CZ - Predator (1987) - Filmarena Collection #158 (Steelbook)

Dear Collectors,
we would love to provide you with a second May update with some additional information.
We have started dispatching FAC #167 TENET premium edition and are finishing up the FAC #168 UNFORGIVEN premium edition, which we will start shipping after TENET editions are shipped.
After the edition of UNFORGIVEN, we will dive into finishing the editions of FAST AND FURIOUS 9, A QUIET PLACE PART II, and more.
As for the PREDATOR, we are still waiting for the studio to confirm our last update. Unfortunately, the Disney studio is currently postponing all approval processes until the approval of the sequels to AVATAR and ANT-MAN is completed. An example is the comments on our THE LAST DUEL and CAPTAIN MARVEL editions. A few weeks ago they were approved for us and last week came, for us already not surprising request not to send the editions to the press and not to publish them due to unspecified reasons that we don't even really know. A photocopier situation that is now happening at PREDATOR. First that we are approved, then we have to wait, even if we don't know what for, and then the communication is ultra slow or nonexistent. It's also frustrating for you, our backers, but we want to stick it out with the vision of releasing PREDATOR. Our bold idea is by the end of this year. It is clear to us that we are approaching the edge of everyone's patience, but we still believe that it will turn out well.
We have another exclusive WEA title ready, but we want to present it after PREDATOR is released, not before.
In the meantime, we have been finishing the pieces that we prepared and ordered for you earlier.
We would like to publish information about the collector’s challenge AMERICAN SNIPER later this week.
Thank you for your support, which is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
JC for the FA team

Dear Collectors,
thank you for the very long wait for the title PREDATOR.

We will briefly recapitulate the history so far regarding this project. In October 2019, we were approved by the Fox studio to produce the exclusive SteelBook PREDATOR and all relevant numbered editions. After the production and delivery of this SteelBook, it remained in the stock of the distribution partner Bontonfilm, which, due to problems in the media market, decided to withdraw from the distribution of physical media, and this matter technically took place during 2020, when the SteelBook PREDATOR remained in its warehouses. After that, the acquisition of FOX was completed, the titles and rights of which were transferred to Disney, there was a technical change in the distributor in our market. In September 2021, the Disney studio verbally confirmed to us through the words of distribution that we could release the SteelBook PREDATOR. However, the new distributor requested re-approval of individual numbered editions. At the time, we thought that to undergo this procedure once more was primarily decency within the framework of good relations with the partner who helped us to regain the SteelBook PREDATOR from the outgoing distributor. In addition, once approved editions should not be a problem to approve and publish in an accelerated mode, except for cosmetic minor things. Unfortunately, we've been waiting for two years already, and logically it seems too much for everyone, especially if the studio and distribution still haven't given us objective reasons why we can't send the Fox studio-approved editions to customers.

That is why we decided to proceed according to the original scenario when all rights but also obligations, claims, and liabilities should be transferred to the new acquirer of rights. In the same way, the exclusive SteelBook PREDATOR should be released according to the original concept approved by the Fox studio, it is polite to replace or update some copyrights as far as possible.

But now to the point. The final approval of the studio to send the editions, for which we have been waiting for so long, is tied to the delivery of physical media, which we do not yet have. That's why we came up with the option to offer you individual PREDATOR editions without discs. The paradox is that both Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray discs are on sale all over the world, but we still can't get our hands on them. The whole project has already cost us a lot, both in terms of effort and financial resources, and we honestly don't know when the studio will approve the delivery of the discs. In addition to financial and reputational losses, the whole project cost us a lot, and we don't want to wait any longer. We need to get the editions to the customers in order to at least partially cover the total costs and finally finish this project. The delivered editions will contain everything we showed you in the beauty shots, the only thing missing will be the discs. Originally, we wanted to offer customers two options: 1) send without discs to those who do not want to wait any longer and 2) wait for discs for those who are not in a hurry, but we are not interested in extending this delay, which is beyond the normal limit, any longer, because on the one hand, we need to free up space in the warehouse and at the same time end speculation about what is going on behind the scenes. Any other solutions would only mean further delay. That is why we come up with this proposal. For those who do not want to accept editions without discs, we offer the option of canceling the order and refunding the money. Due to the high costs of this project, we are unfortunately unable to provide a discount for the delivery of editions without discs. We will offer canceled orders to interested parties on waiting lists. We are not sure whether there will be any editions left for free sale after the processing of the waiting lists, therefore we will announce any free sale in advance by bulk email or on the e-shop.

Our decision is not one you make every day, it took us long, but we can see it as the only option to deliver the coveted and long-promised exclusive SteelBook to customers. We won't completely satisfy you, however, in our opinion, we did the best we could do and in time. It is possible that this decision will bring us even more unplanned problems, but it is the only option to avoid delaying the solution for months or years.

Regarding PREDATOR editions, we will send you information by email during this week, about when and how it is possible to cancel your order. About a week or two before we have it completed, we will send another email with information that we are preparing an expedition. For the E1, E2, E3, and E5 editions, we estimate this already during October, E4 box will take a couple more weeks.

Unfortunately, we will have to postpone the release and distribution of the next upcoming editions by this time, because we will be using our assembly and shipping team to the maximum.

Thank you for understanding our proposed solution and for your help in writing the history of the exclusive SteelBook PREDATOR.

With warm regards,

Jan for the Filmarena team