Have an Account?
| Register Now
Sony Pictures Announces Its First 4K Ultra HD Titles - Arriving in Early 2016

Posted on Wednesday, November 11, 2015 3:27 PM

Hancock Cover ArtSony Pictures Home Entertainment announced recently its first slate of movies that will be available on the 4K Ultra HD disc format. Unfortunately, none of them are high-profile titles, and none (save for one) are known for their achievements in spectacular cinematography or sound. This makes them odd choices to roll out the new format, especially from a company that has titles in its library that would be more obvious choices.

No exact release schedule was provided, only that they would appear in "early 2016."

This list is disappointing to say the least, but even more so, given that the company just released three movies (The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional, and Bram Stoker's Dracula) on Blu-ray with new remastered video and Dolby Atmos sound, which garnered positive reviews from critics and enthusiasts alike. The press release name-drops several other movie titles in the Sony library that they list as "4K content," but no commitment of release dates was provided.

A slightly lesser disappointment is that the sound aspect of the announced titles was detailed only as "Many titles will also support next-generation immersive audio formats" so we have no idea which immersive format they will support or if some of the titles will simply not feature immersive soundtracks. I say that this is a lesser disappointment because none of the movies listed above were originally mixed in Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.

The upmix conversions that were done for other movies have gotten good reviews for the job that was done, so my concern about the quality of such conversions appear to have been unfounded so far. One would hope that, at the very least, the three movies that have already been released with Atmos upmixes as well as any new movies that were released theatrically in Atmos or DTS:X will be released on 4K Ultra HD (and Blu-ray) in those formats.

UltraHD Blu-ray LogoThe 4K Ultra HD format will have a resolution of 3840x2160, which is four times that of the HD format that is available on current Blu-ray discs. High Dynamic Range (HDR) is an option of the format, which offers more range between the brightest and the darkest colors. Immersive sound formats, such as Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are also optional, but when available, make it possible to have sounds above the listener as well as around them in so-equipped home theaters.

In September, Samsung unveiled its first Ultra HD Blu-ray player, with a planned release for "some time in 2016," and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment also announced that they will be supporting the new format with a batch of releases that includes Kingsman: The Secret ServiceFantastic FourX-Men: Days of Future PastLife of Pi, The Maze Runner, Exodus: Gods and Kings, and Wild.

Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Press Release

Please note: If you purchase through the links above, we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for supporting The BigScreen Cinema Guide!



Add Your Comments

Reader VoiceReader Comments

No comments found. Be the first and let us know what you think!

Add Your Comments

Please login
Commenting on Journal Articles is available only to our readers who have customized this site, which makes it easier for you to complete the form and for us to contact you with any questions or concerns about your comments.

Please login or register a new account before continuing.


Already Registered?

Log in to retrieve your saved settings.

E-Mail Address:
BigScreen Passcode:

Forget Your Passcode?

Send My Passcode To Me

Not Registered? Create a New Account!

E-Mail Address
In case we need to contact you. A valid E-Mail address is required, profiles with invalid addresses will be removed.
Please Confirm Your E-Mail Address
ZIP Code
This helps us display theaters that are near you.

Our registered members enjoy more features, including:

Basic accounts are free -- sign up today!

Concerned About Privacy?

So are we! We won't sell, trade, or share your personal information with anyone unless required by law. For more information, please read our Privacy Policy.



Home - About Us - Feedback
News Headlines - Theaters - Movies - Reader Reviews - Movie Links
Your Account - VIP Service

The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a service of SVJ Designs LLC. All graphics, layout, and structure of this service (unless otherwise specified) are Copyright © 1995-2024, SVJ Designs. The BigScreen Cinema Guide is a trademark of SVJ Designs. All rights reserved.

'ACADEMY AWARDS®' and 'OSCAR®' are the registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Find Us on Facebook
Find Us on Instagram