Jaws 45th Anniversary Limited Edition coming to 4K Ultra HD on June 2
It's official, Jaws 4K is coming in June
Rumours had been circling like a shark for months, but finally there was official word from Universal that Jaws is coming to 4K ahead of its 45th anniversary in June.
The Steven Spielberg classic starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss is released in the US on June 2nd, just 18 days ahead of the day it being 45 years since it swim onto cinema screens, into the history backs and forever into our hearts (in our mouths).
No word yet when it is out in the UK though.
Many of you will have bought it multiple times before, on VHS, laserdisc, DVD, and Bluray, so why bother should you bother to dip again?
Jaws went through a painstaking restoration process ahead of its Bluray release as part of the 100th anniversary of Universal Pictures, and the film has never looked better. Until now.
The 4K Ultra HD release means it is going to be a four times sharker...we mean sharper, than HD.
The official media release tells us: This limited edition Combo Pack with lenticular packaging includes a 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray™ and Digital code of the film along with over three hours of bonus features and a 44-page booklet with introductions, rare photos, storyboards and more from the archives. Dive into hours of bonus features including the making of JAWS, deleted scenes, outtakes from set and much more!
The 44-page booklet sounds cool, but will be interesting to see if the content is any different than that which appeared in the Bluray Digibook.
Here are the extras that have been announced in an official media release release from Universal.
Bonus features on 4K Ultra HD and Bluray:
The Making of Jaws
The Shark Is Still Working: The Impact & Legacy of Jaws
Jaws: The Restoration
Deleted Scenes and Outtakes
From the Set
Theatrical Trailer
Additional bonus features on Bluray:
Storyboards
Production Photos
Marketing Jaws
Jaws Phenomenon
Commentary by The Daily Jaws
Okay, so we lied about that last one. The rest though all seem to be directly ported from the last version released on Bluray. Our point here is that it doesn't look like there is anything new. Which is a crying shame, with it being the the 45th anniversary and all.
Perhaps we'll go and record our own commentary so you can play it along side Jaws. Famously Spielberg has never recorded a commentary, but being the lover of film, film history and preservation that he is we'd love to think he has at least recorded some commentaries for future years - it's horrible to say but he isn't getting any younger - even if they, for now, are stored in the same warehouse that housed the ark of the covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
In the mean time The Daily Jaws will continue to be your living, breathing, continually expanding extra features about all things Jaws. And who knows, perhaps we'll get a chance to feature on the 50th anniversary release.
Or even the 4K releases of Jaws 2, Jaws 3D and Jaws the Revenge, which have yet to be announced.