Thunderbirds special episodes to get first physical release for 60th anniversary

Special episodes of Gerry Anderson’s puppet sci-fi series Thunderbirds are to see their first-ever, physical release as part of the show’s 60th anniversary.

The three episodes, which were produced in 2015 for the show’s 50th anniversary and released a year later, will be included in a new Blu-ray set compiling all of the show’s episodes.

Jamie Anderson, managing director of Anderson Entertainment and the son of the show’s creator, said: “The 60th anniversary of Thunderbirds is a remarkable milestone and after years of anticipation, we are beyond excited to finally present this original format release to our dedicated global fans who cherish these shows as much as we do.

“As the fanbase for my father’s creations grows across generations, we are thrilled to be able to celebrate the ground-breaking legacy of his work with these special releases.”

Anderson Entertainment has also announced plans to release similar collections of Gerry Anderson’s other series including Space: 1999 and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

The new Thunderbirds release will see the episodes presented in high-definition in their original 4:3 format, with special features including interviews with the show’s creators and insight into how the show was made.

Initially released in the 1960s, the series, which uses electronic, marionette puppetry called Supermarionation, follows International Rescue, made up of the Tracy family, who are led by ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy.

Thunderbirds sees the family embark on missions to save lives using futuristic land, sea, air, and space vehicles, which are housed in different parts of their Tracy Island home, with space rocket Thunderbird 1 launching from under the swimming pool.

A live action film based on the series, called Thunderbirds, was later released in 2004, and features Vanessa Hudgens and Ben Kingsley, with the latter playing International Rescue’s arch enemy, The Hood.

The new set, which comes as part of an expansion of Anderson Entertainment’s licensing agreement with ITV Studios, will be available from the Gerry Anderson Store and physical media retailers this year.