Several 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray titles were announced and/or added to our release calendar this week. Read on below for some of the main highlights that we have summed up for you in case you missed them.
Warner Brothers has officially announced William Friedkin's classic The Exorcist for 4K UHD Blu-ray on September 9. It will include the theatrical cut as well as the extended director's cut. Best Buy will also be carrying a 4K SteelBook.
A Blu-ray (sorry no 4K) of 20th Century Studios' The Boogeyman based on the short story by Stephen King is going to be hitting stores on October 10. Better check under your bed before you go to sleep tonight.
Continuing the horror trend, Paramount is slapping a SteelBook costume on the 4K UHD Blu-ray of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later which will be available on September 26.
Sony's Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse will be swinging to 4KUHD & Blu-ray September 5th. There will also be several retailer exclusive versions including a Target Blu-ray with collectible cards, a Wal-Mart Blu-ray SteelBook, and a Best Buy 4KUHD SteelBook.
Vinegar Syndrome has listed a few new limited edition preorders: Killer Condom on 4K UHD Blu-ray, plus The Cardona Collection: Volume Two, Amazon Jail / Amazon Jail II, and Guest House Paradiso on Blu-ray. Several limited edition titles from Vinegar Syndrome's partner labels have been added to our release calendar as well: Vengeance Is Mine, Tower. A Bright Day & Monument, Terminal Degeneration: The Films of Jon Moritsugu, Once Upon a Time in Uganda, Name Above Title and Other Tales of Woe by Carlos Conceição, Heroic Times, Give Me Pity, Dream Life, Don't Fall In Love With Yourself, Death In Brunswick, The Catechism Cataclysm, and Bloodfeast!: The Adventures of Sgt. Lunch.
Universal has announced Wes Anderson's latest star-studded comedy Asteroid City for Blu-ray. The release will be available on August 15.
And the last thing worth noting is that Pixar and Disney's Elemental is headed for a home video release on September 26. There will be a Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Walmart Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, and a Best Buy Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray SteelBook.
I think that's all we have for today so thanks for tuning in and have a great weekend!
"I'd know it was for pre-order on 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray. I'd feel it, in my bones, and I'm telling you that thing up there is a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray up for pre-order!"
Tired of us prattling on about various releases of The Exorcist on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray yet? Well, we are too! After a whirlwind week of U.K. and European-only Deluxe Collector's editions and the listings going live on Best Buy and Amazon for standard releases, we can finally confirm what we already knew that William Friedkin's iconic horror masterpiece, The Exorcist, will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray with both the original Theatrical Cut and the 2000 Director's Cut on disc in 4K. However, as we'll detail momentarily - aside from the audio commentaries all of the legacy bonus features will be available streaming only. So unless you have the past Blu-ray releases already, be sure to redeem that digital code instead of selling it! Here's what's coming to fans Stateside -
The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
The Exorcist: 50th Anniversary - 4K Ultra HD Best Buy SteelBook
As we've already pointed out in previous articles and Facebook posts, foreign markets got some snazzy deluxe packaging options with booklets and extra swag - but those are pretty well all sold out unless you're willing to plug gray-market prices or if DiabolikDVD still has some ready for pre-order. For those looking to score the Best Buy SteelBook, it's currently listed as "Coming Soon" since it looks like the early pre-order allotment sold through, but it's a safe bet there will be plenty to pick up on street day.
Here's everything that's going to be on disc or left to streaming:
The Exorcist Ultra HD Blu-ray disc (theatrical version) contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Digital release (theatrical version) the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Ultra HD Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Digital release contains the following previously released special features:
Now the press release we received didn't list Dolby Vision so expect HDR10 at minimum - audio is a bit of a mystery so we'll be checking in on that if they opted for Atmos, 5.1, or if they stuck with mono.
Once again these are up for pre-order an we suspect most of you already placed your orders as soon as they went live - in which case if you ordered through our links, thank you very much. Your pre-orders really do go a long way towards keeping our show going.
