Animated classic will hit shelves in November

Amidst the building momentum for Michael Bay's live-action adaptation of "Transformers," Sony is hoping to remind viewers that this is hardly the first cinematic appearance for the Autobots and Decepticons.

Sony BMG Music Entertainment announced plans on Tuesday (May 30) to release a 20th anniversary DVD edition of "Transformers: The Movie" in November. The special edition DVD release will be timed around a new line of action figures, but it will also put the animated film back in the collective consciousness a full eight months before Bay's film opens next July.

"The 'Transformers' franchise continues to thrive across multiple platforms, and we are excited to celebrate this pop culture phenomenon with a compelling new DVD tribute," says Jim Wilson, executive vice president, General Manager of Home Entertainment for SONY BMG. "By teaming with 'Transformers' fans, we have developed an exclusive product with premium content and special features that will be sure to attract fans of all ages."

Those special features will include never-before-seen footage, exclusive interviews, interactive games and collectible packaging. The film's soundtrack including Stan Bush's "The Touch" and Lion's "Transformers" theme will also be included.

"Transformers: The Movie," based on the popular toy and animation line of robots in disguise, was released in August of 1986. According to the BoxofficeMojo website, it ended its domestic run short of the $6 million mark, making it only the 89th highest grossing film of that year.

However, since that time, the film has acquired a healthy cult following thanks to its soundtrack and a roster of vocal talent including Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack and, in his final role, Orson Welles.