So no one told you Physical Media was gonna be this way
Your DVD's a joke, you're broke, your streaming life's DOA
It's like you're always stuck in 480i
When it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year, but
4K UHD'll be there for you!!!
After yesterday's surprise Amazon pre-order drop -we now have more info about what we're getting with this release of Friends: The Complete Series on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Still don't fully know the aspect ratio or if there will be an HDR grade yet, but we do have some more details to share with you.
Here's the initial press release with all the gory details as we know them:
The One in 4K”
FRIENDS: THE COMPLETE SERIES
COMES TO 4K ULTRA HD FOR THE FIRST TIME
This Ultimate Collector’s Set Features All 10 Seasons from One of Television’s Most Popular Sitcoms Completely Remastered – Plus All New Bonus Content!
Available To Own on September 24, 2024
BURBANK, CA (May 30, 2024) – Oh, My Gawd! In celebration of the 30th anniversary of one of television’s most watched sitcoms, Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will release FRIENDS: The Complete Series in 4K Ultra HD on September 24, 2024. This ultimate collector’s set for any FRIENDS fan includes over 110 hours of content – including all 236 original broadcast episodes released for the first time in 4K Ultra HD, plus over 20 hours of extra features including all-new bonus content. Pre-order your copy now.
From Warner Bros. Television, FRIENDS follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).
FRIENDS was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television. Throughout its run, the show was nominated for 62 Primetime Emmy Awards®, winning six awards including Best Comedy Series in 2002.
FRIENDS maintains its influence among viewers. Since its launch, the series has been watched over 71 billion times in the United States alone, across all linear & SVOD platforms. On an international level, viewers spent a total of more than 1.4 billion hours with FRIENDS in 2023 across linear and SVOD internationally.
As FRIENDS marks its 30th anniversary this year, the beloved TV series continues to hold an enduring place in popular culture and hearts worldwide. With its witty humor, relatable characters, and memorable catchphrases, FRIENDS transcends generations with its universal appeal, making it a classic that continues to bring joy and laughter to fans around the world.
Series information:
FRIENDS: The Complete Series
Includes all 236 original broadcast episodes from the iconic 10 seasons of the beloved series, plus hours of special features which has been created over the years including two hours of all-new bonus content.
PRODUCT
4K Ultra HD
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HDMA, German 2.0 S DD, French 2.0 S DD, Japanese 2.0 S DD, Castilian-Spanish 2.0 S DD
Subtitles: English SDH, German SDH, French, Japanese, Castilian Spanish, Latin Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Dutch, Complex Chinese
Running time: 236 (30 min) episodes. Over 20 hours of special features including all-new bonus content
Rated: PG
About Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (WBDHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels. WBDHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.
The series is up for pre-order - we're sure that price point will drop closer to release day. Happy collecting!
The Warner Archive Collection has announced and detailed their next batch of Blu-ray releases. They are Northwest Passage (1940), Idiot's Delight (1939), Harum Scarum (1965), Marie: A True Story (1985), The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995), War of the Buttons (1994), and an animated double-feature - Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost/Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders (1999/2000). All will be available for purchase on July 30.
First up we have King Vidor's classic 1940 adventure Northwest Passage starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, and Ruth Hussey.
Northwest Passage (1940) - Warner Archive Collection
Spencer Tracy and a stellar supporting cast grab muskets, gun powder and knives, and head out for adventure in Northwest Passage, a lavish Technicolor® retelling of French and Indian War heroics, based on Kenneth Roberts’ best seller. Tracy plays a true-life explorer Major Robert Rogers, the intrepid leader of the celebrated Roberts’ Rangers fighting force that took on one of the most challenging expeditions in military history. Tracy’s portrayal brilliantly captures the American pioneering spirit, but he had to muster up his own will to carry it off. “It isn’t exactly fun to work in bitter cold and be sloshing through mud all day” he said. For twelve grueling weeks of location shooting, he endured trapsing through swamps, crossing rapids, and climbing mountains. Of this rousing epic (released shortly after Gone With the Wind), The New York Times wrote, “Now that the ‘Wind’ has stopped ruffling your hair, you can have it lifted, scalp and all in Northwest Passage. With stellar direction by thr great King Vidor, this new Blu-ray presentation, derived from 4K scans of the original nitrate Technicolor® negatives provides a revelatory viewing experience of an all-time classic adventure!