Here's that full press release for your perusal:
THE EXORCIST
COMES TO 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAYTM AND DIGITAL
TO CELEBRATE THE ICONIC SUPERNATURAL FILM’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY,
THE EXORCIST WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 4K RESOLUTION WITH HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE (HDR)
Purchase the film on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital on September 19
Burbank, Calif., August 1, 2023 – As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, the iconic supernatural film The Exorcist from Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin (The French Connection) will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital for the first time this September.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of its 1973 release, on September 19 The Exorcist will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more.
The Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs include both the 1973 theatrical version of the film and the 2000 Extended Director’s Cut of the film which features eleven additional minutes of footage not seen in theaters.
Directed by Friedkin from a screenplay by Academy Award winner William Peter Blatty, the film is based on Blatty’s 1971 novel of the same name. The Exorcist stars Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn (Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore), Academy Award nominee Max von Sydow (Pelle the Conqueror, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Academy Award nominee Lee J. Cobb (On the Waterfront, The Brothers Karamazov), Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowan, Academy Award nominee Jason Miller, and Academy Award nominee Linda Blair.
Widely regarded as a supernatural masterpiece, the film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director as well as acting nominations for Burstyn, Miller and Blair. The film won two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Blatty.
In 2010, the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
The Exorcist will be available on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc for $33.99 SRP and includes an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc with the theatrical version of the feature film in 4K with HDR, an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc with the Extended Director’s Cut of the film in 4K with HDR, and a Digital download of both versions of the film. Fans can also own The Exorcist in 4K Ultra HD via purchase from select digital retailers beginning on September 19.
About the Film
The Exorcist tells the now-famous story of a girl's demonic possession, and a gripping fight between good and evil. Linda Blair, in a breakout role, plays Regan, a young girl who starts to exhibit strange, arcane behavior. Her mother (Burstyn) calls upon a priest, Father Karras (Miller), to investigate. But Karras, who has a spiritual crisis of his own, is suddenly confronted with the unimaginable evil of Regan's possession. Father Lankester Merrin (Von Sydow), an archeologist-priest, is called to help, and a horrific battle for her soul begins.
The Exorcist Ultra HD Blu-ray disc (theatrical version) contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Digital release (theatrical version) the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Ultra HD Blu-ray disc contains the following previously released special features:
The Exorcist Extended Director’s Cut Digital release contains the following previously released special features:
BASICS
PRODUCT
The Exorcist Ultra HD
The Exorcist
Ultra HD Blu-ray Languages: English, Spanish, French
Ultra HD Blu-ray Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, Parisian French
Theatrical Version Run Time: 122 minutes
Extended Director’s Cut Run Time: 132 minutes
Rating: R for strong language and disturbing images
Physical Street Date: September 19, 2023
Digital Street Date: September 19, 2023
THE CREDITS
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.
You can't have a slate of October horror disc releases without another appearance from Michael Myers!
After already scoring an impressive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray run thanks to Scream Factory, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later will be carving up a new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release from Paramount Home Entertainment with deluxe SteelBook packaging. Honestly, considering that release was barely a year old and that 3-Film set was the only way Scream could release it, I wasn't expecting a solo-title release of this film anytime soon. But given it's the 25th Anniversary, it shouldn't have been too surprising. The press release didn't give us a lot of details, but thanks to Amazon having the back J-card artwork posted, it does look like this release will offer up Dolby Vision HDR with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio - although no bonus features are listed. We've made inquiries to find out those extra disc specs and if there will in fact be any bonus features or not.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray StreelBook
and here's a closer look at the back J-Card details -
Obviously as the ravenous Halloween fans that we are, we will be reviewing this ASAP. This is up for pre-order now, thank you for all of your pre-orders, they really do go a long way towards keeping our little operation up and running.
For what it's worth - here's that Press Release:
Get ready for horror season with iconic duo Laurie Strode and Michael Myers as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise classic HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER with a new Limited-Edition 4K Ultra HD SteelBook™ arriving September 26, 2023 from Paramount Home Entertainment.
