Epic Adventure movies available on 4K Blu-ray, ranked by transfer quality.
dir. Ridley Scott
S-Tier Paramount 4K. Ridley Scott's Colosseum sequel with Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal.
Paramount Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. David R. Ellis
S-Tier Criterion 4K. A family sequel that somehow ended up in the Criterion Collection discussion. Physical media collectors want everything on disc.
Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Steven Spielberg
S-Tier Paramount 4K. The best Indy film by popular vote. The individual steelbook has been as low as $13 USD on Amazon and under $15 USD at Best Buy. Paramount has released and re-released these steelbooks enough times that early adopters are pretty tired of it.
dir. Kevin Reynolds
Arrow's limited edition 4K with steelbook was a Zavvi exclusive that sold well internationally. The BBFC re-listing alongside True Romance and Last of the Mohicans got collectors excited about Arrow's expanding Warner catalog access. North American availability came later, which is the usual frustration with Zavvi-first releases.
Arrow Video · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Akira Kurosawa
In feudal Japan, during a bloody war between clans, two cowardly and greedy peasants, soldiers of a defeated army, stumble upon a mysterious man who guides them to a fortress hidden in the mountains.
BFI · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Aaron Nee, Adam Nee
Reclusive author Loretta Sage writes about exotic places in her popular adventure novels that feature a handsome cover model named Alan. While on tour promoting her new book with Alan, Loretta gets kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire who hopes she can lead him to the ancient city's lost treasure that featured in her latest story. Alan, determined to prove he can be a hero in real life and not just on the pages of her books, sets off to rescue her.
Shout! Factory · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. James Cameron
A-Tier Disney 4K. Better transfer than the first Avatar. The underwater sequences work well in HDR more than almost anything else in the format. The steelbook leak photos became a meme before the real artwork was revealed.
Walt Disney Studios · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Ryan Coogler
A-Tier Disney 4K. The MCU film. Gets mentioned in discussions about what looks good on a calibrated display.
A-Tier Paramount 4K. Russell Crowe in the Colosseum. The crowd scenes and arena photography work well in HDR.
dir. J.J. Abrams
Disney A-Tier 4K. The Force Awakens was shot on film, which gives it a leg up over the prequels in 4K. Collectors have been hoping for Dolby Vision and IMAX enhanced versions, but so far it's HDR10 only. The Zavvi steelbook series across all nine episodes has been popular with completionists.
dir. Rian Johnson
Disney A-Tier 4K. Rian Johnson's Star Wars entry is the most divisive film in the franchise, and the steelbook market reflects that split. The people who love it really love it. The Zavvi exclusive steelbook drew some criticism for cropping the iconic Crait poster art, but most buyers were happy.
Disney A-Tier 4K. Rise of Skywalker has become the poster child for "bad movie, good steelbook." The Best Buy and Zavvi exclusives both looked sharp, and collectors who completed the saga set grabbed this regardless of feelings about the film. The disc itself is a competent Disney transfer.
dir. Dušan Milić
Subkultur A-Tier 4K. Zero collector signal on this Serbian/German film. Deep niche territory from a specialty European label.
Subkultur Entertainment · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Michael Ritchie
After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise, despite his skepticism over being "chosen."
dir. Kim Jee-woon
The story of three Korean outlaws in 1930s Manchuria and their dealings with the Japanese army and Chinese and Russian bandits. The Good (a bounty hunter), the Bad (a hitman), and the Weird (a thief) battle the army and the bandits in a race to use a treasure map to uncover the riches of legend.
dir. Joe Carnahan
Following a grueling five-week shift at an Alaskan oil refinery, workers led by sharpshooter John Ottway are flying home for a much-needed vacation. But a brutal storm causes their plane to crash in the frozen wilderness, and only eight men, including Ottway, survive. As they trek southward toward civilization and safety, Ottway and his companions must battle mortal injuries, the icy elements, and a pack of hungry wolves.
dir. Tony Scott
B-Tier 4K. Cruise in a stock car. The audio mix could have been better for a film about racing, but the picture is decent. Nostalgic for people who grew up in the 90s.
C-Tier 4K from Disney/20th Century Studios. The Best Buy steelbook announcement came right before Best Buy stopped selling physical media. Cameron's 4K presentations have been hit or miss, and the original Avatar got a middling transfer.
20th Century Studios · Blu-ray
dir. Irvin Kershner
The epic saga continues as Luke Skywalker, in hopes of defeating the evil Galactic Empire, learns the ways of the Jedi from aging master Yoda. But Darth Vader is more determined than ever to capture Luke. Meanwhile, rebel leader Princess Leia, cocky Han Solo, Chewbacca, and droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are thrown into various stages of capture, betrayal and despair.
Walt Disney Studios · 4K Ultra HD
dir. Peter Jackson
D-Tier Universal 4K. Peter Jackson's three-hour epic got the Universal DNR treatment. Collectors have been asking for a proper 20th anniversary edition. The Panasonic UB820's HDR optimizer can help with the brightness issues.
Universal Pictures · Blu-ray
dir. Albert Hughes
In the prehistoric past, Keda, a young and inexperienced hunter, struggles to return home after being separated from his tribe when bison hunting goes awry. On his way back he will find an unexpected ally.
Curzon Film · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Jackie Chan
88 Films 4K. Chan doing Indiana Jones before Indiana Jones went to Hong Kong. The stunts in this one are insane even by his standards, and the behind-the-scenes injury footage is legendary.
88 Films · 4K + Blu-ray
May 19 release confirmed with a steelbook and Blu-ray 3D, which is a real draw for the 3D holdout crowd that still maintains active setups. Most people are waiting for the collector's edition that came with the other two films.
Disney · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Faruk Aksoy
After the death of his father Murat II, young Mehmet II ascends to the Ottoman throne. After braving internal and external enemies, he decides to complete what he was destined to do: Conquer Constantinople.
Cauldron Films · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. David McNally
Two childhood friends — a New York hairstylist and a wanna-be musician — get mixed-up with the mob and are forced to deliver $50,000 to Australia, but things go all wrong when the money is lost to a wild kangaroo.
StudioCanal · 4K Ultra HD
