Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
New Releases of Feb. 7 Include ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ ‘Legion of Super-Heroes’ on Disc, ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody,’ ‘Empire of Light’ Via Digital
February 7, 2023
The Feb. 7 slate of new DVD and Blu-ray Disc arrivals includes Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Legion of Super-Heroes, while digital releases include Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody and Empire of Light.
Disney-owned Marvel Studios’ box office hit Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and 4K UHD Blu-ray on Feb. 7. The sequel to the original Black Panther, starring the late Chadwick Boseman,made $453.47 million at the domestic box office. In the film, as the nation of Wakanda mourns the death of T’Challa, Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) and General Okoye (Danai Gurira) investigate the threat of Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and his long-hidden underwater kingdom of Talokan, whose cultural heritage might hold the secret to restoring the legacy of the Black Panther. The cast also includes Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Lupita Nyong’o, Martin Freeman and Dominique Thorne. Read a review here. Walmart will offer an exclusive 4K Ultra HD edition with custom artwork and a limited-edition Black Panther enamel pin. Best Buy will feature the 4K Ultra HD combo pack with two separate Steelbook designs from artist Dorothea Taylor, one featuring Wakanda warriors and the other, the world of Talokan.
Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment will release Legion of Super-Heroes, the latest animated adventure in the DC Universe franchise, for digital purchase and on Blu-ray Disc and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Feb. 7. In the film, Supergirl (voiced by Meg Donnelly) travels to the 31st century to help adjust to life on Earth by attending the Legion Academy, where heroes hone their powers with hopes of joining the Legion of Super-Heroes. Supergirl quickly makes new allies, as the Legion must confront a mysterious group known as the Dark Circle that seeks a powerful weapon stored in the Academy’s vault. The voice cast also includes Harry Shum Jr. as Brainiac 5, Cynthia Hamidi as Dawnstar, Gideon Adlon as Phantom Girl, Ely Henry as Bouncing Boy, Robbie Daymond as Timber Wolf &and Brainiac 4, Yuri Lowenthal as Mon-El, Eric Lopez as Cosmic Boy and Chemical King, Darin De Paul as Brainiac and Solomon Grundy, Ben Diskin as Arms Fall Off Boy and Brainiac 2, Victoria Grace as Shadow Lass, Jennifer Hale as Alura, Daisy Lightfoot as Triplicate Girl, and Zeno Robinson as Invisible Kid and Brainiac 3. In addition, Darren Criss, Matt Bomer and Jensen Ackles reprise their roles as Superman, The Flash and Batman, respectively, from previous entries in the ongoing Justice League continuity of movies.
Walt Disney Animation Studios releases Mickey & Minnie: 10 Classic Shorts Vol. 1 in a Blu-ray Disc combo pack (which includes a digital copy and a DVD) and standalone DVD Feb. 7. The release is part of the planned releases coming in 2023 to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary. The new collection gathers together 10 classic animated shorts for the first time, including the iconic “Steamboat Willie,” and features new introductions from Mickey and Minnie for each short. “Steamboat Willie” is the first cartoon with synchronized sound, in which the character of Mickey Mouse was first introduced as a deckhand on a riverboat commanded by the tyrannical Captain Pete. Also included are “Brave Little Tailor,” featuring Mickey as a medieval tailor given a daunting task; “Mickey’s Delayed Date,” in which the tardy mouse relies on his faithful pup Pluto to get him to a dance with Minnie; “Hawaiian Holiday,” which finds Mickey and his pals vacationing on a beautiful island; and “On Ice,” in which, along with friends, Mickey and Minnie glide through a romantic date on a frozen river.
