History Main / DirectToVideo

* There have recently been a series of MarvelComics direct-to-video animated adaptation such as ''Ultimate [[Comicbook/TheAvengers Avengers]]'' and ''HulkVs.'', which in practice are more like [=OVAs=]: both better animated and less-censored than their television counterparts.

* The longer [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyG3 Newborn Cuties]] ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' cartoons.

** The same studio also created sequels for ''WesternAnimation/{{Balto}}'' and for ''AnAmericanTail'' (see below).

* You would think that a movie starring MichaelJackson put out in 1988 would have no trouble getting a theatrical release - and you would be right... except that ''{{Moonwalker}}'' wound up going straight to video in the US after Jackson's then-manager Frank [=DiLeo=] asked for an exorbitant share of the box office takings.

*** Until recently with the coming of ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'', a spinoff to the ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' franchise. However as Disney is handling the animation for this series. It's hard to tell if this counts toward Pixar.
**** No. DisneyToonStudios made "Planes", so it isn't Pixar.

** Ironiclly there were a few Disney sequels that did get theatrical rsun ''Return to Neverland'' and ''Jungle Book 2''. This was meant to continue with ''Lilo and Stitch 2'' and ''Lion King 1/2'' (hence why they have higher production values) but due to the disappointment of the previous two films, decided to continue the Direct-To-DVD tread.

* ''{{Recess}}: Taking the Fith Grade'' and ''Recess: All Growed Down'' were both DTV movies, consisting of unnaired episodes and linking material.

* The longer [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyG3 G3 and G3.5]] ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'' cartoons.

** ''Happiness Is a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown'' (2011)

** Ironiclly there were a few Disney sequels that did get theatrical rsun ''Return to Neverland'' and ''Jungle Book 2''. This was meant to continue with ''Lilo and Stitch 2'' and ''Lion King 1/2'' (hence why they have higher production valuesl) but due to the disappointment of the previous two films, decided to continue the Direct-To-DVD tread.

*** Until recently with the coming of ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}'', a spinoff to the ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' franchise.

Sometimes, things that were originally intended to be Direct to Video end up getting retrofitted to show on television or in theaters. Usually, only some minimal editing is done to make it fit for theaters, but there have been cases where the project was intervened midway and beefed up to make it quite a bit better. An example of the former is ''{{Doug}}'s First Movie'', which was put into theaters after the success of ''The {{Rugrats}} Movie''. A famous example of the latter is ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory 2'', on which {{Pixar}} expanded tremendously for its theatrical release, along with another Disney film, ''RecessSchoolsOut''. More recently, ''Honey 2'' - intended as a DirectToVideo movie (which is still the case in North America) got a European theatrical release first... and no, JessicaAlba [[CaptainObvious did not return]].

* The ''[[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girls Movie]]'', while released in the U.S theatrical (and sadly bombing due to lousy marketing from Creator/WarnerBros) was released in foreign markets straight to DVD. Subsequently many of Creator/CartoonNetwork MadeForTV movies were also released this way as well.
* There is a series of ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo'' movies that are Direct to Video. Some of which have [[ScoobyDooLegendOfThePhantosaur supri]][[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooCampScare sing]] [[WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland quality.]]

* The ''[[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girls Movie]]'', while released in the U.S theatrical (and sadly bombing due to lousy marketing from ''WarnerBros'') was released in foreign markets straight to DVD. Subsequently many of ''Creator/CartoonNetwork'' MadeForTV movies were also released this way as well.
* There is a series of ScoobyDoo movies that are Direct to Video. Some of which have [[ScoobyDooLegendOfThePhantosaur supri]][[ScoobyDooCampScare sing]] [[ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland quality.]]

In the United States, while there have been plenty of direct-to-video films and such since the advent of home video, they were usually things that were considered financially unsound to release in theaters, like instructional videos, specialized documentaries, films with controversial or niche subject matter (such as HeroicBloodshed, {{Wuxia}}, LeFilmArtistique, Euroshlock, and pornography). The practice of creating and releasing regular fiction specifically for video didn't really take off until 1994 with {{Disney}}'s ''[[Disney/{{Aladdin}} Return of Jafar]]'' and [[{{Universal}} Universal Studios]]' ''TheLandBeforeTime II'', neither of which was intended to hit theaters at any point in its production.[[note]]The financial failure of ''TheRescuersDownUnder'' was what caused Disney to decide to do this with their sequels. Repeated itself when in the mid 2000s they tried again with sequels for Peter Pan and The Jungle Book. Once again the failure of those films resumed their straight to DVD methods.[[/note]] Other studios started following suit, hardly limited to child-oriented animation. In particular, independent studios and filmmakers quickly picked up on this distribution model, due to its lower distribution costs and reduced censorship (video stores will often stock [[UnratedEdition unrated]] films that theaters won't touch).

** DC now has a whole series of direct-to-DVD animated films, from Warner Premier. The fact that they are DirectToVideo has absolutely no bearing on their [[SoGoodItsAwesome quality]].

** DC now has a whole series of direct-to-DVD animated films, from Warner Premier.

* ''Series/StargateSG1'' has two direct-to-video sequel movies : ''Stargate: TheArkOfTruth'' and ''StargateContinuum''.

* ''Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}'' has two direct-to-video sequel movies : ''Stargate: TheArkOfTruth'' and ''StargateContinuum''.

* ''Series/{{Stargate SG-1}}'' has had two very good direct-to-video sequel movies so far, ''Stargate: TheArkOfTruth'' and ''StargateContinuum'', plans for a third and a ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' film is probably in DevelopmentHell.

