BTTF will be a Collector's Edition. "Yay!"

  • December 15th- DTS Online lists the DTS version of BTTF to be released in May 1999.

1999 - "How about now? Can we buy the DVDs now?!"

"Hmmm...it's 1999 and BTTF still isn't on DVD!"

  • January 14th- DVD File posts that the BTTF-Special Edition (non-DTS) will be released on March 19th, 1999.

  • January 22nd- Correction, make that May 1999 again.

  • February 9th- Whoops, make that June 15th, 1999.

  • March 7th- Universal Studios Home Video moves BTTF's re-release on VHS off their May schedule and says the DVD "might" come out in Fall 1999.

  • April 6th- DVD File announces another delay due to possible incorporation of Eric Stoltz footage.

  • May 11th- DVD.com says that Universal Studios Home Video will release the BTTF- Trilogy as individual DVDs and not as a box set. No firm date set, but possibly Late Summer 1999.

  • June 2nd- Universal Studios Home Video pushes the release date to "sometime in 2000". "What the...?"

1999 continued - "Oh, let the pain stop!"

"Oh, you thought the pain was over. Oh, how mistaken you were. Shut up, sit down and wait, monkeyboy!"

  • June 10th- BTTF - Collector's Edition will be released November 16th, 1999. BTTF 2 & 3 will follow a few weeks later.

  • June 14th- BTTF release set to November 23rd, 1999, BTTF 2 & 3 will be released on December 14th, 1999.

  • August 30th- BTTF on DVD still on track for November 23rd, 1999. BTTF 2 & 3 on Widescreen VHS to be released on December 7th, 1999.

  • September 8th- DVD Review reports that the BTTF - Special Edition won't be released until early 2000. "Oh, come on!" September 23rd- Digital Bits reports that BTTF 1, 2 & 3 will be released in early 2000. "Nooo!"

  • October 14th- Universal Studios Home Video is adding more DVD-ROM material to BTTF DVDs. New release date June 2000. "Aaaauuuuggghhh!"

  • November 9th- BTTF release date is pushed to the 2nd half of 2000 at the earliest, due to "marketing problems". "Yeah...right."

2000 - "Oh come on! Stop teasing us!"

The mighty train of corporate bureaucracy meets the helpless car of consumer demand.

  • February 9th- Universal Studios Home Video announces that the BTTF Trilogy release date has been pushed to late 2000 or even January 2001.

  • March 9th- Rumor of a possible release date of July 4th, 2000 for BTTF and July 18th for BTTF 2 & 3.

  • March 23rd- BTTF release date now set to Christmas 2000

  • April 25th- Variety reports "imminent release in the months ahead". "Lies! All lies!"

  • April 27th- Digital Bits reports that the release has been delayed until early 2001 in order to adequately prepare more copies of the DVDs.

  • June 4th- VideoTropic.com reports that the BTTF Trilogy will be released in time for Christmas. Which Christmas that will be is still a mystery.

2000 continued - "Why God, Why?!"

"This letter you sent said that BTTF would be released on DVD this January!"

  • July 17th- Digital Bits and VideoTropic report the release in Region 2 (USA) in January 2001.

  • August 28th- Ultimate DVD Magazine reports that BTTF will be released on January 15th, 2001.

  • September 28th- Digital Bits reports that BTTF has been removed from the 2001 release schedule. "Oh that's SO typical!"

  • November 10th- IFilm.com reports that the BTTF Trilogy will be released Summer of 2001.

  • December 14th- IGN DVD reports the release is scheduled for Summer 2001.

2001 - "They'll stop making DVDs at THIS rate!"

"Wow! It's 2001 and BTTF still isn't on DVD!"

The BTTF DVD earns the distinction of being Amazon.com's most frequently requested and most often delayed DVD! January 2nd- Digital Bits reports the release date as mid-2001.

  • January 4th- IGN DVD reports release date as July 2001.

  • January 31st- Rumor of September 2001 release in the UK.

  • February 2- Universal Studios Home Video announces that the BTTF Trilogy is still on the release schedule and is very important to them. "Yeah... right."

  • February 7th- Britain's Total DVD reports that BTTF will be released before the end of 2001.

  • February 9th- DVD Home reports that July 10th, 2001 is the release date for Europe.

  • March 6th- Widescreen Review reports "Look for the BTTF Trilogy to be a Summer release". Which Summer that will be is still a mystery.

  • April 18th- DVD Breakdown reports that BTTF was dropped from Universal's release table for Summer 2001. "Gee...what a surprise!"

  • May 9th- DVDfile.com reports that Universal Studios Public Relations says that BTTF will not be released Summer 2001.

  • May 29th- BTTF on hold due to right issues. Not expected to be released until 2002 at the earliest. "Just shoot me! Shoot me now!"

  • June 13th- The first "LaserDisc to DVD" dubs of BTTF appear on bootleg DVDs and are being auctioned on the Internet. "Gee... like THAT wasn't going to happen. See! That's what happens when you sit on a release for 4 years."

  • July 2nd- DVDObsession.com reports that there is a rumor floating around about a X-mas 2001 release of the BTTF Trilogy. "Keep your fingers crossed!"

  • August 14th- Universal Studios Home Video president Craig Kornblau says that BTTF is on the studio's DVD release schedule. Click here for BTTF.COM's full report.

2002 - "Z-z-z-z-z..."

"Just when you were about ready to give up completely..."

  • January 2002- Apparently there is a trailer floating around ostensibly promoting that BTTF will be released on DVD in Summer 2002

  • February 2, 2002- eFilmCritic.Com reports that the BTTF Trilogy will be released on August 20th, 2002

  • February 12, 2002- Universal Studios actually releases a website promoting the upcomping release on DVD. Could the long wait be almost over? www.bttfmovie.com

  • February 16, 2002- At a BTTF Convention in Orlando, it is officially announced that the trilogy will see a 2002 release date in the US and Europe.

  • May 17th, 2002- Australian websites report that the trilogy will be released on August 21st, 2002 in Region 4.

  • May 18th, 2002- Rumors surface that the trilogy will be released in the US on December 17th, 2002.

  • June 7th, 2002- Italian websites report that the trilogy will be released on November 27th, 2002 in Region 4.

  • June 17th, 2002- It's official! The release date of December 17th, 2002 is confirmed for the United States and Canada (Region 1).

  • June 26th, 2002- I get e-mail from Amazon.Com that they are taking pre-orders for the BTTF Trilogy on DVD! Woo-HOO!

  • July 2002- Cover art for the DVD set and DVD specs are released, lots of goodies on the DVDs!

  • August 2002- On-screen menus for the DVD set appear for BTTF-1, BTTF-2 and BTTF-3.

  • December 7th, 2002- I update this page for the last time before I get the BTTF Trilogy on DVD! Wish me luck!

  • December 16th, 2002- Amazon.com ships my copy of the Back To The Future Trilogy on DVD!

December 17th, 2002 - "YAY!"

"Good things come to those who wait!"

  • December 18th- UPS delivers my copy of the Back To The Future Trilogy on DVD!

  • December 18th- I lock myself in my room for the next month and watch Back To The Future until my eyes fall out!

Thank you Universal Studios!!!

The DVD set is fantastic!

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