Oscar® winner Jamie Lee Curtis* returned as Laurie Strode in 1998 for a terrifying reunion with Michael Myers, 20 years after the original Halloween. Now the dean of a Northern California private school with an assumed name, Laurie must face the horrifying events of her past as the life of her own son hangs in the balance.
Directed by Steve Miner and written by Debra Hill, John Carpenter, and Robert Zappia, HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER features a sensational supporting cast, including Josh Hartnett (in his feature film debut), Michelle Williams, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adam Arkin, LL Cool J, and horror icon (and mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) Janet Leigh. Leigh was of course famous for her starring role in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and HALLOWEEN H20: 20 YEARS LATER makes multiple allusions to the classic thriller.
The Limited-Edition 25th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD SteelBook features the remastered film in stunning 4K Ultra HD and access to a Digital copy of the film. Presented with haunting original artwork, this collectible SteelBook is a perfect addition to any horror fan’s collection.
What's up danger? It's time to take that leap of faith for the spectacular Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on 4K UHD and Blu-ray
After a tremendous box office run, Sony is finally bringing Miles and an entire army of Spider-People to physical media on September 5th (digital coming August 8th). The first of a two-part story arc, we watch Miles grow into his role as New York's one and only Spider-Man - but he's not alone. As Spider-Man 2099's Miguel O'Hara unites the Spider-Verse, Miles is about to make some new friends and a new enemy with The Spot - a being capable of ripping apart all time and space as we know it! I had a blast with this beautifully constructed first half - so I dearly hope that the second part (whenever it's released) is able to stick the landing.
Check out Bryan's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Film Review
But now's the time to check out your home video collecting options -
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Walmart Exclusive SteelBook
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
Target Exclusive
4K UHD, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
If you need the first film on 4K or Blu-ray, a pair of two-film options on either format will also be available:
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse / Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Blu-ray
All standard and retailer-exclusive editions of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse are up for pre-order! Thanks again for your pre-orders, they really do go a long way towards keeping our little outfit up and running.
For all the gory details - here's the full press release from Sony:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“THE BEST SPIDER-MAN FILM EVER MADE” -Jake Hamilton, FOX-TV
AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL AUGUST 8
AND ON 4K UHD & BLU-RAY™ SEPTEMBER 5 INCLUDING OVER 90 MINUTES OF EXCLUSIVE EXTRAS
SYNOPSIS
Miles Morales returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga (2018, Best Animated Feature Film, Spider-Man™: Into the Spider-Verse), SPIDER-MAN™: ACROSS THE SPIDER-
VERSE. After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders, and must redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.
BONUS MATERIALS
4K UHD, BLU-RAY™, AND DIGITAL
• Blu-ray™, 4K UHD and Digital Exclusives:
o Obscure Spiders and Easter Eggs
o Deleted Scene: Miguel Calling
o “I’mma Do My Own Thing” Interdimensional Destiny
o Across the Worlds: Designing New Dimensions
o Designing Spiders and Spots
o Scratches, Score and The Music of the Multiverse
o Escape from Spider-Society
o Across the Comics-Verse
o Lyric Videos
o Filmmaker Commentary
• Also Includes:
o Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
o Raising a Hero
o Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast
DVD
• Creating the Ultimate Spider-Man Movie
• Raising a Hero
• Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Cast
Blu-ray™ and DVD include a digital code for movie and bonus materials as listed above, redeemable via Movies Anywhere for a limited time. Movies Anywhere is open to U.S. residents age 13+. Visit MoviesAnywhere.com for terms and conditions.
CAST AND CREW
Directed By: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Written By: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller & David Callaham
Based on the Marvel Comics
Produced By: Avi Arad, Amy Pascal, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Christina Steinberg Executive Producers: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, Aditya Sood, Brian Michael Bendis
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, with Daniel Kaluuya with Mahershala Ali and Oscar Isaac
SPECS
Run Time: Approx. 140 Mins.
