'Guardians of the Galaxy 2' could be Disney's first 4K Blu-ray
The studio has been slow to embrace the newest video disc format, but Baby Groot and company could open the floodgates. Is Star Wars next?
- Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
Most of the other big studios have jumped on the 4K Blu-ray bandwagon, but the House of Mouse is taking its time.
Disney has yet to make any official announcement, but rumors are starting to accumulate that it's ready to release its first 4K Blu-ray title. Signs point to one of its latest sci-fi blockbusters: "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2."
Longtime industry observer Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits sums up the evidence. Most important, "Guardians" director James Gunn says he's lobbying Disney to get his film the 4K Blu-ray treatment, complete with Dolby Vision HDR.
#GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 director @JamesGunn is pushing @Disney for blu-ray release to include 4K Ultra HD HDR/Dolby Vision version @UHD4k pic.twitter.com/1ArcGmez6M
— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) April 24, 2017
Hunt also cites his own industry sources, who tell him Disney was waiting for more adoption of Dolby Vision in the home, something that's happening now with the first Dolby Vision 4K Blu-ray discs and players (starting with the Oppo UDB-403) hitting the market. Other indications include retailers like Best Buy Canada briefly listing the title as "coming soon" before pulling it, and an apparent "format reclassification" of certain movies on Disney Movies Anywhere, the studio's download service.
Disney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
4K Blu-ray provides the highest-quality home video experience available yet, and after a slow launch last year, studios such as Warner, Paramount, Universal/Sony, Fox and others are adding new titles at a decent clip in 2017. For home video fans who own the latest 4K HDR TVs, Disney's slate of films can't come soon enough. Bring on Star Wars!
