Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection are all getting newly remastered, 4K releases on the recently launched Disney+ hub, Star. The sci-fi/horror favorites will also be getting a 4K Blu-ray release. Ridley Scott’s franchise celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019 and though Alien received a special 40th anniversary 4K release, the other three films in the original series did not.
Arguably the most popular Alien film among fans, James Cameron’s sequel to the original 1979 film took things to new heights and was a move that helped pave the way for the genre and Cameron’s future as a filmmaker. Unfortunately, the next two films that followed in the highly successful series didn’t exactly find the same level of acclaim. To this day, even Alien 3 director, David Fincher, claims that no one hates the film as much as he does, and 1997’s Alien Resurrection failed to make much of a mark either at the box office or among fans. All this being said, however, there is no shortage of people who feel that while the two films may not be on the same level as Alien and Aliens, they do remain an important part of the series.
For those fans in particular, Disney’s latest decision to remaster and release 4K versions of Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection is spectacular news. According to The Digital Fix, in addition to the release of the improved versions on Disney+’s adult hub Star, all three will be coming to Blu-ray in an Alien Collection 4K set. Unfortunately, that new set won’t be released until 2022, and at present there is no confirmation as to what sort of supplements might be included. There is also no confirmation as to when exactly all three films will arrive on Star, but word is that they are currently undergoing the remastering process.
Disney+’s Star hub was created in order to focus on adult-oriented television and film within the streaming service. Over the years, the Mouse House has become particularly known for its staunch, family-friendly stance, which is something that has been criticized at times, due to Disney’s willingness to edit or censor content it feels doesn’t mesh with their policy. When Disney+ was first building toward its release, one of the main criticisms of it was that because of the company’s family-friendly reputation, they would be missing out on customers who want to see film and television that isn’t exclusively for families/children. But with Star now up and running, films like Aliens are officially in good hands.
For fans who are eager now to see the remastered, 4K versions of Aliens, Alien and Alien Resurrection, the fact that there is no exact release date is surely frustrating. However, the upside to this is that ultimately the films will arrive, and so far, Disney has already launched a great start for Star, by delving into a catalogue of films that many are excited to see in a different light.
Source: The Digital Fix