My Two Cents
Well, here’s another nice 4K catalog surprise…
Walt Disney Pictures Home Entertainment has just set Andrew Adamson’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) for release in 4K Ultra HD Steelbook format on 12/15!
This is obviously tied to the launch of the promotional campaign for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (2027), which arrives in theaters early next year on 2/12 (and 4/2 on Netflix).
The package will include the film on 4K disc (66GB) and Blu-ray, as well as a Digital Code. The 4K disc will include English Dolby Atmos audio, as well as 2.0 Dolby Descriptive Audio, Spanish 5.1 DTS, and French 5.1 Dolby Digital (and subtitles in English SDH, Spanish, and French). HDR is TBA.
The Blu-ray should carry over all of the legacy special features.
I don’t think anyone had this title on their 4K bingo card for 2026, and it gives us a lot of hope that more 4K UHD surprises await us from Disney in 2027. (PLEASE Disney: Finally release Star Wars: Andor – Season Two on the format!) [Read on here...]
We’re starting today with three more new disc reviews here at The Bits, including…
Tim’s thoughts on Richard Fleischer’s Soylent Green (1973) in 4K Ultra HD from Arrow Video, as well as Teruo Ishii’s Bohachi Bushido: Code of the Forgotten Eight (1973) in 4K Ultra HD from Mondo Macabro.
And Stuart’s look at Kon Ichikawa’s Ten Women in Black (1961) on Blu-ray from Daiei via Radiance Films in the UK.
As always, watch for more reviews soon!
Now then… the big news announcement today is that Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has officially set Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026) for release on Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, 4K Steelbook, 4K Limited Edition Giftset, and Digital on 11/17. As expected, the film will be presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio that maximizes the IMAX experience for the home entertainment environment.
The 4K package will be a 3-disc set including the film in 4K and Blu-ray, as well as a Blu-ray bonus disc. The Odyssey will be included in 4K on a 100GB disc with HDR10 high dynamic range and audio in 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio format, as well as French Canadian and Latin American Spanish each in 5.1 DTS. Subtitles will be available in English, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish.
Nolan has personally curated what is essentially a 12-part, behind-the-scenes Blu-ray documentary on the making of the film that includes Plotting a Course, Icons, The Widest Window, On Location, The Horse, The Fall of Troy, Ithaca, Battle Ready, Apparent Magic, The Sea People, The Score, and Bringing It Home.[Read on here...]
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
We’ve got some terrific news from our friends at the Warner Archive Collection today, and you can probably guess what it is based upon the thumbnail at the left and the banner at the top of the page.
Unfortunately, we’ve also got some bad news for fans of physical media.
But we’ll get to all that in a minute. First, let’s recap a bunch of the new disc reviews the team has shared here on the site over the last several days…
Tim has offered his thoughts on Steve Oedekerk’s Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) in 4K Ultra HD from Via Vision Entertainment.
Stephen’s taken a look at Norman Jewison’s Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) in both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, as well as Chris Huang’s Demigod: The Legend Begins (2022) on Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile, and Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York (1977) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.
Dennis has reviewed Jorge Dorado’s Mindscape (2013) and Philip Noyce’s Catch a Fire (2006) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, along with Philip Kaufman’s Henry & June (1990) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films.
Todd has delivered his take on Fumihiko Sori’s Ping Pong (2002) on Blu-ray from 88 Films, Mauro Bolognini’s Corruption (1963) and Grzegorz Krolikiewicz’s The Dancing Hawk (1977) on Blu-ray from Radiance Films, and David Markey’s Desperate Teenage Lovedolls (1984) and Lovedolls Superstar (1986) on Blu-ray from MVD Visual.
And finally, Stuart has delivered a look at Luchino Visconti’s Conservation Piece (1974) on Blu-ray from Raro Video and Kino Lorber, as well as Bruce Beresford’s King David (1985) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films, and Sophie Hyde’s Jimpa (2025) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
As always, more new disc reviews are already cooking from the team, so be sure to keep checking back for them all week here at The Bits!
And before we continue with today’s news, our own Russell Hammond has also turned in the latest update of our Release Dates & Artwork section with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover art and Amazon pre-order links. As you know, we’re an Amazon Affiliate, which means that whenever you order literally anything from Amazon after clicking to them from one of our links, you’re helping to support our work here at the site and we really do appreciate it.
Now then, let’s get to the news… [Read on here...]
This is a quick post to let you all know that our Release Dates & Cover Artwork section here at The Digital Bits has just been updated with all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. Don’t forget that you can select to see just the Blu-ray, DVD, 4K Ultra HD, or even Criterion titles seperately if you like, to help you find exactly the ones you’re looking for. Just click on RELEASE DATES & ART on the menu bar above to visit the page, and use the search options in the red bar (at the top) to sort by format and date. Once you find a title you like, just click on the cover art and you’ll be taken right to the Amazon.com pre-order page. Thank you for shopping through our links and don’t forget that anytime you order from Amazon through our links, you’re helping to support our work here at The Bits and we really appreciate it! And thanks to our own Russell Hammond for the update work!
- Bill Hunt
All right folks, we’ve got a surprise 4K Ultra HD announcement for you today…
Who had this on their 4K Ultra HD bingo card?
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Home Entertainment and 20th Century Studios are officially re-issuing John McTiernan’s original Die Hard (1988) in 4K + Blu-ray Steelbook packaging on 12/1!
And here’s the even better news: They’re also releasing Renny Harlin’s Die Hard 2 (1990) and McTiernan’s Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) for the very first time in 4K, also in 4K + Blu-ray Steelbook packaging!
For the record: Die Hard will be released on a 66GB disc (if I’m not mistaken, that’s how it was originally released back in 2018), while Die Hard 2 and Die Hard with a Vengeance will be on 100GB discs. Each will feature English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (along with French and Spanish options and subs).
The original Die Hard had only HDR10, not Dolby Vision. I’ve asked Disney for clarification on the high dynamic range that should be included on the new discs—when I hear back I’ll let you all know. It could be that all three will be HDR10 only, or it could be that all three will have Dolby Vision too (which would be a first for Die Hard). We’ll see.
In any case, it’s great news. And perhaps Disney deserves some credit? They DO seem to be ramping up their 4K UHD catalog output after a very slow early 2026.
(Hey Disney: Star Wars: Andor – Season Two in 4K please!) [Read on here...]