Although it flopped hard at the box office and was savaged by critics when it was released back in 1986, Howard the Duck has earned quite a respectable cult following over the years, so it’s hardly surprising to learn that the film will finally be released on Blu-ray in the UK next month.
The Blu-ray will be distributed by 101 Films on April 22, and will include a plethora of extras including a twenty-minute featurette called Howard: A New Cult Hero, commentaries, teasers, and a physical booklet (pictured adjacent to the packaging below). You can order your copy from Amazon or from 101 Films’ website.
It may have been a critical and financial failure, but Howard the Duck will always have the unique distinction of being the first ever widely released film based on a Marvel comic. And let’s face it, a film about an interdenominational duck embarking on a quest to save the universe was probably never going to be a hit, even though it had George Lucas’ name attached. Either way, it was directed by Willard Huyck, and starred Lea Thompson, Tim Robbins, and Jeffrey Jones, with Chip Zien voicing Howard, who was physically played by a total of six actors wearing duck costumes.
Possibly as a result of the cult status achieved by his big screen outing, Howard has remained a somewhat lucrative character for Marvel, having recently been given his own ongoing series as well as an eponymous 2002 miniseries published under their adults-only MAX imprint. He also made cameo appearances in both Guardians of the Galaxy films, and will headline his own adult-oriented cartoon series.
Although you probably haven’t heard good things about Howard the Duck, we urge you to give this misunderstood film a chance, because while it’s certainly no masterpiece, it still deserves a place in your Blu-Ray collection.
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