For the week of June 19th, Walt Disney Home Entertainment and 20th Century Studios will release James Cameron's Avatar: The Way of Water, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet and Cliff Curtis. Finally released in December 2022, Avatar: The Way of Water found a theatrical marketplace that had changed dramatically from when Avatar took cinemas worldwide by storm in December 2009 and then kickstarted the Blu-ray 3D format on home video. A sequel was first mooted by Cameron during the production of Avatar as far back as 2006, with initial plans for sequels to be released throughout the 2010s. Filming on the project, which took place largely in New Zealand and involved a mix of performance capture and standard live-action filming, eventually commenced in 2017 and would continue on and off for the next three years, culminating in a controversial decision by the New Zealand government to allow Cameron and his crew back into the country in June 2020, at the height of the global lockdown from the coronavirus pandemic. On top of that, the studio that greenlit the film, 20th Century Fox, was acquired by Disney in 2019. As so much time had passed, it was possible that Disney had a massive box-office bomb on its hands, considering that the film's budget is said to be several hundred million dollars. Ultimately, while Avatar: The Way of Water didn't quite reach the incredible box office heights of its predecessor, the sequel has been an unmitigated success. It topped the domestic box office from its release week in December 2022 all the way until February 2023, and while its domestic opening weekend was "only" some $134 million, it ended its domestic run with an impressive $684 million. But as with Avatar, the film actually made the bulk of its money--over 70% of it--internationally, eventually grossing over $1.6 billion outside the US and Canada, including $93 million in the UK, $108 million in South Korea, $148 million in France, $157 million in Germany and $245 million in China. It's also worth noting that, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Avatar: The Way of Water was not released in Russia, a territory where Avatar had made $116 million. When all was said and done, Avatar: The Way of Water had become not just the highest-grossing-film of 2022 (by a margin of almost $1 billion), but the third-highest-grossing film of all time.
Given everything that Avatar: The Way of Water has achieved, it is only fitting that Disney provides it with a special home video release. The film is being released on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and also on Blu-ray 3D, making it the first new film on the Blu-ray 3D format in the US since Dune 3D was released in January 2022, and the first Blu-ray 3D release from Disney in the US since the Best Buy Exclusive Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 4K + 3D SteelBook in 2017. The Blu-ray audio is DTS-HD MA 5.1, while the Blu-ray 3D audio is DTS-HD MA 7.1. The 4K UHD disc is Disney's first film on a 100 GB disc, and contains the film's Dolby Atmos audio, along with HDR10. A dedicated Blu-ray bonus disc contains over three hours of featurettes and marketing materials. In addition to standard packaging, a Best Buy Exclusive 4K UHD SteelBook, a Target Exclusive 4K UHD with Decal and a Walmart Exclusive 4K UHD with Lenticular Packaging will also be available.
Reviewer Jeffrey Kauffman gives the 4K UHD release of Avatar: The Way of Water perfect scores for picture, audio and extras, saying that the image "is one of the most consistently awe inspiring visual delights I've personally had the pleasure to see in some time" and that "the level of fine detail is often staggering". Of the Dolby Atmos audio he says it "delivers everything you'd expect from a film this epic in scope". For full release breakdowns, read Jeffrey's 4K UHD review, Blu-ray 3D review and Blu-ray review.
But that's not all, because Disney and 20th Century Studios will also release 4K UHD upgrade of James Cameron's Avatar (2009), starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Giovanni Ribisi. Presented in its 162-minute theatrical version, Avatar was remastered in 2022 and comes with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio on the Blu-ray and new Dolby Atmos audio on the 4K UHD disc, which also includes HDR10. Extras are placed on a dedicated Blu-ray bonus disc and include both new extras, such as Memories from Avatar and Avatar: A Look Back, and legacy extras, such as the four-part documentary Capturing Avatar. For a full release breakdown, read Jeffrey Kauffman's 4K UHD review.
New this week from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, in association with MGM, is Guy Ritchie's The Covenant (2023), starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Antony Starr, Alexander Ludwig, Dar Salim, Emily Beecham and Jonny Lee Miller.
Description: Guy Ritchie's The Covenant follows US Army Sergeant John Kinley (Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley's life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down.
Warner and MGM's Blu-ray of The Covenant features the film's Dolby Atmos audio. Reviewer Randy Miller gives the film perfect scores for picture and sound, saying the image is "clean and razor-sharp" and that the Atmos track is "a winner". For a full disc breakdown, read Randy's Blu-ray review.
New this week from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is a Blu-ray for Nida Manzoor's Polite Society, starring Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Renu Brindle, Rekha John-Cheriyan, Seraphina Beh and Ella Bruccoleri.
Description: A merry mashup of sisterly affection, parental disappointment, and bold action, Polite Society follows martial artist-in-training Ria Khan, who believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.
New on Blu-ray from Music Box Films is Lola Quivoron's Rodeo (Rodéo), starring Julie Ledru, Yannis Lafki, Antonia Buresi, Cody Schroeder, Louis Sotton and Junior Correia.