Rating: PG: Sequences of Animated Action Violence, Some Language and Thematic Elements
4K UHD: 2160p Ultra High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible), French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color
Blu-ray™: 1080p High Definition / 2.39:1 • Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French (Doublé au Québec) & Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English – Audio Description Tracks 2.0 Dolby Digital Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Mastered in High Definition • Color DVD: 2.39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen • Audio: English, French (Doublé au Québec), Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, English & French (Doublé au Québec) – Audio Description Tracks Stereo • Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish • Color
Celebrating 30 years of animated Batman glory, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has been fully restored for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Where was Kevin Conroy's Batman in that silly multiverse convergence scene in The Flash? If you're like me and starting to feel a bit old - news that Batman: Mask of the Phantasm celebrating its 30th Anniversary starts to hit hard. Originally planned as a direct-to-video release, the film was so good it demanded a theatrical run. I was 11 when I saw this incredible film in theaters and was always perplexed how this movie could be so amazing and yet all of my friends could think Batman Forever was a better movie. Now to celebrate its big anniversary, Warner Bros. is delivering fans a fully restored 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray to thoroughly scrutinize - hopefully, it's more akin to the excellent Batman: The Animated Series release and not that woefully scrubbed Max Fleischer's Superman set.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Already up for pre-order - here's the press release for all the gory details:
BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM
WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF HERALDED
FAN FAVORITE ANIMATED FILM WITH FULLY REMASTERED EDITION
FOR 4K ULTRA HDTM
AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2023
#BatmanMaskofthePhantasm4K
BURBANK, CA (July 26, 2023) – Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the most universally acclaimed film in the Dark Knight’s legendary cinematic history when the newly-remastered animated movie Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, comes to 4K Ultra HD for the very first time. From Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment, the film will be available to purchase on 4K Ultra HD on September 12, 2023.
The release will also include an all-new featurette Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight, which takes a look at the legacy of Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman for 30 years in film, television, video games and more.
Rooted in DC’s acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series and released theatrically on Christmas Day 1993, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm has not only been ranked by Time magazine as one of the 10 best Super Hero movies ever, but is also arguably the core fans’ all-time favorite Batman film. The movie has been rated at the top of the Dark Knight film franchise by such popular entertainment media as Empire, Screenrant and Paste. And in the ultimate mainstream salute for its time, Gene Siskel & Robert Ebert didn’t initially review the film during its theatrical release, but later dedicated a portion of their At The Movies weekly TV series to pay compliment to the film – and voice their regret for not giving it the attention it deserved during its original run – when Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was distributed for home entertainment.
The 4K HDR/SDR remaster of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm was sourced from the 1993 Original Cut Camera Negative and was scanned at 4K resolution. Digital restoration was applied to the 4K scans to remove dirt, scratches and additional anomalies, but special care was given to not touch the film grain or the animation cel dirt that was part of the original artwork. This is the first time since its theatrical release that it is presented in its 1.85 aspect ratio. The original 2.0 mix and the 5.1 tracks were remastered to remove or improve defects such as pops, ticks, dropouts and distortion.
The animated film features an all-star cast headed by the quintessential voice of Batman, Kevin Conroy, alongside Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Bruce Wayne’s love interest, Andrea Beaumont, Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise) as the Joker, Stacy Keach (Nebraska, Prison Break, Mike Hammer) as Phantasm/Carl Beaumont, Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller, The Godfather) as Salvatore Valestra, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. (The F.B.I.) as Alfred, Hart Bochner (Die Hard) as Arthur Reeves, Bob Hastings (McHale’s Navy, The Poseidon Adventure) as Commissioner Gordon, Robert Costanzo (Forget Paris, City Slickers) as Detective Bullock, Dick Miller (Gremlins, The Terminator) as Chuckie Sol, and John P. Ryan (The Right Stuff) as Buzz Bronski. Additional voices included Pat Musick, Marilu Henner, Neil Ross, Ed Gilbert, Jeff Bennett, Jane Downs, Vernee Watson, Charles Howerton, Thom Pinto and Peter Renaday.
The Batman: Mask of the Phantasm filmmaking team is composed of the award-winning core group behind Batman: The Animated Series. Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm directed the film from a screenplay by Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves, based on a story by Burnett.
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm will be available on September 12, 2023 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD Discs will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy now.