BD-50
COLOR
Running time: 128 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 1.37:1
English SDH
Audio: DTS HD MA 2.0
Special features: Vintage promotional featurette: NORTHWARD, HO!
Original Theatrical Trailer
Next is another classic, Clarence Brown's 1939 romantic comedy Idiot's Delight starring Norma Shearer and Clark Gable.
Idiot's Delight (1939) - Warner Archive Collection
M-G-M legends Norma Shearer and Clark Gable star in Clarence Brown’s smashing adaptation of Robert E. Sherwood’s Pulitzer prize-winning play. They first meet in Omaha. They meet again years later at the Swiss border…and at the edge of World War II. Gable as smalltime hoofer Harry Van and Shearer as his one-time honey Irene, now passing herself off as a Russian aristocrat and clinging to the arm of a munitions baron who strike sparks in this witty, cogent clash of love and war, which was one of M-G-M’s many 1939 instant classics. Idiot’s Delight, released in the same year as Gone with the Wind, shows Gable at his rakish, manly, movie-star best. The most memorable scene features Gable’s performance “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, a wise-guy song-and-dance routine to the Irving Berlin classic that ends with the King leaping gracefully into the arms of a chorus line of peroxide cuties. Lucky girls!
The Blu-ray will feature a NEW 2024 1080p HD Master from 4K Scan of Best Preservation Elements
BD-50
Running Time: 105 Minutes
16x9 1.37:1 with side mattes
DTS-MA HD 2.0 MONO
English SDH
NOT RATED
SPECIAL FEATURES: Classic cartoons: THE GOOD EGG (HD) and IT’S AN ILL WIND (HD)
Original Theatrical Trailer
The 1965 musical comedy Harum Scarum directed by Gene Nelson and featuring Elvis Presley and former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley.
Harum Scarum (1965) - Warner Archive Collection
“Go East, Young Man“ sings showbiz star and martial arts wizard, Johnny Tyrone. To hear is to obey. A clandestine group of called the Assassins kidnaps Johnny and whisks him to a remote Arabian realm isolated from the world for 2,000 years. Sheik meets desert chic when Elvis Presley plays Johnny and teams with former Miss America Mary Ann Mobley (Presley‘s Girl Happy co-star) in this tuneful frolic, partially shot on the original set built for Cecil B. DeMille’s 1927 epic King of Kings and directed by music movie musical veteran Gene Nelson. The kidnappers want Johnny to use his fighting finesse to kill a desert king. Johnny a hitman? No, he’s a hit, man, a top singer of songs like Kismet, Harum Holiday and nine more, all part of the jammin’, scamming, swashbuckling fun of Harum Scarum.
The Blu-ray will feature a 1080p HD master from 4K Scan of the original negative.
BD-50
COLOR
16x9 1.85:1
DTS HD MA 2.0
English SDH
Running time: 95 Minutes
NOT RATED
Special Features:
TOM AND JERRY CARTOONS: "The Cat's Me-Ouch" (HD) and "Of Feline Bondage (HD)
the original theatrical trailer.
Roger Donaldson's Marie: A True Story (1985) starring Sissy Spacek, Jeff Daniels, and Morgan Freeman is also on the way.
Marie: A True Story (1985) - Warner Archive Collection
Pay the man, get out of prison. It’s a sweet deal for the Tennessee officials who let killers and rapists go free for a price. And who would have the guts to defy the state’s power elite? No one, except a courageous single mom named Marie Ragghianti. Masterful director Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, Thirteen Days) helmed this gripping film which tells the true story of a woman who became the head of the Tennessee parole board, then stood up to lies, threats, and murder to blow the whistle on her bosses – and send many of them, including the Governor, to the pen. Sissy Spacek brings luminous intelligence to the role of Marie, and the remarkable supporting cast includes Morgan Freeman, Jeff Daniels, and screen-debuting Fred Thompson (later a Tennessee Senator) playing himself as Marie’s real – life attorney.
BD-50
COLOR
16x9 2.39:1 Letterbox
DTS HD MA 2.0
English SDH
Running time: 112 Minutes
Contains the original theatrical trailer
The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995) from director James Keach and produced by Clint Eastwood is next - starring Robert Duvall, Aiden Quinn, Francis Fisher and Brian Dennehy.