Shout! Factory in collaboration with Toei Company Ltd. Feb. 7 releases the Blu-ray of Kamen Rider Ryuki: The Complete Series, the 14th installment in the “Kamen Rider” franchise that originally aired in Japan beginning in 1971. The long-running Japanese show follows the exploits of a masked, motorcycle-riding hero who fights the forces of evil. The complete “Kamen Rider Ryuki” series, the third entry in the Heisei era, will be available in an eight-disc set. Advance orders may be placed now at ShoutFactory.com. Fans who order from Shout! Factory will also receive a poster while supplies last. Having premiered in Japan in 2002, “Kamen Rider Ryuki” is set in a “mirror world” that exists beyond an invisible mirror in space where only monsters can dwell. Evil monsters frequently cross the mirror and attack our world, but only Kamen Riders who make contact with a specific monster and obtain its special power can enter the mirror world. Shinji Kido, a journalist, contracts with a dragon and becomes Kamen Rider Ryuki. He fights a fierce battle with the evil monsters, but when other Kamen Riders appear, it becomes a fight to the last man because only one Kamen Rider can remain. The set contains all 50 episodes from the original Japanese masters, as well as the director’s cut of the film Kamen Rider Ryuki: Episode Final.
Screen Media will release the horror film Cryptid on DVD Feb. 7. In the film, a small rural town in Maine is shocked as a mysterious animal leaves a local resident brutally ripped apart. Deemed to be a random bear attack by town officials, freelance journalist Max Frome suspects it might be something more. Written and directed by Brad Rego, the film stars Nicholas Baroudi (The Hating Game, “Person of Interest”), Ellen Adair (“Homeland,” “The Sinner”), Chopper Bernet, Kevin O’Rourke, Kate MacCluggage and Jeanine Bartel. The film won Best Narrative Feature and Best of the Fest at the Adirondack Film Festival and Best Director at Shockfest and was an Official Selection at the 2022 Another Hole in the Head Film Festival.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases the biopic Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody through digital retailers Feb. 7. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, with a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, writer of Bohemian Rhapsody, comes the story of the career of Whitney Houston, played by Naomi Ackie (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), from New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded singers of all time. The cast also includes Stanley Tucci as Whitney’s producer, Clive Davis; Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown, her husband; Tamara Tunie and Clarke Peters as Cissy and John Houston, her parents; and Nafessa Williams as Robyn Crawford, her friend and assistant. The film earned $23.4 million at the domestic box office and arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD Feb. 28.
The Oscar-nominated film Empire of Light will be released via digital retailers Feb. 7 from Disney-owned Searchlight Pictures. The film, which will also be available to stream on HBO Max Feb. 7, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. From director and writer Sam Mendes (1917, Skyfall), Empire of Light is a drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. Set in and around a faded old cinema in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, it follows Hilary (Olivia Colman), a cinema manager struggling with her mental health, and Stephen (Micheal Ward), a new employee who longs to escape this provincial town in which he faces daily adversity. Both Hilary and Stephen find a sense of belonging through their unlikely and tender relationship and come to experience the healing power of music, cinema and community. It arrives on Blu-ray Disc and DVD Feb. 21.
The drama Match will be released Feb. 7 via digital sellthrough and VOD from Virgil Films. From director Sean McGinly (Two Days, The Great Buck Howard), Match is a story about two people who meet on an online dating site. What starts as a casual flirtation quickly becomes intimate and intense. The story is told using only the emails and texts the characters send to one another. The result is a voyeuristic experience that uses graphics as well as the actors’ performances to take you into the minds of two people in a way that says something about modern dating culture. The film stars Austin Nichols (“John From Cincinnati,” “Ray Donovan,” “The Walking Dead”) and Ahna O’Reilly (The Help, “The Morning Show,” Where The Crawdads Sing) with a special appearance by Spencer Garrett (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, “Winning Time: The Rise Of The Lakers Dynasty”).
The Australian thriller Line of Fire will be released via VOD and digital sellthrough Feb. 7 from VMI Releasing. In the film, when policewoman Samantha Romans (award-winner Nadine Garner, “Savage River,” “The Doctor Blake Mysteries”) fails to intervene in a shooting where her own son dies, she draws the condemnation of her colleagues and community as well as the attention of ambitious journalist Jamie Connard (Samantha Tolj). Keen to reignite the career she put on hold to have children, Jamie ignores Romans’ pleas to be left alone and pursues her relentlessly. With nothing to lose, Romans retaliates by forcing Jamie into a night of terror that threatens everything Jamie holds dear. The film was nominated for Best Indie Feature at the 2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards.
