Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 4, 2025

Note: This version of this film is available as part of Criterion's The Wes Anderson Archive: Ten Films, Twenty-Five Years 4K.

Considering Wes Anderson's penchant for symmetry and Academy Ratio framings, at least at times, about the only problem some diehard Anderson fans may have with Criterion's impressive new set documenting "10 films and 25 years" may be that it's in a rectangular rather than a square box. That oversized box measures nearly 13" wide by 7 1/2" high by 3 1/2" deep and which some "liner notes" from Anderson joke is "upholstered in a sort of burlap canvas". It has a magnetized hinged cover that opens to display ten individual DigiBooks, one for each Anderson film, and each offering two discs, 1080 and 4K UHD, along with a sewn in pamphlet devoted to that film. While all of the films have had previous 1080 releases (not necessarily by Criterion), this set offers the 4K UHD debuts of each film.

Fantastic Mr. Fox has had several 1080 releases through the years (including re-releases). Casey Broadwater's Fantastic Mr. Fox Blu-ray review covers the 2010 release from home studio 20th Century Fox, and Brian Orndorf's Fantastic Mr. Fox Blu-ray review covers the 2014 release from Criterion itself. Both reviews offer plot summaries, lists of supplements and reactions to the technical presentations.

Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced off the 1080 disc in this package.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Criterion with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. The pamphlet included with the DigiBook has the following information on the master:

Fantastic Mr. Fox is presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson, the new 4K digital master presented on the 4K Ultra HD disc was upscaled from the 2K digital intermediate, which was created from the original digital camera media. The original 5.1 surround soundtrack was remastered from the original digital audio files. The feature is presented in Dolby Vision HDR (high dynamic range) on the 4K UHD disc, to preserve the wode colro gamut of the theatrical presentation, and high definition SDR (standard dynamic range) on the Blu-ray.

After having reviewed the two films in this set which were given standalone releases as well, I've been moving through the rest of the collection chronologically, and this is now the second film in a row (after The Darjeeling Limited 4K) to have been sourced off of a 2K upscale rather than a native 4K scan. While not solely due to that fact, this is probably another entry where the palette highlights courtesy of the Dolby Vision / HDR grades will most likely be more instantaneously noticeable rather than any huge upticks in detail. That said, a vis a vis some of my comments about The Darjeeling Limited in particular, to my eyes both detail levels and palette enhancements see some observable differences / improvements in this version. All of the very appropriately "foxy" auburn tones are more nuanced in this version, and everything from reds to oranges to browns really offer gorgeous luster and nuance. Yellows are also very impressive, and in that regard I'd contrast the Dolby Vision / HDR yellows in this presentation with those in The Darjeeling Limited, where they just didn't resonate so strongly in my estimation. Finally, some of the cobalt blues in the nighttime material also are incredibly vivid in this new setting. Fine detail is also typically excellent throughout, especially on all of the furry characters, though also on some of the sets and costumes.

Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fantastic Mr. Fox features a winning DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that provides some really fun engagement of the side and rear channels with regard to some of the scurrying animal material in particular. Outdoor scenes can also offer nicely placed ambient environmental effects, including some nice multichannel placement of things like slight breeze noises. Another wonderfully eclectic assortment of source cues has been assembled, along with a charming score by Alexandre Desplat, all of which receive spacious treatment throughout. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly (and for those unacquainted with this film, the voice cast is pretty starry). Optional English subtitles are available.

Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: Both of the above linked reviews of the prior 1080 releases of Fantastic Mr. Fox have more information on the supplements, though since Brian's was of the 1080 Criterion edition it probably has the most salient content.

4K UHD Disc

• Commentary is from 2013 and features Wes Anderson.

1080 Disc

• Commentary


• Introduction (HD; 1:12)


• Animatic (HD; 1:15:09)


• The Making of Fantastic Mr. Fox (HD; 31:58)


• Roald Dahl Reads Fantastic Mr. Fox (HD; 53:23)


• Awards Speeches (HD; 3:06)


• Set Photography by Ray Lewis (HD)


• Publicity Featurettes (HD; various)


• Sony Robots Commercial (HD; 1:01)


• Discussion and Analysis (HD; 11:27)


• Fantastic Mr. Dahl (HD; 1:01:26)


• Witch's Tree (HD; 1:43)


• Dahl's Manuscripts (HD)

The Archive edition features a wonderful pamphlet sewn/glued into the DigiBook with an essay by Erica Wagner, along with a glut of photos and technical information.

Fantastic Mr. Fox 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Call me crazy (though you'll have to get in a rather long line to do so), but as I revisited this absolutely charming film, I kind of wondered what Anderson might do with a remake of the original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, meaning with the Newley - Bricusse song score intact, and without any of the postmodern touches offered by Tim Burton (which is not to suggest Anderson wouldn't be adding his own postmodern touches). That passing thought experiment aside, this is a near perfect adaptation of Roald Dahl's original tale, and this 4K UHD version sports solid technical merits and appealing supplements. Highly recommended.