SYNOPSIS:
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm opens with the city's most feared gangsters being systematically eliminated, and assumed blame falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman's past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman's past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman's most grueling battle ever - the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.
SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE*:
Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight (New Featurette) – For 30 years, Kevin Conroy defined Batman for multiple generations using only his voice, best exemplified in the landmark film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Conroy passed away in November 2022, but his legacy lives on in 15 films, nearly 400 episodes of animated television series, a dozen video games, and as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event. Several of Conroy’s contemporaries – including animation legend Bruce Timm, Batman producer Michael Uslan and revered voice actress Tara Strong – pay tribute to the star who remains the Dark Knight for millions of Batfans.
Bonus episode of Justice League: Unlimited featuring a cameo from Phantasm.
*Special features are not available in 4K Ultra HD.
Pricing and film information:
PRODUCT
Digital purchase
4K Ultra HD + Digital Version**
4K Ultra HD
Lionsgate's 2013 science-fiction adventure Ender's Game starring Asa Butterfield, Viola Davis, Ben Kingsley, Abigail Breslin, Hailee Steinfeld, and Harrison Ford is returning to 4K UHD Blu-ray in a SteelBook only at Best Buy next month. Look for it in the retailer's stores and online on August 7.
As fears of an alien invasion grow, Earth’s International Fleet recruits an unlikely leader — a young and brilliant boy — to command its forces and fight for the future of the human race. Based on the worldwide bestseller and featuring an all-star cast, Ender’s Game bursts with epic adventure and stunning visual effects.
Ender's Game - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook)
The 4K UHD Blu-ray/Blu-ray/Digital combo pack appears to be the same as the previous release with Dolby Atmos and the following supplements (Blu-ray only):
Audio Commentary
“Ender’s World: The Making of Ender’s Game” Featurette
“Inside the Mind Game” Featurette
Deleted/Extended Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Writer-Director Gavin Hood
If you're a fan of Ender's Game the 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook pre-order is live and you can check out the full press release here:
Street Date: 8/8/23
4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-ray™ + Digital Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook® SRP: $27.99
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Ender’s Game, the science fiction action-adventure with an all-star cast, arrives on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray™ + Digital SteelBook® release on August 8 from Lionsgate, exclusively at Best Buy. The SteelBook also features special bonus content including audio commentaries and featurettes, and will be available for the suggested retail price of $27.99.
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS
As fears of an alien invasion grow, Earth’s International Fleet recruits an unlikely leader — a young and brilliant boy — to command its forces and fight for the future of the human race. Based on the worldwide bestseller and featuring an all-star cast, Ender’s Game bursts with epic adventure and stunning visual effects.
CAST
Academy Award® nominee
Harrison Ford Star Wars, The Fugitive, Witness, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Asa Butterfield TV’s “Sex Education,” Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Academy Award® nominee
Hailee Steinfeld True Grit, The Edge of Seventeen, Pitch Perfect 3
Academy Award® winner
Viola Davis Fences, The Help, TV’s “How to Get Away with Murder”
Academy Award® nominee
Abigail Breslin Little Miss Sunshine, August: Osage County, Definitely, Maybe
Academy Award® winner
Ben Kingsley Sexy Beast, Gandhi, Iron Man 3
Pre-order Link: https://bit.ly/EndersGameSteelBook
SPECIAL FEATURES (Blu-ray™ Only)
• Audio Commentary
• “Ender’s World: The Making of Ender’s Game” Featurette
• “Inside the Mind Game” Featurette
• Deleted/Extended Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Writer-Director Gavin Hood
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2013
Title Copyright: Ender’s Game © 2013 Ender’s Game Holdings LLC. Artwork & Supplementary Materials ™ & © 2023 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Type: Catalog Re-Release
Rating: Rated PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Closed-Captioned: N/A
Subtitles: English, Spanish, English SDH
Feature Run Time: 114 Minutes
4K Format: 2160p Ultra High Definition, 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
4K Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English 2.0 Dolby Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio
Blu-ray Format: 16x9 (2.40:1) Presentation
Blu-ray Audio: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio™, English 2.0 Dolby Audio Optimized for Late-Night Listening, English Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Audio
Artist Information: Ruiz Burgos
Buckle up and get ready for some "family-friendly" action - Vin Diesel's high-octane franchise speeds onward with Fast X coming to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on August 8th... after a rather lackluster global box office pull.