The Stars Fell on Henrietta (1995) - Warner Archive Collection
Texas 1935. It’s a time of boomtowns or bust for oil wildcatters and, repeatedly, derby-topped Mr. Cox has come out flat busted. Not to worry. Mr. Cox has a mule – headed optimism. He’s sure as the sunrise that near the town of Henrietta on a cotton farm that raises more dust than bolls, there’s black gold beneath the barren sod. From Clint Eastwood‘s production company, The Stars Fell on Henrietta is a sweet – natured tail of hope and redemption. As Mr. Cox, Robert Duvall has another acclaimed performance to his gallery of great roles. And Aiden Quinn, Francis Fisher and Brian Dennehy shine as Lone Star denizens, not so much swayed, as gradually infected by Cox’s unflagging will. That optimism, you’ll discover, is catching. Are a doodlebug rod, tasting the soil, or even tossing the cat and marking where it lands unusual way to find oil? Yes. Are they hopeless? Never. Or, as Mr. Cox might say, “You’ve got to hitch your wagon to a star, sweetheart.“
The Blu-ray includes a NEW 2024 1080p HD Master
BD-50
COLOR
16x9 2.39:1
DTS HD MA 5.1 Surround
English SDH
Running time: 109 Minutes
RATED PG
Contains the original theatrical trailer
Yann Samuell's 1994 comedy-drama War of the Buttons starring Gregg Fitzgerald and Gerard Kearney is coming in July as well.
War of the Buttons (1994) - Warner Archive Collection
No stones in slingshots. No skirmishes too late in the day. They are the rules of war for the youngsters of two neighboring Irish villages. And here’s another rule: if you spit shake on something you better follow through. Kids will be kids. But sometimes they, in their own fanciful ways, will be adults. What’s unique and marvelous here Oscar®-winning Chariots of Fire screenwriter Colin Welland says “is that it’s not an adult view of childhood at all, but a child’s view of adulthood“ Welland joins fellow Chariots of Fire Academy Award® winner David Putnam for a winning tale in which buttons are the gods of a would-be war. The rival teens are screen newcomers, but you wouldn’t know it from their seasoned performances. And if you don’t know why Ireland is the Emerald Isle, this scenic charmer is breathtaking proof.
BD-50
COLOR
6x9 1.85:1
DTS HD MA 2.0
English SDH
Running time: 94 Minutes
RATED PG
Contains the original theatrical trailer
And finally, there's usually some Hanna-Barbera goodness popping out of the collection and here we have the animated double feature Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost and Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders.
The world's most lovable mystery-solving dog, along with best friend Shaggy and the rest of the gang, bring on the laughs and adventures on this double-feature Blu-ray™ release! In Scooby-Doo and The Witch's Ghost, Scooby, Shaggy and co. get tied up with bumbling mummies and monster turkeys when famous fright-writer, Ben Ravencroft, invites the gang to his hometown for the Autumn Harvest Festival. There, they learn that Ben's ancestor, Sarah, haunts the place, and they set out to uncover the ghostly Ravencroft secret that will prove her either a good-hearted healer or a spell-casting witch. In Scooby-Doo and The Alien Invaders, Scooby, Shaggy and the Mystery, Inc. are stranded in a desert town where they soon discover a plethora of flying saucer buffs, secretive scientists and less-than-friendly extraterrestrials! But after aliens chase and beam them aboard a UFO, clues to the mystery of the alien invaders lead the gang from a top-secret government research base to an intricate network of caves hidden under the town, the race to crack the case redefines the term "far out" in this hilarious space-capade. Dedicated Scooby fans can now rejoice having these two fan favorite features on this new release, both for the first time on Blu-ray™.
BD-50
COLOR
16x9 1.33
DTS HD MA 5.1 Surround
English SDH
Running times:
Scooby-Doo and the Witch’s Ghost-66 Minutes
Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders-74 Minutes
Special features: Making-of featurettes, promotional trailers
All 34 episodes of the critically-acclaimed comedy series Ted Lasso starring Jason Sudeikis as the titular character will be getting a Blu-ray release on July 30.
The Apple TV+ sports comedy series Ted Lasso debuted in 2020, and since then it has won 13 Emmy Awards (including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - both two years in a row), as well as multiple Golden Globe Awards and Critics' Choice Awards.
