Disney Halts 4K Physical Releases For Older Titles
Disney is reportedly ceasing 4K Ultra HD production on older movies in its catalog — including titles acquired from 20th Century Fox — for physical release. The news was reported by The Digital Bits, who wrote: “Beyond new release theatrical titles, animated fare from Disney and Pixar, or Star Wars and Marvel-related projects, there were no plans at the studio going forward to release titles on physical 4K Ultra HD—future releases would be 4K Digital only.” So those hoping for 4K versions of films such as Fight Club, Aliens, and The Abyss to come out on physical discs may be waiting a very long time. Or forever.
Even in the era of (seemingly) unlimited streaming entertainment, there’s nothing quite like owning a copy of a movie on DVD or Blu-ray. You can watch the movie wherever and whenever you want, with no limits. In addition, the actual image quality of the film isn’t compromised by your internet collection. As long as you don’t scratch that puppy up, you’ll have a consistently high-quality viewing experience. But it seems like Disney is more focused on its digital prospects, and particularly their Disney+ streaming service, which become increasingly lucrative as many ditch their Blu-ray players for a Fire Stick.
Nothing is set in stone, but it seems unlikely that Disney would reverse its sights on its entertainment’s digitized future. At least the company isn’t abandoning 4K Blu-rays altogether, and for fans of Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars, nothing much has changed. All of this serves as a reminder to hold on tight to your physical media. We never know when it will become obsolete.
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