Speedbumps for this latest entry in the Speedy and Angry franchise hit early when Louis Leterrier was brought in to replace stand-by franchise director Justin Lin after a little more than a week into filming because of reported creative differences. Then you have the whole Vin Diesel/Dwayne Johnson beef or no beef stuff only to have Jason Momoa completely steal the show. I mean it's a heist film, there's supposed to be some thievery but a newcomer villain probably shouldn't run away as the most entertaining piece of the film. Nevertheless, the film was not well received by critics and was a bit of a box office dud barely cracking $704 million globally against a $340 million budget. But with a swift exit from theaters comes a quick turn to home video. Now after enjoying a long stretch on digital services like Vudu and iTunes, fans can gas up to add Fast X to their Blu-ray and 4K UHD collections!
Fast X - Walmart Exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Fast X - Best Buy Exclusive SteelBook 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Seriously, if the franchise doesn't end with Vin Diesel screaming "I Am FAMILY!!!!" before driving his car into a nuclear blast that launches his car back in time to give the child version of himself his first set of car keys, I'll be sad. Until the end comes, we can enjoy Fast X from the comfy cushions of our couch. For all of the gory details, check out the press release below:
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"Why this film, why only release it in the UK?"
"I think the point is to make collectors despair. To see ourselves as animal and ugly. To make us reject the possibility that Warner Bros. could love us."
Warner Bros. is unleashing William Friedkin's iconic The Exorcist on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in October (Just in time for Exorcist: Believer). However, in what's becoming an all-too-familiar happening of late in the realm of physical media collecting, the bigger and better deluxe edition release of this high-demand horror classic will be released only overseas. While there's a good chance of Best Buy or some retailer getting a slick SteelBook and maybe a deluxe package option, Warner Bros. has been especially kind to U.K. residents. Zavvi's exclusive "Ultimate Collector's Edition" is already sold out - but right now on Amazon UK, you can pre-order the bigger, better, and fully-packed "Deluxe Edition" ... if you're willing to shell out about $100 USD including shipping.
While we don't have full disc specifics, HDR, Audio, or what-if-any legacy bonus features, we do know that both the original Theatrical Cut and Friedkin's Director's Cut will be included. But to make this set even more epic on a biblical scale, this set features a "unique leather grain outer slipcase and clamshell box" - honestly this looks just like my Catholic grandmother's bible! Inside is a SteelBook case replicating the classic poster art along with a double-sided reproduction poster, Mark Kermode's The Exorcist BFI FIlm Classics book, reproduction lobby cards, art cards, another 40-page booklet, and a sticker of authenticity.
Now the pre-order price on this set is pretty high for a single title, about $89.99 before shipping - but it's certainly a showstopping art piece for any collector's shelf. Comparatively, this is what Zavvi had in their already sold out set:
So it may be a little bit more upfront, but you're getting the same stuff - albeit different slipcase art - but also picking up a couple of additional extra swag items along the way. And best of all - it's still available to order!
So dig in some couch cushions and see what you can find and get that order in. The set is apparently limited to 2000 units globally so maybe we'll see a similar edition come up for sale here in the States, but if past is truly prologue, I can see this being yet another exciting Warner Bros. deluxe set that we'll have to import.
As soon as we get official word from Warner Bros about this release, we'll update with disc specs and hopefully, we'll also see some awesome US-Based retailer exclusives too.
We've gathered some of the latest title announcement highlights and have digested (pun intended) them for you into a quick read for you here.
What are your favorites?
The biggest recent news as of late is The Criterion Collection has announced and detailed a creepy quintet of 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases for the month of October. They are Nikyatu Jusu's Nanny and Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers (both on Blu-ray), David Cronenberg's Videodrome on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, as well and Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now and Alejandro Amenábar's The Others on both formats. For more details, check out our full coverage on those here.
