4K Ultra HD Predator Release Addresses Issues Of Past Releases

The home video history of John McTiernan’s 1987 sci-fi action classic “Predator” over the past decade has been one of massive disappointment.

First released to Blu-ray in 2008 at the start of the format’s launch on the market, that original edition was a disappointing release using an old compression technique, no remastering and a low bitrate which resulted in a copy of the film that looked no different to existing DVDs.

Hope lay in the ‘Ultimate Hunter Edition’ two years later, but that 2010 version became one of the most famously terrible Blu-ray releases ever made as Fox Home Video’s remaster used not only strange color timing but so much digital noise reduction to remove the film’s original grain that it ended up as the perfect example of “revisionist re-releasing at its worst” says Blu-ray.com.

Unfortunately every subsequent Blu-ray edition of the film has used the exact same transfer – a policy that has remained in place – until now. With the release of “The Predator” in September, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment have released both an individual and trilogy box-set 4K Ultra HD edition of the film this week.

Screen captures and reviews are now out as well and finally confirm that at last, ten years later, they’ve finally got it right. The new transfer reportedly keeps just the right amount of grain and proper color timing intact but with the 4K HDR transfer, the film truly has never looked this good on home video before and often has every sweat bead and pore visible.

Check out some comparison photos between the all too soft and somewhat purple 2010 Blu-ray and the new more accurately colored and grainy 4K transfer below. The new 4K HDR Blu-ray is in stores, and the same new transfer is also available on rental VOD/Digital HD services like iTunes. In whatever case, make sure you have a 4K HDR TV like an LG OLED, Sony OLED or Samsung QLED (in that order) to get the full effect.

Also below is a new TV spot for Shane Black’s The Predator ahead of its release on September 14th. The film, along with the new Halloween, has been named as one of the films set to join the Midnight Madness section at the Toronto Film Festival.