Netflix home video release?

[Robowang]

I know Netflix releases some of it's original content on DVD/Blu-ray, but what are the chances of a release of the Netflix version of Evangelion?

Are there rights issues preventing it from happening?

Has the window of opportunity closed? Would they have needed to release it last year with the debut of the stream?

Was it just not as popular as they thought it would be when they licensed it?

Was there ACTUALLY a big enough dislike of the new translation that fans wouldn't support a release?

Thoughts or info I missed or "we already discussed this to death here's a link"?

[FreakyFilmFan4ever]

Netflix releases physical media of their own original productions they make themselves (like Daredevil, Stranger Things, etc.), but not on all of the licenses they have acquired. I don’t think they’ve ever released Little Witch Academia on DVD for example (and, unlike Eva, they seem to have exclusive US release rights for that), and I don’t think they even have it on DVD for their mailing rental service either.

While Netflix is the only game in town for NGE in the US, their contract with Khara isn’t exclusive. Funimation could easily acquire the DVD and Blu-ray licenses in the US for Eva if they put up the money for it, and it wouldn’t conflict with Khara’s current contracts with Netflix.

[MirrorUniverseAsuka]

While Netflix is the only game in town for NGE in the US, their contract with Khara isn’t exclusive. Funimation could easily acquire the DVD and Blu-ray licenses in the US for Eva if they put up the money for it, and it wouldn’t conflict with Khara’s current contracts with Netflix.

I would laugh so hard if they did and put the ADV dub on it.

[Robowang]

I would laugh so hard if they did and put the ADV dub on it.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[penguintruth]

I wouldn't laugh. I much prefer the new dub. I only ask that they restore "Fly Me to the Moon" in any physical release.

[Gendo'sPapa]

I know Netflix releases some of it's original content on DVD/Blu-ray, but what are the chances of a release of the Netflix version of Evangelion?

It's possible. Most likely it would have to be through another distributor since Netflix does not have one of their own. They're working with Criterion to get some of their Netflix Original Films physical media releases - Roma, Marriage Story, The Irishman and a few others are getting a disc release through Criterion and likely this will continue for all of their big upcoming releases like Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods or David Fincher's Mank - and if Netflix keeps producing/getting full ownership to strong anime titles it would be smart of them to team up with an anime disc distributor to start putting some of their titles out on disc too. I myself know if they were on sale I would pay top dollar for physical releases of Devilman Crybaby & Little Witch Academia.

But, since Netflix doesn't own Eva and they're just leasing it they want want to hold ont

Was it just not as popular as they thought it would be when they licensed it?

Hard to say. Netflix releases so much material that often the longevity of a series is measured in days. Aside from maybe the first week of release I don't know if NGE has ever broken their Top 20 of the things streamed on any given day BUT because Neon Genesis Evangelion is a known name in pop culture circles - whether someone is an anime fan or not if they regularly enjoy pop culture they've heard the title mentioned a few times before - means the show probably does steady business on the service now and will never fall into the abyss of their library.

Has the window of opportunity closed? Would they have needed to release it last year with the debut of the stream?

If they aren't involved on the production of a title Netflix pays a fee to the original studio to have the streaming exclusivity on a title for a period of time. Those contracts last either 1 year, 3 years or 5 years. Before the contract is up Netflix will have to renegotiate with the original studio if they want to keep having the title on their service. I'd wager since Netflix was aware a new Evangelion film was coming out Summer 2020 (at the time) and they put in the effort to redub the show they would have signed a 3 or 5 year contract. Also likely is they'd have put a window of a year or two on Khara reaching out to any US distributors for a physical disc release. So the window of release hasn't been missed. But we most likely are in a THERE CAN BE NO RELEASE window right now.

Was there ACTUALLY a big enough dislike of the new translation that fans wouldn't support a release?

I think most people liked the new dub. I'm not partial to dubs myself but the little bit I saw seemed good. I especially liked that the new actors for Shinji & Asuka sounded like children. There was a small minority of people who hated it but fans aren't often a huge consideration taken into account when something is being given a physical media release outside of "Is there an audience for this?" and if people are online arguing about which voice actor gave a better performance than that's a strong sign there is an audience for the disc release.


I feel a disc release will still happen. The sales of physical media are shrinking but the in-demand titles will all eventually get some kind of release cause there's still a profit to be made in the collectors market. Serious discussions may not be for another year or two until Netflix is nearing the end or finished their streaming contract AND after Khara has finished a theatrical run and disc release for Thrice Upon A Time. There'd have to be some negotiations made but I could see Funimation or GKids working out a deal to release all of Neon Genesis Evangelion on Blu-ray with optional tracks for the ADV and Netflix dubs.

Also, now that Anno/Khara has control over his entire series having taken it back from Gainax, I could see them develop a Complete Evangelion Boxset with NGE, Death, EOE and the four Rebuilds at some point and that could renew interest for a physical disc release.

[The Eva Monkey]

I know Netflix releases some of it's original content on DVD/Blu-ray

Netflix releases physical media of their own original productions they make themselves, but not on all of the licenses they have acquired.

It would be more accurate to think of "Netflix Original" as "Netflix Streaming Exclusive", because Netflix doesn't actually make anything, they really just fund productions in exchange for streaming rights. They're a specific type of distributor, which is why Netflix's former flagship original House of Cards was distributed on home video by Sony. If I'm not mistaken, most of their productions are produced and released on physical by other companies. I want to say there are some exceptions, I think Stranger Things is one they are more involved in, and did actually do the physical release, but it's probably an outlier.

I would be very surprised if Netflix purchased the physical distribution rights to NGE as well.

The better question is, now that anybody with a Netflix account can watch it, making it significantly cheaper to stream than to purchase second hand currently, or to purchase a possible future physical release, are we more or less likely to get that future physical release? It can go either way. I know from the gaming world, older games being released on digital platforms drive the prices of original, out of print copies up, because people experience and re-experience the work, and want to have a tangible relationship with it.

I think another physical release will happen eventually, but I think we're most likely to get a high-end collector's set, as opposed to a economical mass-market set.