Displaying items by tag: Lucasfilm

Our old friend Drew Stewart—who is a longtime Digital Bits reader—is the webmaster for Star Wars Revisited and also curates the Star Wars Visual Comparisons blog.

He’s been working diligently to create a kind of visual guide to all the changes found in the new Disney+ 4K version of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Drew’s created a set of comparison images showing all of these updates and alterations—nearly 40 of them in all—and he’s kindly allowed us to compile them here in a 6-page gallery on The Digital Bits for all of you to see.

We definitely think that Star Wars fans will find this gallery both interesting and useful, not just to compare the new Disney+ 4K version to past Blu-ray and DVD releases, but also as a baseline in the event that further changes appear in the future. [Read on here...]

All right, as most of you know by now, tonight marks the opening of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in theaters. My wife, brother, and I are joining our old friend Robert Meyer Burnett and his family for the first showing at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where it all began back in 1977. And having just seen a press screening of the film on Tuesday, we’re very much looking forward to seeing it again in IMAX Laser projection. The upshot is that today’s post is going to be a brief one.

However… we DO have a little more detail for you about the recently revealed Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga 4K/Blu-ray box set that’s now known to be coming on 3/31/2020.

Not only will it include all 9 of the “Skywalker” films on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray Disc, each film will include a bonus disc of extras (for a total of 27 discs). It’s reasonable to assume that virtually everything that’s ever been released previously for each of these films in terms of special features is fair game for inclusion on these bonus discs and it’s possible there may be new features too. But of course we won’t know for sure until this set is officially announced. [Read on here...]

Our old friend Drew Stewart—who is a longtime Digital Bits reader—is the webmaster for Star Wars Revisited and also curates the Star Wars Visual Comparisons blog.

He’s been working diligently to create a kind of visual guide to all the changes found in the new Disney+ 4K version of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Drew’s created a set of comparison images showing all of these updates and alterations—nearly 40 of them in all—and he’s kindly allowed us to compile them here in a 7-page gallery on The Digital Bits for all of you to see.

We definitely think that Star Wars fans will find this gallery both interesting and useful, not just to compare the new Disney+ 4K version to past Blu-ray and DVD releases, but also as a baseline in the event that further changes appear in the future. [Read on here...]

All right, we have more news for you today. But first, a review...

I did indeed post my thoughts on Zhang Yimou’s Shadow in 4K last night from Well Go USA, and darned if it isn’t pretty spectacular. It’s a slow burn study in contrasts and well worth your time. You can check it out here.

Now then, Universal has officially announced the Blu-ray, DVD, and Ultra HD release of Danny Boyle’s Yesterday on 9/24, with the Digital release expected on 9/10. The 4K will include HDR10 and HDR10+ high dynamic range, with Dolby Atmos audio. The Blu-ray will also include Dolby Atmos audio. Extras on both will include audio commentary with director Danny Boyle and writer/producer Richard Curtis, an alternate opening, an alternate ending, 12 deleted scenes, a gag reel, a 3-song Live at Abbey Road Studios session with Himesh Patel (performing Yesterday, I Want to Hold Your Hand, and Let it Be), and 6 featurettes (Ed Sheeran: From Stadium to Screen, Agent of Comedy: Kate McKinnon, A Talented Duo, Playing for Real, Soul Mates, and A Conversation with Richard & Ed). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, today’s update is a quickie, but it’s a good one.

All of those re-issued Star Wars Blu-rays from Disney we mentioned yesterday are now up for pre-order on Amazon with a street date of 9/22 (that’s not a Tuesday, so it could be just a “week of” placeholder date until the announcement is made).

The SRP is $34.99, but Amazon’s usual sale price should kick in soon. All of them are up now except Episode IV: A New Hope, which should go live soon. In any case, you can see the cover art – now with pre-order links – below.

In 4K catalog news today, Ridley Scott’s American Gangster is now official for release on 4K Ultra HD by Universal on 10/15. You can see the cover artwork and pre-order it below. It will have DTS:X audio and HDR10 high dynamic range. [Read on here...]

All right, we’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, so bear with us.

First, very quickly, we’re currently working on those disc reviews we mentioned the other day, so watch for those starting tomorrow. But breaking news – and the need to dig into it – has keep us busy yesterday and today.

Let’s get some regular announcement news out of the way first...