In a bitter divorce settlement from her billionaire husband Rupert Mannion, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) becomes the new owner of British football club AFC Richmond. She's assisted by her Director of Football Operations, Higgins (Jeremy Swift), who formerly worked for her husband. Her first order of business is to fire the team's current manager and replace him with an idealistic all-American football coach Theodore "Ted" Lasso (Jason Sudeikis). Ted and his friend, assistant Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) cross the pond to take up the management of the team's "long, albeit modest" history. Ted gets to know the team - including Team Captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), top scorer Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) and more - but finds his first friend in the locker room assistant Nathan (Nick Mohammed). Half a world away from his wife and child, Ted could use a friend. But he presses on, nevertheless. Richmond is about to change the way they're doing things — and from now on — that is the Lasso way.
Specs and supplements have yet to be fully revealed, but for a limited time the Blu-ray boxset will include a BELIEVE poster while quantities last.
Pre-orders for Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way are now listed and here is the full press release:
EMMY® AWARD-WINNING HIT COMEDY SERIES TED LASSO
ARRIVES ON BLU-RAY AND DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME
ON JULY 30, 2024
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY
BURBANK, CA (May 28, 2024) – It’s time to BELIEVE! The heartwarming and critically acclaimed comedy series, Ted Lasso, is making its highly anticipated debut on Blu-ray and DVD, bringing its infectious blend of humor, heart, and hope directly into the homes of fans. Experience the magic of the series all over again, or for the first time, with all 34 episodes from Seasons 1-3 in one special boxset that will include a limited edition, double-sided BELIEVE poster, available while supplies last. Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way will be available for purchase online and in-store at major retailers on July 30, 2024. Pre-order your copy now.
Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination…and biscuits. The series also stars Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Anthony Head, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernandez, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, James Lance with Juno Temple.
In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Content. Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, and Bill Wrubel also serve as executive producers, along with Doozer’s Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer. Jane Becker and Jamie Lee also serve as executive producers. Star Brett Goldstein serves as writer and co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Joe Kelly, and Brendan Hunt, and is based on the pre-existing format and characters from NBC Sports.
Since its premiere on Apple TV+ in 2020, Ted Lasso has earned widespread acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Winner of 13 Emmy® Awards, including back-to-back wins in the following categories: Outstanding Comedy Series (2021, 2022), Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Jason Sudeikis (2021, 2022), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Brett Goldstein (2021, 2022), along with an Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series win for Hannah Waddingham (2021), multiple Golden Globe Awards and Critics' Choice Awards, the series has broken records, solidifying its place as one of the most beloved and celebrated series of all time.
Synopsis
In a bitter divorce settlement from her billionaire husband Rupert Mannion, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) becomes the new owner of British football club AFC Richmond. She's assisted by her Director of Football Operations, Higgins (Jeremy Swift), who formerly worked for her husband. Her first order of business is to fire the team's current manager and replace him with an idealistic all-American football coach Theodore "Ted" Lasso (Jason Sudeikis). Ted and his friend, assistant Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) cross the pond to take up the management of the team's "long, albeit modest" history. Ted gets to know the team - including Team Captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), top scorer Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) and more - but finds his first friend in the locker room assistant Nathan (Nick Mohammed). Half a world away from his wife and child, Ted could use a friend. But he presses on, nevertheless. Richmond is about to change the way they're doing things — and from now on — that is the Lasso way.
Release Information:
PRODUCT
DVD
Blu-ray
Languages: English
Subtitles: English
Running Time: 1,447 minutes
Rating: TV-MA (14A in Canada)
About Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (WBDHE) distributes the award-winning movies, television, animation, and digital content produced by Warner Bros. Discovery to the homes and screens of millions through physical Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD retail sales and digital transactions on major streaming, video-on-demand cable, satellite, digital, and mobile channels. WBDHE is part of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, one of the world’s largest distributors of entertainment programming.
