Displaying items by tag: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Heads up, Bits readers!

I just wanted to jump in here this afternoon to share a bit of news and a bunch of new disc reviews that we’ve prepared for today.

First, I’m sure that most of you have seen today’s first news update here by now: Lucasfilm and Disney just announced the 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release of Ron Howard’s Willow (1988).

Call it a hunch, but I have a strong suspicion that this release is meant to set up a second 4K Steelbook release coming in 2025, specifically of the more recent Disney+ streaming series Willow (2022). That show was cancelled and pulled from Disney+, allegedly for cost-cutting reasons, and a good way to try to recoup a little of that investment would be to sell it on 4K disc and possibly Blu-ray. So I think that’s a pretty good possibility next year.

Meanwhile, here at the site today, we’ve just posted our weekly update of the Release Dates & Artwork section (you’ll find that here) featuring all of the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover and Amazon.com pre-order links. (Thanks to our own Russell Hammond for his work on that.)

Speaking of which, John Ford’s The Searchers (1956) is finally up for pre-order on Amazon in 4K for the stunning price of just $29.99... [Read on here...]

We’ve got some more good catalog 4K news to report for you today, folks...

Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment are officially announcing the 4K Ultra HD Steelbook release of Ron Howard’s beloved fantasy adventure Willow (1988) this morning!

And here’s the official word, straight from the studio...

GEORGE LUCAS AND RON HOWARD’S TIMELESS TALE ARRIVES ON 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY DISC FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

Watch The Oscar-Nominated* Adventure Arriving on December 10th

BURBANK, CA (November 12, 2024) – Fans will enjoy the iconic fantasy epic, Willow, from legendary filmmakers, George Lucas and Ron Howard, when it arrives on December 10th in a breathtaking collectible 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook. The film will also be available to buy on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.

Nominated for two Oscars, the 1988 timeless classic follows a young farmer, Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis), who is chosen to undertake a perilous journey to protect a special baby from an evil queen.

*Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing and Best Effects, Visual Effects. [Read on here...]

All right, today is Election Day here in the States, which means that partisans on both sides (and everyone in between) are feeling grumpy, nervous, or just over the whole damn thing. Some folks this evening or tomorrow—or at some point in the next two months—will be happy-ish. But while none of this feels normal, it may actually be the new normal, and that too is unsettling for lots of people.

Given all of that, I wanted to share a post today here at The Digital Bits that might actually serve as a balm or a ray of sunshine for movie and 4K fans—or at least a bit of welcome news—no matter what the outcome of today’s voting might be. So stay tuned for that in a moment.

First though, we’ve got a trio of new disc reviews to share with you here today, including...

Stephen’s take on Robert Rossen’s All the King’s Men (1949) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s new Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 5 box set.

Dennis’ review of Robert Rossen’s Body and Soul (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Stuart’s thoughts on Alberto Cavalcanti’s Nicholas Nickleby (1947) on Blu-ray from Kino Classics.

More reviews are definitely on the way soon, including my own look at Arcane: League of Legends in 4K UHD from GKids and Shout! Studios. So be sure to watch for them. [Read on here...]

Here’s a big one, folks! We’ve got more great Disney 4K Ultra HD news to report for you today.

Remember how we’ve been saying that Disney (since their distribution deal with Sony) is going to be expanding their physical 4K UHD releases? Well, today we bring you breaking news of more Disney+ original series coming to 4K Ultra HD! And these are some major titles!

Here’s the studio’s official press release (be sure to read to the very end for some additional comments of our own)...

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K ULTRA HD!
THE MANDALORIAN SEASON 3, AHSOKA SEASON 1, HAWKEYE SEASON 1 AND LOKI SEASON 2

NEW COLLECTOR’S EDITIONS FROM LUCASFILM AND MARVEL STUDIOS, WITH STEELBOOK PACKAGING, EXCLUSIVE ART, NEW BONUS FEATURES, AND COLLECTOR CARDS ARRIVE ON DECEMBER 3

BURBANK, CA. (October 24, 2024) – The Walt Disney Company has revealed that four all-new collector’s editions of popular Disney+ Original series from Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios will be available on 4K UHD on December 3. The special must-have releases feature sleek SteelBook packaging, exclusive concept art cards and never-before-seen bonus content, making them an absolute must-have for fans to add to their collection.

