WALL-E has a brand new home, this time in the Criterion Collection.
The 2008 animated film, sitting with a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and an Oscar win for Best Animated Feature, is set for release in 4K. Coming this fall, the inclusion of WALL-E marks a milestone that not many films on its level have hit.
This is the first Disney/Pixar movie introduced to the collection and is one of only a few animated movies that Criterion has selected. The deal with WALL-E is quite intriguing; we’ve learned entire Disney catalog is open for licensing. It’s being dubbed “100% a Criterion Disc” and while Disney has no involvement with the project, Pixar will contribute.
The three-disc set includes a student film made by director Andrew Stanton, a documentary on Pixar, script notes, and production artwork. WALL-E’s Criterion release comes with Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10 Plus versions, although it’s not the first time the film has made it onto 4K.
In the announcement post, Criterion referred to WALL-E as “a high-water mark of digital animation.” And to keep it on brand with their other inclusions, the company underscored that the 2008 movie pays homage to cinema’s silent era, with almost no dialogue throughout its runtime.
WALL-E will become available from Criterion on November 22nd, alongside a 4K restoration of Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.
Check out the complete list of features and the cover art below…
DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
- 4K digital master, approved by director Andrew Stanton, with Dolby Atmos soundtrack;
- One 4K UHD disc of the film, presented in both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+, and two Blu-rays with the film and special features;
- Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio and stereo soundtracks;
- Two audio commentaries: one featuring Stanton and the other, character supervisor Bill Wise, coproducer Lindsey Collins, story artist Derek Thompson, and lead animator Angus MacLane;
- New programs on Stanton’s cinematic influences and production designer Ralph Eggleston’s color scripts;
- Tour of the Pixar Living Archive with Stanton;
- Behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, including segments from early animation reels;
- The Pixar Story (2007), a documentary by Leslie Iwerks;
- More than a dozen documentaries exploring the film’s production and robots;
- Anatomy of a Scene: The Plant, a masterclass with Stanton;
- “WALL•E”: A to Z, a new program featuring Stanton and coscreenwriter Jim Reardon;
- Deleted scenes featuring commentary by Stanton;
- A Story (1987), a student film by Stanton;
- BURN•E (2008), a short film by MacLane;
- Trailers;
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing;
- English descriptive audio;
- PLUS: An essay by author Sam Wasson; selections from Stanton’s sketchbooks, script notes, and drawings; and artwork from the WALL•E team
