The new landmark release of WALL-E on the Criterion Collection could lead to a new era for Pixar, and Disney. The Criterion Collection is a curation company, founded in 1984, that releases classic and arthouse films on home media, with an emphasis on film restoration and comprehensive bonus features. The Criterion Collection pioneered many practices in home media now considered essential, such as audio commentaries and the implementation of "letterboxing": the use of black bars at the top and bottom of the television in order to preserve the film's correct aspect ratio. If a film is released as part of the Criterion Collection, it joins an exclusive list of "important classic and contemporary films", with less than 1200 movies included in the collection since its founding in the mid-1980s.
WALL-E's inclusion in the Criterion Collection makes history as it is not only the first-ever Pixar film to be part of the collection, but also the first Disney movie as well. On top of that feat, WALL-E will also be the only completely CG-animated film to be a part of the collection, so far. The entire list of animated films in the Criterion Collection is incredibly short and so WALL-E's inclusion on the list emphasizes its importance, not only as film but for Pixar as well.
Typically, for the Criterion Collection, WALL-E's 3-disc 4K Blu-ray set will be the definitive release of the film. The film has a new 4K director-approved video master with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+, making it the best WALL-E has ever looked at home. The release also contains many exclusive extra features, such as behind-the-scenes documentaries and a student film made by WALL-E's director, Andrew Stanton. This definitive Criterion Collection release of WALL-E, with features and extras not available on any other release of the film, could therefore not only have huge implications for WALL-E's individual legacy, but could lead to some unexpected successes and opportunities for Pixar, Disney and the Criterion Collection as a whole.
WALL-E's Criterion Release Could Lead To Other Movies Getting The Spotlight
By choosing such a popular and critically acclaimed film as the first Pixar and Disney movie on the Criterion Collection, the success of WALL-E's release is practically guaranteed, due to its high profile. This opens up opportunities for all companies involved. WALL-E could pave the way for Disney to license many of the other films within its catalog for a boutique treatment from the Criterion Collection, especially some of the more overlooked movies. Films like James Cameron's The Abyss and Kathryn Bigelow's Strange Days are owned by Disney and have never received a Blu-ray release in the United States, let alone a dedicated 4K restoration or a release on Disney+. On top of that, some of Pixar's highly acclaimed animated movies, such as Brad Bird's Ratatouille could also potentially join the Criterion Collection, should WALL-E's release be a smash hit.
The probable potential success of WALL-E could also be a great thing for independent movies looking to gain a spot on the illustrious Criterion Collection. By releasing such a high-profile movie that could mean large profits for all companies involved, the Criterion Collection could afford to swallow the costs of restoring and releasing films that they otherwise could not have afforded to release. The addition of WALL-E, one of Pixar's best movies, to the Criterion Collection is nothing short of fantastic for everyone involved; it will be the definitive home release of an incredibly popular movie and could potentially help filmmakers see their dreams of their films being added to the exclusive Criterion Collection realized too.