Warner Brothers has announced The Flash starring Ezra Miller and Michael Keaton (bringing his 1989 Batman back out of retirement) on 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray on August 29.
Warner Archive has also revealed their August Blu-ray slate: Wichita (1955), Spinout (1966), Little Women (1933), The Life of Emile Zola (1937), Gay Purr-ee (1962) and Father's Little Dividend (1951). All six Blu-ray releases arrive at the end of August.
Disney's live-action The Little Mermaid will be swimming to Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray on September 19. The fantasy/musical starring Halle Bailey as Ariel and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula is from director Rob Marshall. Wal-Mart will be carrying an exclusive edition, and Best Buy will also have an exclusive 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBook.
Speaking of SteelBooks, Best Buy is set to release Lionsgate's The Expendables, The Expendables 2, and The Expendables 3 in matching 4K UHD Blu-ray SteelBooks on September 5.
Lionsgate and Tim Story's The Blackening will slaughter home video on 4K UHD Blu-ray as well as Blu-ray on August 22.
Arrow has a few more limited edition releases coming soon that have been added to our release calendar. They are: Ringu - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Arrow Limited Edition), Carlito's Way - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Arrow Limited Edition), Borsalino (Arrow Limited Edition), Blood and Black Lace - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Arrow UK Limited Edition), The Prodigal Son (Arrow Limited Edition) and The Psycho Collection - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray (Arrow UK Limited Edition). The latter will be a boxed set containing four films starring Anthony Perkins. Check out the box art below:
Although there is no official release date yet, Kino is preparing M. Night Shyamalan's The Visit for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray later this year.
Paramount is working on a 70th anniversary 4K UHD Blu-ray release of William Wyler's classic Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on August 15. The studio is also prepping Transformers: Rise of the Beasts for Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray on October 10.
For diehard fans of the Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24 has a Collector's Edition 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray up for sale the on their website for $50 and $45, respectively. Both come loaded with features and some swag and they are shipping August 7.
Of course, we didn't cover everything here so be sure to check out our release calendars for the full list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray and Blu-ray releases.
This October, The Criterion Collection is set to release Nikyatu Jusu's Nanny and Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers on Blu-ray, a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray upgrade of David Cronenberg's Videodrome, plus Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now as well as Alejandro Amenábar's The Others on both formats.
You can usually count on Criterion to punch out one or two horror gems for the spooky season but in recent memory Criterion's October 2023 horror-drenched slate has to be one of their most aggressively committed to the genre. There's a lot coming in so let's dive right in.
Arriving on October 3 on 4K UHD Blu-ray (and returning to Blu-ray) is Nicolas Roeg's classic Don't Look Now.
Don't Look Now - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie mesmerize as a married couple on an extended trip to Venice following a family tragedy. While in that elegantly decaying city, they have a series of inexplicable, terrifying, and increasingly dangerous experiences. A masterpiece from Nicolas Roeg, Don’t Look Now, adapted from a story by Daphne du Maurier, is a brilliantly disturbing tale of the supernatural, as renowned for its innovative editing and haunting cinematography as for its naturalistic eroticism and its unforgettable climax and denouement—one of the great endings in horror history.
4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Next on October 10, David Cronenberg's Videodrome starring James Woods and Deborah Harry will be getting a 4K UHD Blu-ray.
Videodrome - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
When Max Renn goes looking for edgy new material for his sleazy cable TV station, he stumbles across the pirate broadcast of a hyperviolent torture show called “Videodrome.” His attempts to unearth the program’s origins send him on a hallucinatory journey into a shadow world of right-wing conspiracies, sadomasochistic sex games, and bodily transformation. Starring James Woods and Deborah Harry, Videodrome is one of the most original and provocative works from writer-director David Cronenberg, and features groundbreaking makeup effects by Academy Award winner Rick Baker.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic: Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers - a trio of freaky silent-era features will arrive on Blu-ray on October 17.