The drama The Wedding Hustler will be released via digital retailers Feb. 7 from 1091 Pictures. The film follows an Asian-American wedding planner (Christine Chang) who knows her “thang” on bargaining the best price. When she learns about a couple (Chris Soriano and Hillary Soriano) who rescheduled their wedding three times because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she decides to help the groom surprise his fiancée with the perfect wedding. With barely any money, the groom and the planner navigate through the street vendors of Los Angeles to piece together the wedding of his fiancé’s dreams. Written and directed by Chris Soriano (Almighty Zeus), the film also stars Kane Lim (Netflix’s “Bling Empire”) with a cameo by Heart Evangelista.
Also due Feb. 7 from 1091 Pictures is the horror film They Wait in the Dark. Written and directed by Patrick Rea (Nailbiter, I Am Lisa), the film stars Sarah McGuire, Patrick McGee, Laurie Catherine Winkel, Paige Maria, Chris Bylsma and Meagan Flynn. In the film, Amy (McGuire) and her adopted son Adrian (McGee) are on the run from Amy’s abusive ex-girlfriend Judith (Winkel). Desperate to stay hidden, they take refuge in the abandoned farmhouse of Amy’s family outside her Kansas hometown. Soon, though, a supernatural force from Amy’s dark past begins haunting Adrian. With the vengeful Judith in pursuit, Amy and Adrian find themselves locked in a showdown between the threats both outside and in. The film was an Official Selection — Fright Fest 2022, Official Selection — Popcorn Frights Film Festival 2022, and Official Selection — HorrorHound Film Festival 2022.
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Director Rob Marshall’s musical Chicago, winner of six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a new limited-edition Blu-ray Steelbook due Feb. 7 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Originally released on Jan. 24, 2003, the musical was nominated for 13 Academy Awards and won not only Best Picture, but also Best Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Sound. An adaptation of the Broadway musical, the film stars Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly and Christine Baranski. In Chicago, two death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity and a sleazy lawyer’s attention.
The 2001 crime thriller Training Day will be released in 4K through digital retailers Feb. 7 from Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. Denzel Washington won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Detective Alonzo Harris and Ethan Hawke was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Office Jake Hoyt in the gritty drama set in the morally ambiguous world of undercover police work. In the film, every day a war rages between drug dealers and cops on the streets of America’s inner cities. With every war come casualties, none greater than 13-year veteran Los Angeles narcotics officer Alonzo Harris, whose questionable methods blur the line between legal and corrupt. Alonzo gets a new partner, idealistic rookie Jake Hoyt, and Jake has one day — and one day only — to prove his mettle to his fiercely charismatic superior. Over 24 hours, Jake will be dragged into the ethical mire of Alonzo’s logic as both men risk their careers and their lives to serve conflicting notions of justice. The Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures film was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Olympus Has Fallen, The Equalizer) from a screenplay by David Ayer (The Fast & the Furious). The film also stars Scott Glenn (Silverado, Backdraft), Cliff Curtis (Live Free or Die Hard), Dr. Dre (Set It Off), Snoop Dog (The Wash) and Eva Mendes (Ghost Rider, The Women). A 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray combo pack arrives Feb. 28.
Best friends come together to find love at a beach resort in the romantic comedy One Year Off, available via on demand and digital sellthrough Feb. 7 from Lionsgate. The film stars Jeff Fahey (“Lost,” Alita: Battle Angel), Nathalie Cox (Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop, Clash of the Titans) and Chad Michael Collins (“Sniper” series). The film follows Claire (Nathalie Cox) and her pals, who are invited to the West Indies by their friend Ben (Jeff Fahey), who just inherited an island getaway. To pass the long days, they start a business hosting beachfront weddings, resulting in both awesome success and hilarious disaster. Meanwhile, the sun and scenery put Claire, Ben, and their posse in the mood for romance.
