Though shot in color, the film was released in Germany only in black-and-white. The main reason was the close relationship of Rialto Film, the Production Company of the German Edgar Wallace Series, and Constantin Film, this film's German distributor and co-producer. Rialto Film wanted to promote a production of their own as the "first Edgar Wallace Film in Color". This film was to be The Hunchback of Soho, released in Germany only a couple of months after "Circus of Fear". The original colour version of the film was released in Germany for the first time ever on DVD in 2006, though in edited form.