The titles, all to be released on December 3, 2024, are:

• Star Wars: The Mandalorian – The Complete Third Season
• Star Wars: Ahsoka – The Complete First Season
• Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye – The Complete First Season
• Marvel Studios’ Loki – The Complete Second Season

All four titles will be available to pre-order from October 31, 2024.

Like the previous Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios Collector’s Editions released earlier this year (Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Andor Season 1, Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Season 1 and Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight Season 1), each of these new releases will be available nationally on 4K UHD SteelBook with brand-new box art designed by popular artist Attila Szarka and collectible concept art card. [Read on here...]

Morning folks! We’ve got some great release news for you today! And unfortunately, my neighborhood here in SoCal is experiencing some kind of major power disruption (I’m looking at like 20 utility tricks outside my office window right now) or I’d have had this up for you all last night.

First, some new disc reviews, as always…

Stuart has taken an in-depth look at Imprint’s excellent new Blu-ray box set of the classic British sci-fi TV series The Prisoner: The Complete Series (1967-1968). In short: It’s excellent. Do give it a look.

Also, our new team member Sam Cohen has reviewed Peter Hyams’ Narrow Margin (1990) in 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Tibor Takács’ Sabotage (1996) on Blu-ray from the MVD Rewind Collection!

And more reviews are on the way this week, including (but not limited to) Furiosa and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes in 4K, so be sure to watch for those soon.

Now then… Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just officially announced the 4K Ultra HD release of two popular M. Night Shyamalan films on 10/22! Here’s the official press release (which continues below the break)…

TWO ICONIC M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN FILMS, THE SIXTH SENSE
AND SIGNS, ARRIVE ON 4K UHD FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

IN ADDITION, A SPECIAL BUNDLE INCLUDING UNBREAKABLE WILL
BE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT DIGITAL RETAILERS

THE SIXTH SENSE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS!

BURBANK, CA. (August 26, 2024) – The Sixth Sense and Signs, two iconic thrillers from Oscar-nominated director, M. Night Shyamalan, will be available for the first time ever in stunning 4K UHD digital on August 27, and 4K UHD Blu-ray disc on October 22. The original negatives for both films were scanned at 4K resolution and restored in High Dynamic Range (HDR). [Read on here...]

We’ve got three new disc reviews to start the week, as well as some significant release news. So more on the latter in a minute...

Stuart has weighed in with a look at Edward Dmytryk’s Obsession (1949) on Blu-ray from Indicator here at The Bits today.

And Dennis has turned in his thoughts on Quarxx’s Pandemonium (2023) on Blu-ray from Arrow Video, as well as Basil Dearden’s The Man Who Haunted Himself (1970) on Blu-ray from Imprint.

Now then... the big news this afternoon is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has announced that the Digital release of Lee Isaac Chung’s Twisters (2024) will drop tomorrow on 8/13. It’ll come with deleted scenes and a gag reel. We don’t have an official street date yet for the physical media release, but that should follow in the weeks ahead as all physical SKUs are now available for pre-order. [Read on here...]

The big news today is that Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has just announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (2024) on 9/10. The Digital release is expected on 8/20.

Extras will include a pair of behind-the-scenes featurettes (including New Emotions and Unlocking the Vault) along with 5 deleted scenes (among them Cold Open, Broken Joy, Pool Party, Puberty Prank, and Shame Spiral).

The 4K will be released as a Limited Edition 4K + Blu-ray Steelbook. There will also be Blu-ray + DVD package, and a standalone DVD. An Inside Out 2-Movie Collection will also be available on Digital.

Audio on the 4K disc will be Dolby Atmos, with 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio included on the Blu-ray. We presume the HDR will be HDR10 only. The 4K disc is confirmed to be limited to 66 GB. You can see the cover artwork at left and also below the break. [Read on here...]

We’ve got some great news to report for you today folks...

20th Century Studios is officially announcing the Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD release of Wes Ball’s highly-successful sequel film, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) today!

And here’s the official word, straight from the studio...

