We’ve got just a quick post for you today as we’ll be working on reviews for the rest of the day.
But we do have a couple of things to report...
First, today is Disney’s Investor Day, which means the is expected to reveal big plans for Disney+, how the studio will handle its forthcoming theatrical slate for the next year, and what new streaming series and films they have in the pipeline (Star Wars, Marvel, etc). They MIGHT even reveal that long-rumored Disney18+ service expansion, that would see the studio adding R-rated films from Fox to their streaming service (in a section of the service protected from discovery by younger children by a passcode). Whatever news is revealed today, we expect that Disney means to make a big splash—their stock is trading at an all-time high today in anticipation of the news (see this link). Be sure to watch the trades this afternoon as word breaks—Deadline, Variety, and the Hollywood Reporter.
[Editor’s Note: Disney has now confirmed that its Disney+ streaming service has reached over 86 million global subscribers, and that it plans to launch “roughly” 10 new Marvel shows, 10 new Star Wars shows, 15 Disney live-action, Disney animation, and Pixar series, and 15 Disney live-action, Disney animation, and Pixar feature films over the next few years. They’re also integrating a new Star service with Disney+ (for now only internationally) which will include R-rated Fox content. (This appears to be the source of the Disney18+ rumor.) In the US, it appears that R-rated Fox content (from 20th Century Studios and Searchlight) will appear on Hulu.]
Meanwhile, Criterion has just revealed plans to release a new World of Wong Kar-wai Blu-ray collection on March 23, 2021. [Read on here...]
This set will include new 4K-remastered versions of the director’s As Tears Go By (1988), Days of Being Wild (1990), Chungking Express (1994), Fallen Angels (1995), Happy Together (1997), In the Mood for Love (2000), and 2046 (2004). Unfortunately, it will not include actual 4K UHD editions.
But... apparently Novamedia in South Korea is rumored to have plans to release these films as a box set in actual 4K UHD. (Take this with a grain of salt though, as I can’t locate their actual statement claiming this on social media.)
Meanwhile, here’s what the Criterion Blu-ray set looks like (the Amazon pre-order link will be added when it becomes available)...
One last comment: A number of you have asked if I’ll be reviewing Christopher Nolan’s Tenet in 4K Ultra HD. The answer is yes, and I have a copy already on the way. But it’s timed to arrive on street date. So... our review probably won’t be posted until late next Tuesday (12/15) or the following morning. Just FYI.
And that’s all for the moment. Back tomorrow with more. Stay tuned...
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