After delivering the 4-Film Knockout Collection, Warner Bros. is set to deliver the final blow with the 6-Film, Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection. This will offer up the previously available four films complete with the woeful Rocky V and two cuts of Rocky Balboa
It was only a matter of time before the whole series got here, and that day has come. While the first four Rocky classics were rushed to 4K to tie into the release of Creed III, Stallone was hard at work delivering a new Director's Cut of Rocky Balboa that runs fourteen minutes longer than the Theatrical Cut. Sadly, there isn't a new cut of Rocky V - but to be fair there's not a lot that can be done for that one. Stallone's done about all he can do to make fans forget it ever existed. Now the rough deal is there are no plans that we've found to help fans upgrade their previously available 4-film sets - beyond the stand-alone 4K SteelBooks also due on the 16th. We also understand discs with corrected audio and the aspect ratio mismatch for Rocky IV are supposed to be included here too (we're still waiting for our corrected discs to arrive).
The press releases for this outing didn't include HDR grade details or audio - but the back of the box image on Amazon indicates DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 for all theatrical editions, DTS-HD MA 5.1 for the Director's Cuts of Rocky IV and Rocky Balboa. Without details, the PR also indicated the Ultimate Knockout Collection will have a bonus Blu-ray with a "selection of previously released special features." Don't know if that's the same disc from the previous set or something new. Obviously we'll cover these at length as soon as they're available!
The Ultimate Knockout Collection and the SteelBooks are now up for Pre-order - Happy Collecting!
Here's the full press release:
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One of A24's biggest box office successes is making its stand on 4K UHD and Blu-ray right after we shoot off fireworks for Independence Day! From writer and director Alex Garland, Civil War will come home thanks to Lionsgate offering up an Amazon-exclusive 4K set, a standard 4K set, and of course, Blu-ray.
While Hollywood is never one to miss an opportunity, you've got to hand it to A24 for delivering a taught war thriller during a fraught contentious election year. Then to have the stones to deliver something as a-political as a movie called Civil War can get! Garland delivered one hell of a tense and arresting film that brilliantly sidesteps politics while focusing on a small rag-tag team of reporters traveling across the country to Washington DC trying to capture the perfect photo. The film is due to arrive with Dolby Atmos audio and Dolby Vision HDR, you have to choose between the standard release, the Amazon-exclusive, or if you're rocking 1080p, the standard Blu-ray.
All three editions of Civil War are now up for pre-order - here's the full press release with all the gory details:
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After an amazing 4K release from U.K.'s Second Sight, Sony plays catchup. On August 27th, Sony will deliver their own domestic 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray of Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive with a brand new SteelBook.
Well, don't that just beat the band? We get around to finally reviewing Second Sight's excellent 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of Drive, Sony has to go and offer up their own new SteelBook. The danger of importing a disc is the domestic distributor will huff up and finally get their own disc out. That said, you can't blame a collector for getting too tired of waiting around for the studio to get off their duffs and give fans what they're asking for. Well, that's where we're at thanks to Sony getting their new SteelBook 4K UHD of Drive to the collector's marketplace. To their credit, Sony is nailing this 100th Anniversary celebration of Columbia Studios delivering one exciting catalog release announcement after another.
While we don't know if Sony did their own restoration work or if this will repurpose the Second Sight transfer, we do know it comes Refn-approved with Dolby Vision and Atmos audio
Drive (2011) - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook
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This one isn't up for pre-order yet, but it should be soon. As soon as it comes up we'll update our listings ASAP.
Can you believe it already? May 2024 has nearly gone, and before we enter the month of June we thought we'd re-cap what has been announced recently. There's lots of good 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases coming in the near future, quite a few SteelBooks, and even a trio of Blu-ray 3D titles!
Are you up for a challenge? Amazon MGM Studios will release the steamy drama Challengers starring Zendaya on Blu-ray on July 9. However, it seems to be a barebones release, and there's no 4K yet anyway.
Fans of Paramount's Halo TV series will be able to own the second season on July 23. It will be available on Blu-ray and limited edition 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook.
The 1996 disaster flick Twister starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Cary Elwes is coming to 4K UHD on July 9. A SteelBook will be available on the same date.
Classic film fans will be able to pick up Orson Welles' The Lady from Shanghai on 4K UHD on July 23.
Guy Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare will be hitting Blu-ray and 4K (including 4K SteelBook) on June 25. You can read all about that here.
On the same date, Warner Brothers celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the rock drama Purple Rain starring Prince with a 4K UHD Blu-ray release. If you're looking for a SteelBook, you'll have to import from the UK.
Also WB's third chapter in the animated Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline will be getting a 4K UHD SteelBook and Blu-ray on July 23. The previous two installments are already out.