THE SUMMER EPIC HIT, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, REIGN CONTINUES

Be The First To Watch at Home When 20th Century Studios’ Impressive Action-Adventure Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
Becomes Available to Buy at Digital Retailers on July 9 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on August 27

The 4K Ultra HD Package Contains Over 3 Hours of Content
Plus An Alternate Cut of the Movie

BURBANK, CA (June 20, 2024) – The fate of the world is at stake when 20th Century Studios’ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes arrives to digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on July 9 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on August 27. Director Wes Ball’s stunning new entry into the Planet of the Apes series has been heralded by critics as “a jaw-dropping spectacle” (Matt Neglia, Next Big Picture) and “a visual masterpiece” (Mark Hughes, Forbes). It is Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and has thrilled audiences worldwide, becoming one of the biggest global box office successes of the year and marking the beginning of a new era for the epic Planet of the Apes franchise.

Set generations after Caesar’s reign in a world where apes are the dominant species, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes follows an ape named Noa and a human named Mae as they emerge to define the future of how apes and humans will coexist.

Fans can delve deeper into the franchise on 4K UHD editions with Inside the Lens: The Raw Cut, a full-length alternative cut with a split-screen comparison between the final cut of the film and a version with unfinished VFX with optional audio commentary by director Wes Ball, editor Dan Zimmerman and VFX supervisor Erik Winquist. The never-before-seen alternate cut gives fans a unique opportunity to see the actors’ performances before the visual effects were completed. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve been talking a lot about Disney over the last couple of weeks here at The Digital Bits.

So it’s only fitting that we’re back early this morning here at the site to bring you some great breaking 4K Ultra HD news from the studio.

And for those of you eagerly awaiting the studio’s next wave of Disney+ streaming titles, I think you’ll agree that you simply couldn’t ask for a better selection of titles than the ones they’re announcing this morning!

You’ll find the studio’s complete official press release below, along with expanded-packaging images of each of the Steelbooks in question.

Then I’ll be back at the end of this post (below the break) with some additional comments of my own...

FOR THE FIRST TIME ON 4K UHD AND BLU-RAY!

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER SEASON 1, MOON KNIGHT SEASON 1,
ANDOR SEASON 1 & OBI-WAN KENOBI

BURBANK, CA. (MARCH 5, 2024) – The Walt Disney Company today announced four new Collector’s Editions of popular Disney+ Original series from Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm will be available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray for fans to add to their collections. These special releases feature Steelbook packaging, concept art cards and some never-before-seen bonus features.

The titles, all to be released on April 30, 2024 are:

• Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier: The Complete First Season
• Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight: The Complete First Season
• Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi – The Complete Series
• Star Wars: Andor – The Complete First Season

All titles will be available to pre-order from March 12, 2024.

Like the previous Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm Collectors Editions released last year, each of these new releases will be available nationally on 4K UHD and Blu-ray Steelbook with brand-new box art designed by popular artist Attila Szarka and collectible concept art cards. [Read on here...]

All right, Digital Bits readers...

Having reported on the long and twisted saga of The Abyss and True Lies on Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD for over thirteen years now—and having first broken news of this release all the way back in March—it gives me enormous pleasure to be able to share this with all of you: The day has come at last!

Not only are The Abyss and True Lies finally coming to 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray, so too are Aliens, the recently-announced Titanic, and new versions of both Avatar (with all three versions of the film) and Avatar: The Way of Water!

Here’s the full text of Disney and Lightstorm’s official press release today…

SIX ICONIC JAMES CAMERON FILMS INCLUDING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER ON 4K UHD™ ALIENS, THE ABYSS AND TRUE LIES!

IN ADDITION, SPECIAL COLLECTOR EDITIONS FOR TITANIC, AVATAR AND AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER WITH:

BURBANK, CA. (November 15, 2023) – A piece of cinema history comes home this year when six box-office juggernauts from Oscar®-winning director James Cameron are released. The six titles—The Abyss, True Lies, Aliens, Titanic, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water—will be made available in 4K Digital and 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray.

Cameron, who has helmed three of the five highest grossing movies of all time, says “There’s a world of emotions in revisiting these films and I hope we’ve captured some of that in the new bonus materials we created for our fans.”

Oscar®-winning producer Jon Landau added, “We really wanted to deliver the best possible experience at home so viewers could immerse themselves both in the films and the journeys we went through to make them.”

The 4K transfer for each release will be presented in superb Dolby Vision HDR and with an immersive Atmos audio mix. Additionally, most of the releases will arrive with several hours of captivating all-new bonus features. From the eight hours of Avatar: The Way of Water bonus including all-new deleted scenes to the five hours of new and legacy Titanic extras, fans will delight in the numerous hours of never-before-seen materials. [Read on here...]