The LA Times ran an article yesterday detailing the multiple releases of Avatar.  To coincide with Earth Day (April 22 - a Thursday), a bare-bones release will hit.  Apparently, the only thing on this release (both DVD and Blu-ray) will be the film itself...no trailers, menus, nothing.  All available space is being devoted to audio & video quality.  November will see the release of a special edition with all the usual trailers, featurettes, etc.  The 3D version won't be released until sometime in the future, not this year though.  Coverart for the Blu-ray version can be found in the article, which is here.

I for one will wait until the special edition before buying it.  I try to avoid double-dipping whenever possible, and since they're letting us know up front that there will be multiple releases, I won't be buying the bare-bones version...that's what Redbox is for. 

i submitted the blu-ray/dvd combo as a pre-order title to the database this morning

can't wait... it was so good i wont complain about the double / triple dipping...

i spent well over $100 seeing it in theaters anyway between me and the wife... and taking the mom once...

all imax or 3D of course.

And what's this I hear about a re-release in the theatres later this year? They didn't make enough money the first time?

I'll probably get the first release, and give the second a rent if it has anything extra worth viewing.

My current TV is only 2 years old, so it will probably be another 5 before I get a 3D TV...

Agree with Skip. The theatrical cut is often the preferred version.

It is not yet confirmed whether the next package will still be coming out this year. If it is, it might or might not be in 3D. If not, a third package can be expected. While Cameron is still targeting a release this year, the studio seems to want to wait for the 3D technolgy to be more widely available.

Quoting jmbox:

Quote:
And what's this I hear about a re-release in the theatres later this year? They didn't make enough money the first time?

Apparently that will be the extended cut... so after that's released to theatres which will be the theatrical release? 

BTW I'm amazed at the bare bones prices in the UK; a reglar DVD movie release with extras is usually £19.99 or, maybe with a double disk "Special" package about £22.99... Avatar bare bones has an RRP of £25.99! OTOH pre-order prices are about £9.99 online so maybe the RRP is artifically inflated over the 'cost price' to the re-sellers?

As per Eagle, I am very glad they're being up-front about 'better' editions further down the line so double-dipping is an informed option rather than a nasty surprise.