Re: Warner Brothers Archive Collection Blu-rays
Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2026 5:19 pm
Too bad they didn't include Tag Gallagher's visual essay on Mogambo, maybe my favorite of all his work
https://test.criterionforum.org/forum/
Here's some of the major highlights of the podcast I've heard so far:
George gives a somewhat detailed overview of what you can expect from WAC in 2026. There will be a lot of titles coming out with the same "marquee value" of Mogambo and Tarzan And His Mate, well known classics. Why weren't these released on Blu-ray 15, 17 years ago? At that time, unfortunately, most of the early adopters for Blu-ray were not interested in classics, and when the moment finally came where that could have happened, there were people there at the time that were more interested in taking that money and pouring it into "sleazy made for video slasher movies". That really put a crimp in their ability then to do catalog releases and these more interesting projects.
WAC has now since taken the lead on catalog releases at WB, with new masters and highest quality being the goal. George has mentioned the "100 releases currently in development" before, now he gives an overview of sorts of what these releases will entail. Feature films spanning from the 1930s to "a little bit" in the 2000s, with the majority of the films from WAC in 2026 being considered "core classics". People who said "finally!" to Mogambo and Tarzan And His Mate can expect a lot more where that came from in 2026. It was hard to get approval, especially for some films where they had previously said the existing older master was good enough, to get approval to do a new master, but those approvals have been made and "many exciting projects have been approved". If you're a serious film collector, 2026 will be a very satisfying year.
Outside of feature films, expect more live action television releases as well, and more animated releases - both theatrical and television animation releases.
How many releases can you expect a month after February? Expect 6-8 releases a month in 2026, potentially even more than that depending on the circumstances. WAC has skipped February in the past multiple times due to the usual clog after the holidays, but George released a lighter slate this February, as he wanted to make sure they did something this year for February.
February was lighter than normal due to two big TV related projects going on at MPI, which have pushed everything out a bit so these could get done. George will not say what the big project is, but he can say it will be a WAC Blu-ray release when it's done.
Thankfully, the whole "things not being out on street date curse" seems to be lifting, and things will hopefully now be out on time.
Tarzan And His Mate contains a minute more of extra footage that has never been on any previous release before - nothing significant but a minute more of what the censors had snipped out after the code came into effect. Thank M-G-M's thorough preservation program in the 1960s for preserving both the original pre-code and the altered post-code version of Tarzan And His Mate. This is the first time work has been done on the film since 1994 for an SD master, with this new work being from a 4K scan of the best preservation elements.
Red Dust and Mogambo were not intended to be released so close together. George had intended there to be a few months in between the releases, but right after Red Dust was completed, Mogambo ended up being ready to go, and George doesn't want to hold any completed projects back - when it's done, it'll be released to the public that wants it.
There will be a lot of titles coming out with the same "marquee value" of Mogambo and Tarzan And His Mate, well known classics.
Especially irritating because at some point an HD master for it was in fact madeandyli wrote: Thu Jan 22, 2026 4:40 am Is Advise and Consent still with Warner? Been waiting for that one to hit blu-ray for ages…
Great movie. I was delighted when Foster Hirsch devoted some space to it in his book on 50s Hollywood Cinemaianthemovie wrote: Thu Jan 22, 2026 1:16 pm It's obscure but I'd also like to be able to upgrade my MOD disc of The Next Voice You Hear.
George said he does read forums. He didn’t specify which ones. I suspect his reads are HTF and Blu-ray.comianthemovie wrote: Thu Jan 22, 2026 1:16 pmDo we happen to know whether George and the other folks at WA read this forum by any chance?
Yeah, sorry. I took for granted you would all know what I meant, since Warner Archive is now the place for 4K editions of major titles.soundchaser wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 7:34 pm Ah, makes sense - although it feels like a non-sequitur in the above discussion. I wonder how well WAC's UHD discs have sold thus far, and how much of that's a factor in their release schedule.
Would’ve been nice to throw in Period of Adjustment and Last of the Mobile Hot-Shots, toodomino harvey wrote: Fri Jan 23, 2026 4:16 pm And a Tennessee Williams 4-Pack:
A Streetcar Named Desire
Baby Doll
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Sweet Bird of Youth
I wouldn't say Warner Archive is the primary source for 4K UHD releases of their major titles. They've only committed to 5-6 tops per year at this point. Warner Home Video (see the upcoming Ben-Hur and All the President's Men) and the 3rd party labels they license to (Criterion, Arrow, Shout) have released more per year.onedimension wrote: Fri Jan 23, 2026 7:40 pmYeah, sorry. I took for granted you would all know what I meant, since Warner Archive is now the place for 4K editions of major titles.soundchaser wrote: Wed Jan 21, 2026 7:34 pm Ah, makes sense - although it feels like a non-sequitur in the above discussion. I wonder how well WAC's UHD discs have sold thus far, and how much of that's a factor in their release schedule.
I repeat - where are the musicals? I understand sitting on the black and white Astaire-Rogers movies that have sawdust and peanut shells on the floor, but An American In Paris? Meet Me In St. Louis?