The Criterion Collection's August 2024 wave of 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray titles has been dated and detailed. The releases include Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor in 4K, Brief Encounters / The Long Farewell: Two Films by Kira Muratova as well as Martha Coolidge's Not a Pretty Picture on Blu-ray, and two Albert Brooks' comedies - Real Life and Mother - sold separately on both formats. Full details here.
Looking for some new horror? The Australian spider monster movie Sting and The First Omen are headed for Blu-ray soon. Both will be hitting stores on July 30.
Godzilla x Kong: New Empire will be smashing its way to home video with a 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray release on June 11. And yep, there's a SteelBook.
And just when you thought 3D Blu-ray may have been going the way of the dodo, Turbine in Germany is keeping it alive with Jurassic World: Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and The Bad Guys - which are all region-free and now with Atmos soundtracks. You can check that out here. Not only that, Turbine has Chucky: Season One and Chucky: Season Two Blu-ray mediabooks on the way as well.
That's all we have for now, but be sure to keep checking out the website for future 4K, Blu-ray, SteelBook, and maybe even some more Blu-ray 3D announcements and definitely let us know what you will be picking up on social media!
The heat is on! Ouch, just, OUCH! There are a ton of releases in both the 4K and blu-ray categories. In what feels like a repeat of last month starting off slow then ramping up as the month continues, there are plenty of titles to pick from this week!
Welcome to Volume 4 Episode 52 of our weekly release guide. A look at the highlights of what's coming to disc the week of May 26th - June 1st, as well as a look at announcements from last week.
Getting right down to business, Domestic New Releases begins with Bob Marley: One Love, which is also available as a SteelBook Edition. Respect, yeah.
In the zero-day notice category (yup, if you guessed Universal Pictures you would be right) we see the return of the Furious Five with Kung Fu Panda 4.
Catalog titles are next, from Kino Lorber we get the comedy/musical Cry Baby with Johnny Depp.
Severin Films is up next. The Great Alligator get a standard release as well as a Web Exclusive Edition, Cathy's Curse gets a standard release and an uber fancy Web Exclusive Edition, Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker as a standard edition and a Web Exclusive Edition, The Devil's Honey as a standard edition and a Web Exclusive Edition and Cemetery Man gets a standard release.
From Discotek, Japanese language release of Belladonna of Sadness.
The A24 shop has a site exclusive release of (Talking Heads) concert film Stop Making Sense: Collector's Edition.
Vinegar Syndrome site exclusives of Invasion U.S.A., Lifeline and Navy Seals are out this week, general releases usually follow in a month or two. A standard release of Witch Story is also available this week.
Closing it out, Paramount has a double-dip of sort, a SteelBook release of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Warner Bros has Batman (1989) as a SteelBook release too!
More of the same pattern begins next week, as the month begins we get a handful or releases, then it ramps up as the month goes on.
Blu-ray counterparts of the above 4K releases includes Bob Marley: One Love from Paramount, Kung Fu Panda 4 (and a 4-Movie Collection) from Universal, Cry Baby from Kino Lorber, The Great Alligator, "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker" and Cemetery Man (Standard Edition) from Severin and Stop Making Sense from the A24 shop.
From Janus Contemporaries, a documentary titled All That Breathes.
Criterion Collection has the drama/thriller Anatomy of a Fall. For drama this week, look for Girlfight.
LionsGate offers up a bit of adventure with Arthur The King. As far as a crime/thriller releases, Damaged releases this week, as does Knox Goes Away.
Anime highlights include Bluelock Season 1 Part 2, Digimon: Digital Monsters - Season 2, IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix - The Complete Stage, Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple: The Attack of Darkness - The Complete OVA Series, My Home Hero: The Complete Season and Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: The Complete Fifth Season.
You bought the first Six right, so now it's time for Monk: Season Seven.
Arrow Video continues to churn out the releases, this week the horror Pandemonium.
Friday import releases via Amazon US include both UK and Australian titles:
Just to be a wise ass, I would like to mention that Kung Fu Panda 4 will be coming to blu-ray and 4K disc May 28th. Yes, it was announced last week. Seems to me if a studio were to give more advance notice it would offer a chance to build up excitement and a preorder window. Nope, let's ship the movie to retailers and as they are scratching their heads on a release date, then announce it 3 hours later.
