I should also take the time to mention that we’ve just posted a new update of our Release Dates & Artwork section here at The Bits, featuring all the latest Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD cover artwork and Amazon.com pre-order links. As always, a portion of anything you order from Amazon after clicking to them from any one of our links goes to help support our work here at The Bits and we really do appreciate it. Note also that we’ve taken to posting only a couple updates to this section a month, as titles just aren’t getting listed for pre-order on Amazon as frequently as they used to. Nevertheless, we’ll make sure to keep it up to date as often as possible, and thanks to our own Russell Hammond for his efforts in doing so.

Now then, let’s talk regular Blu-ray release news...

A number of you have asked about Paramount’s remastered The Godfather Trilogy on Blu-ray. We’ve confirmed with the studio that while the 4K Ultra HD release is a 5-disc set, the Blu-ray box set is only a 4-disc set. It includes The Godfather, The Godfather, Part II, and Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone—each fully remastered on Blu-ray—as well as the BD special features disc (the same one that’s in the 5-disc 4K set). It does NOT however include the remastered versions of The Godfather, Part III (the original theatrical and 1991 cuts)—that’s only on UHD and is exclusive to the 4K set. So adjust your purchase plans accordingly.

Here’s something exciting: Shout Factory has just added Bagdad Cafe: The Percy Adlon Collection to its January release slate as a Shout Select title. The package streets on 1/25, and will include Sugarbaby (1985), Bagdad Cafe (1987), and Rosalie Goes Shopping (1990) on Blu-ray Disc (SRP $39.98).

Here’s another great bit of news for anime fans: Discotek has just set Soji Yoshikawa’s Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo (1978) for release on Blu-ray Disc on 3/29. Extras will include an art gallery, liner notes, trailers, and TV spots. As many of you know, this was the first animated film in the Lupin III franchise (Hayao Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro was the second), so it’s great to finally have the chance to buy it remastered in HD.

And the UK label Anti-Worlds has just released a pair of interesting titles on limited edition Blu-ray (Region B): Tim Mielants’ Patrick (2019) and Corneliu Porumboiu’s Infinite Football (2018). Both are now available here via their website.

Now let’s move on to 4K Ultra HD, and here we’ve got some terrific news to report...

Retail sources had begun to suggest over the last few days that David Fincher’s Panic Room (2002) would FINALLY be coming to 4K Ultra HD in March from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and we have indeed been able to confirm this with our industry sources. It’s not officially announced yet, but we expect it to be shortly and the anticipated street date is 3/29. We will of course post more information as soon as we have it. What’s interesting about this title is that it’s never even been released on Blu-ray Disc—the best we’ve gotten to date is a Superbit DVD back in 2002. It’s been rumored on both Blu-ray and 4K over the past few years, but never materialized. No doubt the studio discovered that—due to its extensive use of early digital VFX—significant remastering was required, and it appears that’s finally happened. With a little luck, the 4K will include a remastered Blu-ray version as well.

Retail sources are also suggesting that Sony’s Spider-Man: No Way Home will arrive on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 4/12. Also, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett’s Scream (2022) is likely due to hit Blu-ray, DVD, and 4K Ultra HD on 4/5 from Paramount. Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is expected to arrive on all three formats from Disney on 3/22. And while we’re talking Disney (specifically their 20th Century Studios label), look for Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man (2021) to street on 2/22, with Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (2021) remake following on 3/15. Keep in mind, these titles have yet to be officially announced, but we expect that to change in the coming weeks.

Additional industry sources are suggesting that Shout! Factory is planning to release a 25th anniversary edition of Roger Nygard’s Trekkies on Blu-ray (and possibly 4K Ultra HD) next month, followed by Moustapha Akkad’s The Message (1976) and Lion of the Desert (1981) on 4K Ultra HD in March. Those too have yet to be announced, though we’ve confirmed with Nygard—an old friend of The Bits—that at least a remastered Blu-ray is coming for sure.

Note that our 4K Ultra HD Release List here at The Bits has been updated with all of these titles accordingly.

One last 4K note: Warner Bros. and Studio Distribution Services have issued a product replacement notification for their Dune 4K Steelbook release, some copies of which—as many of you are no doubt aware—were missing the actual discs in the packaging. Here’s the details:

“Studio Distribution Services has discovered a packing error that affects certain copies of the Dune Steelbook in the 4K format. The packing error has resulted in some of these products lacking discs and/or inserts. This title had a street date of January 11, 2022 for the SKU listed below.

Dune (Steelbook/Best Buy Exclusive/4KUHD + BD + DIGI)

This letter serves as a PRODUCT REPLACEMENT notice for any and all such affected product. Studio Distribution Services has taken immediate steps to identify and correct the root cause of this unintentional error. A replacement 4K product (non-Steelbook) will be provided to any affected consumers so that they can insert the replacement discs and/or insert into the Steelbook they have already purchased.

Should you experience consumer complaints for those who have purchased one of the impacted copies of the Dune Steelbook (4K), please direct them to e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., where they will be asked to provide their name, address, telephone number, and proof of purchase so that the replacement product can be provided at no cost to the consumer.”

So there you go. We’re also hearing that Best Buy customers can message @BestBuySupport on Twitter to get a refund. They allow you to keep the Steelbook case and then you can just buy the regular Dune 4K to get the actual discs.

That all for now. Stay tuned!

(You can follow Bill on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)