Happy New Year everybody! We hope you had a wonderful break over the holiday period.
Now that the holidays are firmly behind us, you might be beginning to feel the January blues. But fear not, there’s plenty to get excited about in 2017! There are some great Blu-rays set for release in the new year, and we’ve compiled the five we’re most looking forward to below. Hopefully this will help you beat away any January blues that might be lurking!
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
The first ever standalone story in the Star Wars franchise, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story details the events leading up to the first film, A New Hope.
Rogue One follows Jyn Erso, the daughter of a scientist captured by the Imperial military to create a devastating weapon. After evading capture herself, Jyn grows up alone with a deep hatred of the Imperials. However, after falling foul of the Rebellion, Jyn agrees to join forces and help them find her father. This leads them on a dangerous mission to gain access to plans which may help destroy the Imperials’ devastating weapon – the Death Star.
No release date has been set for Rogue One, but you can still catch it in the cinema. If you can’t wait, remember you can now get your hands on a special Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Marvel’s Doctor Strange
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as neurosurgeon Doctor Strange – the titular character of the film – who, following a tragic accident, must put aside his ego after losing the use of his hands. Deciding to explore the mystic world, he is taken under the wing of The Ancient One, a powerful sorcerer. Strange learns how to use his new powers, and must soon put them into practice after the world is threatened by the arrival of Kaecilius, a sorcerer from an alternate dimension who wants to wreak havoc on New York City.
The film also stars Tilda Swinton, Mads Mikkelsen, Rachel McAdams and Chiwetel Ejiofor. You’ll be able to get your hands on Doctor Strange from 3rd March, which will be available on both Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray formats.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Eddie Redmayne leads a star-studded cast – including Gemma Chan, Ron Perlman and Colin Farrell – in this Harry Potter spin-off.
Set seventy years before the first Harry Potter book, Redmayne plays Newt Scamander, a wizard and writer in New York’s secret magic community. Having just returned from a global excursion to document some of magic’s most fantastic beats, Scamander makes a stopover in New York. However, when he accidentally misplaces some of his magical creatures, it soon spells trouble for New York’s No-Maj (muggle) world.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be available to own from April 11th, and will be available on Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray and the new format, Ultra HD Blu-ray.
Passengers
Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence star as Jim Preston and Aurora Lane – two passengers on board the Starship Avalon who wake from hibernation too early following a malfunction. Still 90 years away from their destination, Lane and Preston realise that they face living the rest of their lives with just each other for company.
As the two begin to develop feelings for each other, it soon becomes clear that there’s more at stake than they first thought. With the ship in grave danger, they must put aside their feelings and work together to save the 5,000 other souls still sleeping on board.
Passengers doesn’t yet have a release date for Blu-ray, but we expect to see it during the first half of this year.
The Magnificent Seven
Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke and Haley Bennett star in this remake of the 1960s classic about the sleepy town of Rose Creek, which is under the deadly control of a ruthless industrialist called Bartholomew Bogue. Becoming increasingly desperate, the townsfolk hire seven ruthless outlaws, mercenaries, gamblers and guns-for-hire to protect their beloved home. However, as the seven begin to prepare the town for the showdown they know is coming, it soon becomes clear that they’re fighting for more than money.
The Magnificent Seven will be available to own on Blu-ray and the new format – Ultra HD Blu-ray – from 23rd January.