Halo: Season 2 will be coming to blu-ray and 4K on July 23rd. Just like Season 1, there will also be a 4K SteelBook option.
Warner Bros has officially announced Rocky V, Rocky Balboa and the Ultimate Knockout Collection for July 16th release.
Sony has made Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire official for June 25th.
Which titles are you buying this week? Which ones are on your wishlist, be it to buy as an impulse buy or to wait for the right price?
Never cross the streams! Sony has dated and detailed their upcoming Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray releases of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire which will be hitting stores on June 26.
The release will also be available in a 4K UHD SteelBook as well as a Walmart exclusive Blu-ray SteelBook.
The science fiction comedy stars Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani and original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson, and is directed by Gil Kenan.
In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who've developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (LE SteelBook)
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
The 4K UHD Blu-ray + Blu-ray + Digital packages include Dolby Vision HDR, Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and the following supplements:
You can pre-order Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire now and included below is the press announcement:
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Paramount Home Entertainment will be bringing the second season of Halo to Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray on July 23. There will also be a Limited Edition 4K UHD SteelBook.
The second season home video releases includes nearly 2 1/2 hours of special features including exclusive Featurettes and more, and is produced by Showtime in partnership with 343 Industries and Amblin Television.
When the Covenant threatens mankind’s greatest stronghold, Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and his elite team of Spartans embark on an epic journey to find the Halo and ensure humanity’s survival...or guarantee their destruction. Also starring Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders), Natascha McElhone (The Crown), Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo), and featuring Jen Taylor (voice of Cortana in the Halo video game series). This 4-disc collection includes every thrilling episode of Halo: Season 2 along with nearly 2 ½ hours of special features, including exclusive featurettes and more!
Halo: Season Two - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Halo: Season Two - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (SteelBook)
SPECIAL FEATURES:
You can pre-order Halo: Season Two now and included below is the press announcement:
SEASON TWO
ARRIVES JULY 23 ON DVD, BLU-RAY™ AND
LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD STEELBOOK
With Nearly 2 ½ Hours of Special Features,
Including Exclusive Featurettes and More!
The Series Is Produced by SHOWTIME® in Partnership with
343 Industries and Amblin Television
LOS ANGELES – May 22, 2024 – Paramount Home Entertainment today announced that Halo’s epic universe and cast of bold characters are back when season two of HALO, executive produced by David Wiener (Brave New World) alongside three-time Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank (The Americans) and Justin Falvey (The Americans) for Amblin Television, and Kiki Wolfkill for Xbox, arrives July 23 on DVD, Blu-ray™ and Limited Edition 4K UHD Steelbook.
HALO stars Emmy nominee Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black) as Master Chief, Spartan-117 and Natascha McElhone (The Crown) as Dr. Halsey, who also both served as producers for season two. Additional cast members include Jen Taylor (HALO game series, RWBY), Emmy nominee Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo), Shabana Azmi (Fire), Natasha Culzac (The Witcher), Olive Gray (Half Moon Investigations), Yerin Ha (Reef Break), Bentley Kalu (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Kate Kennedy (Catastrophe), Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders) and Danny Sapani (Penny Dreadful).
New additions to the season two cast include Joseph Morgan (Vampire Diaries, The Originals), Cristina Rodlo (No One Gets Out of Here Alive, The Homeless World Cup) and Christina Bennington (Midsomer Murders).
SYNOPSIS
When the Covenant threatens mankind’s greatest stronghold, Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and his elite team of Spartans embark on an epic journey to find the Halo and ensure humanity’s survival...or guarantee their destruction. Also starring Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders), Natascha McElhone (The Crown), Bokeem Woodbine (Fargo), and featuring Jen Taylor (voice of Cortana in the Halo video game series). This 4-disc collection includes every thrilling episode of Halo: Season 2 along with nearly 2 ½ hours of special features, including exclusive featurettes and more!
