Jan von Filmarena via Email:
Dear Collectors,
first of all, we wish you all the best in 2023 and at the same time, we would love to bring you news regarding the preparations for the premium editions of the Filmarena and Black Barons teams.
We are currently working with the hardbox manufacturer on reprinting the entire batch of Justice League hardboxes, as the first shipment did not meet our set quality standards. The new hardboxes should be ready in February and then we will ship all the pairs in the JL hardboxes. Separate editions have already been sent out. Furthermore, we will continue to complete the editions according to their order and we will continuously try to update the release dates of the individual ones.
Tonight we will start pre-orders for the next three FAC editions, after a longer time you will also get two premium editions of the Black Barons team:
BB #31 THE CONJURING: The Devil Made Me Do It (UHD + BD)
BB #32 A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (UHD + BD + Bonus BD)
FAC #172 CRY MACHO (UHD + BD)
FAC #173 THE LITTLE THINGS (BD)
FAC #174 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (UHD + BD)
As for new information on the PREDATOR title, in 4Q last year we have been asked for an update, where the studio requested minor modifications to logos and copyrights, now unfortunately we are waiting again. We have been confirmed to release all the editions, so we are not dealing with the fact that the editions cannot be issued, we are only dealing with the final adjustments. Unfortunately, the communication of the Disney studio has been very slow for several years, and it is impossible to expect it to speed up since physical media is no longer a priority for this studio in regions outside the US. So our plan is to finish the projects we have already announced and then wait for the studio's response as to whether it is interested in continuing the collaboration.
Another studio that limits activity toward premium editions is the Paramount studio. We learned from this studio before Christmas 2022 that they are unwilling to approve any additional premium element for THE UNTOUCHABLES title. These were several cards and booklet. Not even the distributor was informed about this current position. We only found out when we were submitting our edition for approval. Since this attitude will be taken by the studio for future editions, we have suspended or canceled all our joint projects. We're still keeping THE UNTOUCHABLES title open in case the studio changes its mind, but we're not counting on it. We are already trying to see things more realistically as they are.
Our cooperation continues with Warner Bros. and Universal studios, which so far have responded flexibly and there was a noticeable desire to do something together for collectors.
Studio SONY is unfortunately not represented in our territory. Many of you are encouraging us to take up this opportunity, but unfortunately, we currently do not have the capacity to guarantee this cooperation in any way.
And now we have some important news from our background. A couple of weeks ago, we promised you new merch, which we decided to delay for a while and give priority to a new project, which we will present to you soon, and we will give priority to existing regular customers/collectors to be part of its creation and future. With this new project, we will want to become more self-reliant and not be dependent on the will of other subjects who are not interested in bringing new elements and enriching the collector’s world. It will not only concern films and media, we want to have a somewhat wider and also global scope, which should also be a more attractive attraction for a wider group of customers and collectors, to whom we will offer our top products in attractive limitations. We will start gradually by introducing you to the first limited series, which will then be followed up and supplemented by others.
We are looking forward to new energy and, above all, a space where we will be able to exercise our creativity and desire to invent new premiums. At the same time, we are experienced and we know in which things we have great reserves and need correction. We mainly mean the long delays in delivery dates, which we will now be precise about because we will shorten and simplify the overall process while maintaining the same high quality as we have had so far. Delivery times will therefore now be calculated with much greater accuracy than was the case until now.
When we jump back to the film editions for a moment, it will also return to normal delivery times, but it will take longer, especially due to the large number of editions and their elements that were dealt with at the same time, it was never easy to coordinate reprints and corrections so that they fit in time. We tried to do it all the time, but the delays were getting longer due to other external factors as well.
In collector's film editions, we want to continue with selected titles after the completion of the current projects. As long as there is a taste and will of the studios. 🙂
Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to your orders.
Pre-orders for still collector’s numbers starting tonight at 8:00 pm CET.
Pre-orders for all customers will start on Thursday 26, at 8:00 pm CET.
With warm regards,
JC for teams FA and BB
