The numerous retail leaks have all been confirmed. Star Wars: The Force Awakens will make its Blu-ray and DVD debut on April 5th, 2016, preceded by an early Digital HD release on April 1st, and followed by a Blu-ray 3D release later in the year.
As expected and also leaked, numerous retailers will release the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray combo pack with DVD and Digital HD in exclusive packaging. Before we run through those and take a look at the packaging, let’s go through the tech specs that Lucasfilm and Disney are utilizing for the latest Star Wars film on home video.
The cheapest way to own Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD is via the standard Blu-ray combo release for pre-order of $19.99 at Amazon.com.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens in high definition will be presented in 1080p video and 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. No known Star Wars: The Force Awakens 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray version is known at this time as Disney has yet to reveal their release plans for the recently debuted home video format.
Bonus features are as follows:
- Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey – For the first time, discover the complete story behind the making of The Force Awakens, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature documentary
- The Story Awakens: The Table Read – Cast members familiar and new reflect on the memorable day they all first came together to read the movie’s script
- Building BB-8 – See how the filmmakers brought the newest droid to the screen, creating an instant fan favorite in the Star Wars universe
- Crafting Creatures – Watch movie magic as the filmmakers bring a cast of new creatures to life
- Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight – Go deeper into the epic, climactic lightsaber battle between Rey and Kylo Ren
- John Williams: The Seventh Symphony – The legendary composer shares personal insights of his work on Star Wars and The Force Awakens
- ILM: The Visual Magic of The Force – An insider’s look into the remarkable digital artistry of the movie’s visual effects.
- Force For Change – Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. See how the Star Wars: Force for Change initiative has united Star Wars fans all over the globe to help others
- Plus Deleted Scenes
One of those deleted scenes is previewed in the following Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray trailer with Kylo Ren and First Order Snowtroopers boarding the Millennium Falcon on Starkiller Base and sensing Han Solo. Who knows where Chewbacca is supposed to be, but it will be fun to watch this scene play out in full.
Here’s a rundown of the store exclusive versions of the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray for Target, Best Buy and Walmart. Click the images of each to go directly to their respective pre-order pages.
For $24.99, Target is offering exclusive packaging and 20 minutes of “never-before-seen interviews with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega and a deeper look at the movie’s costumes and weaponry.”
Walmart is offering exclusive BB-8 packaging and an exclusive Star Wars Galactic Connexions trading disc for $25.44. I like this cover art better, but the 20 minutes of exclusive extras at Target is more compelling.
Last is Best Buy with no bonus material but slick First Order-centric Steelbook packaging at a cost of $29.99. This packaging matches the Episodes 1-6 Steelbooks.
The standard Star Wars: The Force Awakens Blu-ray combo pack cover art is the theatrical one-sheet key art you’ve no doubt seen a million times over by now, underneath the following slipcover.
