Shout! Factory Joins 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Launch with Multiple IMAX Film Releases

Shout! Factory has become the fourth studio to reveal 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray support and an initial launch lineup that will arrive in stores a little later this year.

All the announced films headed to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from Shout! Factory were filmed in IMAX and all should look stunning in the new disc-based home video format. There’s a definite tilt toward family-friendly fare as opposed to the big blockbusters that Fox Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Warner Home Video are rolling out at launch.

Coming late this spring or sometime this summer are Journey to Space (narrated by Sir Patrick Stewart) and Humpback Whales (narrated by Ewan McGregor).

Additional titles scheduled for release later this year include Flight of the ButterfliesRocky Mountain ExpressWonders of the Arctic (narrated by Victor Garber) and The Last Reef: Cities Beneath the Sea.

Shout! Factory’s early commitment to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray could pave the way for the 4K remastering of classic films under their main banner as well as Scream Factory. We’ll have to wait and see how the format evolves and matures over time.

Here’s the official synopsis on Journey to Space, followed by a first-look at the UHD cover art that confirms a Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray version will be included in the package.

JOURNEY TO SPACE puts into historical context the magnificent contributions made by the Space Shuttle program and its intrepid space pioneers. It uses the most spectacular space footage – including unique views of Earth and operations in space – such as deploying and repairing the Hubble Space Telescope. It then goes on to show how the Shuttle launched and assembled the International Space Station (ISS). Together, these programs have taught us how to live, build and conduct science in space. The ISS will continue operating in space until 2024, and the film shows how it is building a foundation for the next giant leaps into space.

Pricing and exact street dates are to be determined, but you can expect the UHD versions of these IMAX films to arrive in stores roughly the same time as the Blu-ray debuts.

Journey to Space 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray cover art Journey to Space 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray cover art

Shout! Factory 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

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