The documentary To the End, about the fight for a Green New Deal, arrives for digital purchase and via on demand Feb. 7 from Lionsgate. Directed by Rachel Lears (Knock Down the House), the documentary follows four bold environmental leaders — activist Varshini Prakash, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, climate policy writer Rhiana Gunn-Wright and political strategist Alexandra Rojas — as they traverse the country, fighting to bring climate change and its effect on future generations to the forefront of America’s political debate and the nation’s consciousness. Filmed over four years, To the End lifts the veil on the battle for the future of our world, and gives viewers a front-seat view of history in the making.
Breaking Glass Pictures releases Nana’s Boy from director Ashton Pina via digital sellthrough and VOD Feb. 7. Nana’s Boy is the story of Amari, who, on the morning of his 30th birthday, struggles to make a decision on what’s next and questions his purpose in life. The day takes a rattling turn when an explosion cuts off utilities across New York City, forcing the city into a mandatory lockdown. Amari’s relationship with his partner Q is tested as the couple grapples with memories of the past that could shatter their plans altogether. Starring David J. Cork (P-Valley) and Jared Wayne Gladly (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), the film had its world premiere at the 2022 Inside Out Film Festival. It went on to play at Reeling 2022: The 40th Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Newfest, aGLIFF’s Prism LGBTQ+ Film Festival, and Out on Film Atlanta, and took home the Best Narrative Feature award at both the Black Alphabet Film Festival and the Baltimore International Black Film Festival. It arrives on DVD on Feb. 23.
The French murder mystery Jean-Denis Bonan’s A Woman Kills makes its Blu-ray Disc debut Feb. 7 from Radiance Films, an independent film distributor specializing in rare cinema. Filmed during the French civil unrest of May 1968, A Woman Kills never found distribution due to controversy around the director’s first film. Producer Anatole Dauman was unable to find distribution for the film for 45 years until Luna Park Films brought it back to life in a new restoration. The new wave-influenced serial killer film presents its narrative in an almost true crime approach yet focuses more on the psychological aspect with echoes of German Expressionism and Franju, set to a discordant, jazzy score. The Blu-ray of A Woman Kills will feature a brand-new HD restoration of the feature, along with newly produced and archival bonus features.
Best Buy Feb. 7 will have an exclusive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Steelbook edition of 2013’s Warm Bodies, marking its 10th anniversary. The film, which stars Nicholas Hoult as a zombie who falls in love with the daughter (Teresa Palmer) of the military leader tasked with wiping out the undead, was previously released on 4K in 2017.
The comedy Waitress! and the action adventure Divide & Conquer are being released on Blu-ray Feb 7 from Troma Films and MVD Entertainment Group.
In Waitress! (1981), an actress, a writer and a preppie wait on tables in a New York City restaurant. During their shift, the attractive women have to deal with inebriated customers and a slow chef, as well as mutinous patrons. Directed by Michael Herz and Lloyd Kaufman, the film features early on-screen appearances from Chris Noth (“Sex and the City”) and Scott Valentine (“Family Ties”). The release features “Chef’s Deliciously Mastered Feature Presentation”; a new intro by Lloyd Kaufman; commentary by Uncle Lloydie; “In the Kitchen” interviews with some of Troma’s staff; a “Foodporn” photo gallery; a “Before There was Toxie” DVD intro; “Gizzard Face 2: Troma Now” promo; and Troma trailers.
In Divide & Conquer (2021), three women warriors find themselves on the run and kicking in the teeth of every misogynist that dares to cross their path. Lloyd Kaufman calls it, “A feminist movie for the 21st century!” The estrogen fueled grindhouse tribute is written, directed and starring Mercedes the Muse (Honor Killing, Rose & Viktor: No Mercy). Special features include an introduction by Lloyd Kaufman; cast and crew commentary; “Making a Damn Movie: The Making of Divide & Conquer“; “The Three Muses” featurette; the Los Angeles premiere Q&A session; the premiere at the Balboa Theatre; trailers; and American Cinematheque honors Troma.