* The ''WesternAnimation/HellboyAnimated'' series comprises two films: ''Sword of Storms'' and ''Blood and Iron''. (Both films did air on CartoonNetwork shortly ''after'' they were released on DVD.) In spite of having much of the voice work provided by the same actors from the ''Film/{{Hellboy}}'' live-action films, ''Animated'' is a distinct continuity. If anything, it's closer to [[Comicbook/{{Hellboy}} the original comics]].

* As if being shelved by DreamWorks / Creator/{{Paramount}} for years before its 2012 theatrical release wasn't enough, Paramount cancelled the British release of ''A Thousand Words'' following its terrible American reception - and thus it went straight to DVD.

* The ''[[ThePowerpuffGirls Powerpuff Girls Movie]]'', while released in the U.S theatrical (and sadly bombing due to lousy marketing from ''WarnerBros'') was released in foreign markets straight to DVD. Subsequently many of ''CartoonNetwork'' MadeForTV movies were also released this way as well.

There is a distinct business model that drives the direct-to-video industry, particularly when it involves lower-quality films. One might think that churning out mediocre-to-bad movies on purpose would be a dumb idea, until one looks at the sales and rental figures. A cheap 70- to 90-minute film can be produced for as little as a few thousand dollars if you hire obscure actors, crew and writers (often non-{{union|s in Hollywood}}, and barely getting minimum wage), [[CaliforniaDoubling everything gets shot around the studio]], and nothing is required that can't be obtained from the studio's stock wardrobe and props. The studio then usually makes about $3-5 million off this, most of it from sales to rental chains. It floods the market with tripe into which nobody put any true effort, but it still makes money in the long run. It's the modern equivalent of the BMovie; in fact, many of these would be B movies if double features were still a regular thing. Some direct-to-video flicks will try to make lemonade of their lemons by claiming that their movie is "too intense", "too scary", "too well-written" or "too lavishly budgeted" for theaters, usually the viewers don't fall for it.

* As if being shelved by DreamWorks / {{Paramount}} for years before its 2012 theatrical release wasn't enough, Paramount cancelled the British release of ''A Thousand Words'' following its terrible American reception - and thus it went straight to DVD.

Internationally, many films that had a theatrical release may be released DirectToVideo in other countries [[hottip:*: The ''PowerpuffGirls'' movie for example, after its flop in the U.S., was converted to direct to video for the European market (although it did get a British cinema release).]]. This may be due to several factors.

Sometimes, things that were originally intended to be Direct to Video end up getting retrofitted to show on television or in theaters. Usually, only some minimal editing is done to make it fit for theaters, but there have been cases where the project was intervened midway and beefed up to make it quite a bit better. An example of the former is ''{{Doug}}'s First Movie'', which was put into theaters after the success of ''The {{Rugrats}} Movie''. A famous example of the latter is ''ToyStory 2'', on which {{Pixar}} expanded tremendously for its theatrical release, along with another Disney film, ''RecessSchoolsOut''. More recently, ''Honey 2'' - intended as a DirectToVideo movie (which is still the case in North America) got a European theatrical release first... and no, JessicaAlba [[CaptainObvious did not return]].

* ''[[FamilyGuy Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story]]'' and the four ''{{Futurama}}'' direct-to-DVD movies were made with intent of ultimately cutting the episodes up for airing on TV as three-parters and four-parters respectively. Though in the case of ''Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story'', the movie is considered the definitive cut and as such, the TV edit "episodes" are omitted from DVD releases. The DVD also has about 20 minutes of bonus footage (involving the "premiere" of the movie in theaters and a [[NoFourthWall fourth-wall breaking]] after party where the characters discuss the real-life cancellation of the series) that was not shown on TV. The four ''{{Futurama}}'' movies sold so well and got such a positive reaction from fans that they continued the series.

* A few ''PhineasAndFerb'' episodes were released on DVD before airing on TV.

** ''RecessSchoolsOut'' was planned as this, but Disney wanted a theatrical release due to the show's popularity. With an expansion of the plot and an AnimationBump, it turned out to be a success. In a few foreign areas, it ''was'' released as this, though.

* '' The Animatrix'' is probably the second best thing that ever happened to TheMatrix franchise (with the sequels rarely on fans' favorite list, the video game adaptations fall victim to the [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames typical syndrome]] and the graphic novels largely forgetable). Most of its success can be credited to bold exploration into the Matrix mythos, a return to the cyberpunk theme (that was never revisited by the sequels) and the excel in both hand-drawn and CGI animation.

* The ''WesternAnimation/HellboyAnimated'' series comprises two films: ''Sword of Storms'' and ''Blood and Iron''. (Both films did air on CartoonNetwork shortly ''after'' they were released on DVD.) In spite of having much of the voice work provided by the same actors from the ''Film/{{Hellboy}}'' live-action films, ''Animated'' is a distinct continuity. If anything, it's closer to [[{{Comicbook/Hellboy}} the original comics]].

* As if being shelved by {{DreamWorks}}/{{Paramount}} for years before its 2012 theatrical release wasn't enough, Paramount cancelled the British release of ''A Thousand Words'' following its terrible American reception - and thus it went straight to DVD.

* ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'' has had two very good direct-to-video sequel movies so far, ''Stargate: TheArkOfTruth'' and ''StargateContinuum'', plans for a third and a ''StargateAtlantis'' film is probably in DevelopmentHell.