Description: Hot-tempered and fiercely independent, Julia (Julie Ledru) is a gearhead who thrives in hostile environments and turns every situation to her advantage. She has a talent for scamming condescending men who think it's cute that she shows interest in their used motorbikes–and can't fathom her riding away with gleeful abandon. Her obsession with the high-octane world of urban 'Rodeos' - illicit gatherings where riders show off their bikes and latest daring stunts - sparks a chance meeting with a volatile clique. Julia strives to prove herself to the ultra-masculine gang by performing cons and running errands for their incarcerated ring leader, Dom. She finds a surprising connection with Dom's wife, Ophélie (Antonia Buresi) and son, a risky move that puts a target on her back. Julia is unsure who she can trust as the ultimate heist comes down the pike.
New on Blu-ray from Well Go USA is Cai Shangming and Chen Silin's I Am T-Rex (我是霸王龙), starring Yi Nuo, Lin Lang, Wen Chi Yu, Zhao Fu Gang and Li Xin.
Description: After a power-hungry dinosaur from outside the valley attacks the king of dinosaurs by surprise, a young T-Rex escapes and begins to train, vowing never to return until he is the biggest and bravest in all the land—and finally strong enough to challenge the evil Fang and restore peace to Green Valley.
New this week from Paramount Home Media Distribution is a Blu-ray for Criminal Minds: Evolution - Season 16 (2022-2023), starring Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. A miniseries which also serves as a sixteenth season of the CBS TV series Criminal Minds (2005-), Criminal Minds: Evolution is a three-disc set, with all ten episodes in 1080p with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio. Extras are 35 minutes of featurettes: Fresh Start: The Rebirth of a Hit, Unfolding Evolution and Rising from the Ashes.
Also coming from Paramount is a 4K UHD upgrade for Sydney Pollack's The Firm (1993), starring Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Terry Kinney and Wilford Brimley. Newly remastered, Paramount presents The Firm with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 audio and Dolby Vision HDR.
And also getting a 4K UHD upgrade from Paramount is Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky (2001), starring Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell, Jason Lee and Noah Taylor. Sourced from a 4K master supervised by Cameron Crowe, Paramount presents Vanilla Sky with DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and Dolby Vision HDR. An included Blu-ray features audio commentary, a Filmmaker Focus featurette with Cameron Crowe, deleted scenes, an alternate ending, and much more.
New from RLJE Films, in association with Shudder, is a Blu-ray for Kyle Edward Ball's Skinamarink, starring Lucas Paul, Dali Rose Tetreault, Ross Paul and Jaime Hill.
Description: Two children wake up in the middle of the night to find their father is missing, and all the windows and doors in their home have vanished.
RLJE Films' Blu-ray of Skinamarink contains filmmaker audio commentary. For a full disc breakdown, read Randy Miller's Blu-ray review.
Turning to catalog titles, Kino Lorber have a Blu-ray double feature of Rin Tin Tin films directed by Noel M. Smith and Chester M. Franklin, respectively: Clash of the Wolves / Where the North Begins (1923-1925), starring Rin Tin Tin, Charles Farrell, June Marlowe and Claire Adams. Clash of the Wolves is sourced from a 4K master and features a new musical score composed and performed by Ben Model. Where the North Begins was sourced from a 2K scan by the Library of Congress's Silent Film Project and features a musical score by Jon C. Mirsalis.
Then from Kino comes William Nigh's Mr. Wong Collection (1938-1940), a two-disc set containing five films starring Boris Karloff as James Lee Wong: Mr. Wong, Detective (1938), The Mystery of Mr. Wong (1939), Mr. Wong in Chinatown (1939), The Fatal Hour (1940) and Doomed to Die (AKA Mystery of the Wentworth Castle) (1940). All five films have been sourced from new 2K masters, while Mr. Wong, Detective also includes a new audio commentary by film historians Tom Weaver and Larry Blamire.
Also from Kino is a Blu-ray for Mark Robson's The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954), starring William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March, Mickey Rooney, Robert Strauss and Charles McGraw. Sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino's Blu-ray features audio commentary by filmmaker / historian Steve Mitchell and author Steven Jay Rubin (Combat Films: American Realism).
Finally, Kino also have two 4K UHD upgrades this week. First is John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate (1962), starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury, Henry Silva and James Gregory. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents The Manchurian Candidate with Dolby Vision HDR, along with audio commentary by John Frankenheimer. A special features Blu-ray includes cast and crew interviews, an interview with filmmaker William Friedkin, an outtake, a featurette and the film's theatrical trailer.
Then on 4K UHD from Kino is John Frankenheimer's Ronin (1998), starring Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Stellan Skarsgård, Sean Bean and Skipp Sudduth. Sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Kino presents Ronin with DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks and Dolby Vision HDR, along with audio commentary by John Frankenheimer. A remastered Blu-ray also includes legacy extras from previous Blu-ray editions, including several cast and crew interviews, a featurette, an alternate ending and the film's theatrical trailer.