The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 2, 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.

The Royal Tenenbaums received a 1080 release from Criterion back in 2012, and Svet Atanasov's The Royal Tenenbaums Blu-ray review contains plot information, a list of supplements and Svet's reaction to the technical presentation.

The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

The Royal Tenenbaums is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Criterion with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.40:1. The pamphlet included with the DigiBook has the following information on the master:

The Royal Tenenbaums is presented in the aspect ratio of 2.40:1. Supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson, the new 4K restoration presented on the 4K Ultra HD disc was created from the 35 mm original camera negative. The original 5.1 surround soundtrack was remastered from the 35 mm magnetic track. The feature is presented in Dolby Vision HDR (high dynamic range) on the 4K UHD disc and high definition SDR (standard dynamic range) on the Blu-ray.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record with regard to the quality of the 4K transfers offered in Criterion's Wes Anderson set, The Royal Tenenbaums is another great example of how much both Dolby Vision / HDR grades and a 4K scan can materially alter the presentation, in my estimation for the better even given the fact of an excellent 1080 transfer. The kind of "golden hour" yellow-orange hues that suffuse Anderson's "vision" for the presentation have incredible highlights in this version that offer a (literally) wider spectrum of hues while still maintaining the overall burnished saffron tones. Other elements like Ben Stiller's bright red track suit pop with considerable authority and arguably even more vivid suffusion than in the 1080 version. Teals and light blues in some of the outdoor material and pinks in a lot of the Gwyneth Paltrow vignettes are also subtly enhanced. What I personally was reminded of especially courtesy of the Dolby Vision / HDR grades is how impeccably color designed the entire film is, with what are almost tonal (as in hues) leitmotifs for several characters. Fine detail can see some improvement, but seemingly by design a lot of the framings here tend to offer slightly out of focus backgrounds, which can at least affect those parts of the frame. Grain resolves organically throughout.

The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While arguably a bit more subtle than the sometimes overwhelming visuals, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on this disc is nonetheless consistently immersive with a sometimes byzantine but still beautifully layered sound design that might (wisely) arguably be more subliminal than the visual element, but when paid attention to, delivers clear engagement of the side and rear channels. While another charming score from Mark Mothersbaugh is a prime example of nicely spacious surround activity, there are a number of vignettes, including some outdoor material, where ambient environmental sounds are realistically rendered. Dialogue is cleanly and clearly delivered throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: More information on the supplements is available in Svet's review, linked to above.

4K Disc

• Commentary is from 2002 and features Wes Anderson.

1080 Disc

• Commentary


• With the Filmmaker (HD; 27:04)


• Interviews (HD; 27:00)


• Cut Scenes (HD; 1:48)


• The Peter Bradley Show (HD; 26:25)


• Scrapbook features image galleries:

Stills (HD)




Miguel Calderon (HD)




Margot (HD)




Storyboards (HD)




Murals (HD)




Covers (HD)

• Trailers (HD; 4:23)

The Archive edition features a wonderful pamphlet sewn/glued into the DigiBook with an essay by Kent Jones, along with a glut of photos. Credits and technical information are also included.

The Royal Tenenbaums 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kind of hilariously for me personally, a few years after this film was released we found my orphaned Dad's long lost biological family due to the advances in DNA testing and global websites offering ancestry databases, and it turned out my paternal Grandmother was a Tetenbaum, one of many variants of the surname offered in this film. It's also kind of hilarious for me that this film's particular Te(t/n)enbaum branch (a fitting term, given the etymology of the name) may be even more dysfunctional than my particular cohort. Joking aside, this is another completely quirky entry from Wes Anderson. If you're attuned to his peculiar rhythms, structures and stylistic flourishes, this is another weird but charming entry in his filmography. Those less attuned may find this too twee by half, but even those less enthused should be impressed by the solid technical merits and appealing supplements offered. Recommended.