Freaks / The Unknown / The Mystic:
Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers - The Criterion Collection
The world is a carnival of criminality, corruption, and psychosexual strangeness in the twisted pre-Code shockers of Tod Browning. Early Hollywood’s edgiest auteur, Browning drew on his experiences as a circus performer to create subversive pulp entertainments set amid the world of traveling sideshows, which, with their air of the exotic and the disreputable, provided a pungent backdrop for his sordid tales of outcasts, cons, villains, and vagabonds. Bringing together two of his defining works (The Unknown and Freaks) and a long-unavailable rarity (The Mystic), this cabinet of pre-Code curiosities reveals a master of the morbid whose ability to unsettle is matched only by his daring compassion for society’s most downtrodden.
Freaks (1932)
The most transgressive film produced by a major American studio in the 1930s, Tod Browning’s crowning achievement has haunted the margins of cinema for nearly one hundred years. An unforgettable cast of real-life sideshow performers portray the entertainers in a traveling circus who, shunned by mainstream society, live according to their own code—one of radical acceptance for the fellow oppressed and, as the show’s beautiful but cruel trapeze artist learns, of terrifying retribution for those who cross them. Received with revulsion by viewers upon its initial release, Freaks effectively ended Browning’s career but can now be seen for what it is: an audacious cry for understanding and a singular experience of nightmarish, almost avant-garde power.
The Unknown (1927)
The most celebrated and exquisitely perverse of the many collaborations between Tod Browning and his legendary leading man Lon Chaney, The Unknown features a wrenchingly physical performance from “the Man of a Thousand Faces” as the armless Spanish knife thrower Alonzo (he flings daggers with his feet) whose dastardly infatuation with his beautiful assistant (Joan Crawford)—a woman, it just so happens, who cannot bear to be touched by the hands of any man—drives him to unspeakable extremes. Sadomasochistic obsession, deception, murder, disfigurement, and a spectacular Grand Guignol climax—Browning wrings every last frisson from the lurid premise.
The Mystic (1925)
A fantastically atmospheric but rarely seen missing link in the development of Tod Browning’s artistry, set amid his favored milieu of shadowy sideshows and clever criminals, The Mystic provides a striking showcase for silent-era diva Aileen Pringle, who sports a series of memorably outré looks (courtesy of art-deco designer Erté) as Zara, a phony psychic in a Hungarian carnival who, under the guidance of a Svengali-like con man (Conway Tearle), crashes—and proceeds to swindle—American high society. Browning’s fascination with the weird is on full display in the eerie séance sequences, while his subversive moral ambiguity extends surprising sympathy to even the most seemingly irredeemable of antiheroes.
Hitting stores on October 24 on both Blu-ray and 4K UHD Blu-ray is the chilling 2001 film The Others starring Nicole Kidman.
The Others - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
A remote manor; hushed, candlelit atmosphere; and shivery, supernatural menace. With his first English-language feature, Chilean Spanish writer-director-composer Alejandro Amenábar resurrected the classic gothic chiller to create a ghost story of uncommon emotional resonance. Nicole Kidman stars as a World War II–era mother whose imperiousness masks a terrifying pain, as she keeps her light-sensitive children enshrouded in darkness on her country estate. The arrival of three new servants punctures her insular world—and seems to disturb the balance between the living and the dead. With each stunning twist and turn, Amenábar immerses us more deeply in a realm haunted not only by spirits but also by guilt, trauma, and repression.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
And finally on October 31st, Nanny - the debut feature film from Nikyatu Jusu will join The Criterion Collection on Blu-ray.
Nanny (2022) - The Criterion Collection
A spellbinding blend of social observation and artful shocks, the debut feature from Nikyatu Jusu plunges into the increasingly fractured consciousness of Aisha (Anna Diop), a Senegalese immigrant who takes a job as a nanny for a wealthy white family in New York City. Separated from her own son and casually exploited by her employers, Aisha finds herself consumed by unsettling visions and a growing rage—one that could either destroy or empower her. This visually captivating tour de force—the first horror movie to win the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival—distills complex ideas about motherhood, inequality, and cultural dislocation into a work of dreamlike dread.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
Pre-order links will be updated as soon as they go live.