CBS Home Entertainment has set Star Trek: Discovery – Season Two for release on Blu-ray and DVD on 11/12. The 4-disc Blu-ray release will include audio commentary on 4 episodes (with various combinations of Sonequa Martin-Green, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Alex Kurtzman, Jonathan Peck, and Olatunde Onsunanmi), promos, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and 8 featurettes (Star Trek: Discovery: The Voyage of Season Two, Enter the Enterprise, The Red Angel, Designing Discovery: Season Two, Prop Me Up: Season Two, Dress for Success: Season Two, Creature Comforts: Season Two, and Creating Space). You can see the cover artwork at left and also below. [Read on here...]

All right, we got some goodies for you today...

First, Tim has turned in a new review of Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead in 4K Ultra HD from Lionsgate and Studio Canal.

Also, this week’s update of the Release Dates & Artwork section is now live with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. Whenever you plan to shop from Amazon for literally anything, please consider starting by clicking through one of our affiliate links (like this one or any of our cover art links) as it really helps us to keep the site going and supports our work. Thank you!

And I should also let you know that I’m going to be taking a week off of regular news posts here at the site to A) visit family in North Dakota and B) finish editing this science fiction novel I’ve been working on. (In truth, I also need a break before all the Comic-Con 2019 hubbub begins.) But Tim will be posting new Blu-ray reviews the whole time, and I’ll be back with a big news update (and reviews of my own) late next week.

Now then... we’ve got some announcements this afternoon. First up, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release Ruben Fleischer’s Zombieland on 4K Ultra HD on 10/1 in celebration of the film’s 10th anniversary and also the theatrical release of its forthcoming sequel, Zombieland: Double Tap. All of the existing BD extras will carry over and you’ll get the all-new Raised from the Dead: Zombieland a Decade Later featurette. The 4K will include HDR10 and a new Dolby Atmos audio mix too. [Read on here...]

Disney has just announced that Lucasfilm’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, directed by Ron Howard, will arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 9/25 (just as we first predicted here on The Bits way back when), with the Digital release due on 9/14.

The Digital 4K offering will offer Dolby Vision HDR, but it appears that the physical 4K disc will feature HDR10 only. This would seem to be a reversal for Disney (and it’s one that appears to be the case with Avengers: Infinity War in 4K as well). Aspect ratio is 2.39:1 on all SKUs.

The 4K SKUs will feature Dolby Atmos object-based audio. There’s no 3D SKU planned for the US, but as usual it appears there will be an all-region Blu-ray 3D SKU available in the UK (click here) for those who wish to import. [Read on here...]

All right, today is kind of a big day on the 4K Ultra HD announcement front, so let’s get right to it...

First up, Disney and Marvel have just officially confirmed that Avengers: Infinity War will street on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 8/14 – just as we predicted – with the Digital release planned for 7/31. You’ll get over two hours worth of extras, including featurettes, a gag reel, deleted scenes, and audio commentary with the filmmakers. The Digital edition will include an exclusive 30-minute roundtable with MCU directors Joe and Anthony Russo, James Gunn, Ryan Coogler, Peyton Reed, Jon Favreau, Joss Whedon, and Taika Waititi. You can see the official cover artwork at left and also below.

Also, you know how we’ve been telling you since April that Disney and Marvel would be releasing The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron on 4K Ultra HD concurrently with Infinity War on 8/14? Sure enough... both Zavvi and Best Buy have now begun taking pre-orders for them. Consider them confirmed and you can see the official cover artwork below. [Editor’s Note: Disney has now officially confirmed the 8/14 4K Ultra HD release of The Avengers and The Avengers: Age of Ultron with The Avengers: Infinity War. Audio is confirmed to be Dolby Atmos on all three. Waiting to hear back on HDR.] [Read on here...]

We’re kicking off the new week with more new Blu-ray reviews. And we’re very pleased today to add a pair of new reviewers to The Bits staff: David Steigman and Dennis Seuling!

Dennis checks in with a look at John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place on Blu-ray, which streets tomorrow from Paramount.

David has offered this thoughts on Irving Cummings’s My Gal Sal on Blu-ray from Twilight Time. That disc is now available.

And Tim has checked in with a pair of new reviews today as well, including the Re-Animator: Collector’s Edition (Region B) and the Bride of Re-Animator & Beyond Re-Animator: Collector’s Edition double feature (all region) Blu-ray, both from Umbrella Entertainment. [Read on here...]