UPDATED: Although Pixarian Austin Madison originally mentioned that the short may be released along with the Monsters University blu ray, it will now be released in theaters alongside The Good Dinosaur on May 30, 2014.
UPDATED 2x: With the release date of The Good Dinosaur being pushed back until November 25, 2015, it is unclear if Party Central will also be pushed back with that theatrical release or if it will be released earlier.
Although Monsters University is still hot on the heels of its June 21 theatrical release, for those of you that are already thinking about owning the movie on Blu-ray, you’re in luck – it is now available for pre-order (in two versions) on Amazon.com. Though the official date has yet to be revealed we can only imagine that Monsters University will come out in mid-November, similar to the release schedule of the Brave Blu Ray.
The most intriguing news, along with the availability to pre-order the film, is the possibility of a new Monsters University short. In Amazon’s description, they mention, “get ready to party with hours of exclusive bonus extras, including an inside look at the world of monsters and the animated theatrical short film ‘The Blue Umbrella’.” Partnering that description with a recent interview on the Animation Fascination podcast with Pixarians Austin Madison and Chris Chua, Madison reveals that he worked on a Monsters University short for the Blu Ray titled, “Party Central” (directed by Kelsey Mann).
You may remember hearing the name Kelsey Mann during our Monsters University Press Days, as I was drawn to the story process of the film…and that portion was taught by Mann.
With a title such as Party Central our heads are buzzing with thoughts and ideas – could this short be set in the Oozma Kappa house as it was Squishy who said the family room was named “party central”. Wherever the party may be, it’s clear that with all the incredible new characters from Monsters University that the short is sure to be a blast.
The two versions of the film that are available for preorder are a 3-Disc Collector’s Edition (Blu Ray, DVD, and Digital Copy) and a 4-Disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition (3D Blu Ray, Blu Ray, DVD, and Digital Copy). We’ll be sure to update everyone as we hear more about the upcoming release, extras, and Party Central – stay tuned.