SPECIAL FEATURES:
Disc 1
Halo The Series: Declassified 201
Halo The Series: Declassified 202
Silver Team Returns
Kiki’s Favorite Set: The Condor
Disc 2
Halo The Series: Declassified 203
Halo The Series: Declassified 204
Bringing the 26th Century to Life
Disc 3
Halo The Series: Declassified 205
Halo The Series: Declassified 206
A Visit to Luma Pictures
Building a Covenant Warship
Making the Fall of Reach
Disc 4
Halo The Series: Declassified 207
Halo The Series: Declassified 208
The House of Soren
Writing for Halo S2
Bigger Better Props
HALO is produced by SHOWTIME® in association with 343 Industries and Amblin Television. The second season of HALO is executive produced by David Wiener alongside Steven Spielberg, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin Television and Kiki Wolfkill for Xbox. The series is distributed internationally by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly owned subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc., owns and operates the premium service SHOWTIME®, which features critically acclaimed original series, provocative documentaries, box-office hit films, comedy and music specials and hard-hitting sports. SHOWTIME is available as a stand-alone streaming service across all major streaming devices and Showtime.com, as well as via cable, DBS, telco and streaming video providers. SNI also operates the premium services THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as on demand versions of all three brands. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD and Blu-ray businesses for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Networks. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD and CBS Blu-ray labels.
Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Paramount (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. The PHE division oversees PPC’s home entertainment and transactional digital distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television Studios, Paramount Players, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles. PHE additionally manages global licensing of studio content and transactional distribution across worldwide digital distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
Amblin Television, a long-time leader in quality programming, is a division of Amblin Partners, a content creation company led by Steven Spielberg. Amblin Television’s presidents, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, oversee all development, production and programming for the company. Amblin Television currently has twelve projects in various stages of production and release, including a third season of “Animaniacs” for Hulu, season two of “Resident Alien” for SYFY, season four of “Roswell, New Mexico” for The CW, “Halo” for Paramount+, “Billy the Kid” for Epix, “Masters of the Air” for Apple, two seasons of “Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai” for HBO Max, two seasons of “Tiny Toons Looniversity” for HBO Max and Cartoon Network, “Fatal Attraction” for Paramount+, and documentaries “Big Vape” for Netflix, “Good Night Oppy” for Amazon Prime Video, and “Mama’s Boy” an adaptation of Oscar-winner Dustin Lance Black’s autobiography.
Some of Amblin Television’s other recent credits include the Emmy Award-winning series “Why We Hate” for Discovery, three- time Emmy nominated “Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time” for EPIX, and “Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind” for HBO, which made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. Amblin Television also produced the Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning drama “The Americans” for FX, the Golden Globe-nominated and double Emmy Award-winning mini-series “Into the West” for TNT, the Emmy-nominated HBO movie “All The Way” starring Bryan Cranston, “Smash” for NBC, “Under the Dome” for CBS, “Falling Skies” for TNT, “The Borgias” and “The United States of Tara” for Showtime, and “Las Vegas” for NBC.
343 Industries is the developer of the blockbuster Halo series of video games and, as part of Xbox Game Studios, oversees the Halo franchise including games, original programming, novels, comics, licensed collectibles, apparel and more. “Halo Infinite,” the studio’s most recent game release, has achieved critical success, receiving over 60 industry awards and is the most successful game release in Halo franchise history. The studio continues to transform entertainment experiences across the Halo universe with groundbreaking projects, such as the upcoming “Halo” television series for Paramount+, in partnership with SHOWTIME and Amblin Entertainment.
HALO (SEASON 2)
Street Date: July 23, 2024 (DVD, Blu-ray™ and 4K UHD Steelbook)
U.S. Rating: Not Rated
Canadian Rating: 14A - violence, gory scenes
Run Time (Episodes): 420 mins 33 secs
Run Time (Special Features): 147 mins 31 secs
DVD Specifications:
Audio: English 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, English 2.0 Stereo L/R Dolby Digital AC3, Japanese 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3,
Subtitles: English SDH, Japanese
Blu-ray™ Specifications:
Audio: English 5.1 Surround Dolby TrueHD, English 2.0 Stereo L/R Dolby Digital AC3, French (Parisian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Italian 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, German 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Spanish (Castilian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3
Subtitles: English SDH, French (Parisian), Italian, German, Spanish (Castilian), Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish
4K UHD Steelbook Specifications:
Audio: English 5.1 Surround Dolby TrueHD, English 2.0 Stereo L/R Dolby Digital AC3, French (Parisian) 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, Italian 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3, German 5.1 Surround Dolby Digital AC3
Subtitles: English SDH, French (Parisian), Italian, German, Dutch
