We interrupt the Mario Puzo script analysis with this Muppet news flash…

We now have more information about the forthcoming 4K release of the Superman films. HD Movie Source has released what appears to be the final cover artwork for what is tentatively being called the Superman 5-Film Collection: 1978-1987, which is still set for release on April 18, 2023.

There are differing opinions about whether or not this is the final cover artwork. Bill Hunt of the Digital Bits says that it is, although according to Jim Bowers of CapedWonder.com, Warner Home Video has stated that they did not release the above artwork, and they have yet to issue an official press release. My only advice is to take the artwork with a grain of salt.

HD Movie Source has further posted that this will be a whopping ten discs in all, five 4K discs and five Blu-ray discs of the theatrical versions of Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV, and the 2006 final version of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, along with digital copies of each film.

Furthermore, all of the films will be remastered in 4K 2160p format with HDR10 and 2.39:1 aspect ratio of their original theatrical releases. The exact English audio tracks are not yet finalized, but it will also include Spanish and French Dolby Digital mono sound, with subtitles in English SDH, Spanish, and French.

As far as added features go, nothing has been officially announced at this time. However, given the previous 2018 4K release of Superman: The Movie, I am inclined to think that many of the earlier legacy features from the 2006 Ultimate Collector’s Edition DVD set and the 2011 Blu-ray anthology will be ported over to the new 4K set.

With this latest news, I have to believe that this new 4K release of the first Superman film will be a vast improvement over the previous 2018 edition and that all of the films will indeed get a proper remaster. But as I had posited earlier in my blog, the big question still concerns the Donner Cut. Will the visual effects be upgraded and brought into a proper balance? In my opinion those visual effects are the weakest of all five films, and a proper rebalance is in order. It would not look like a real film if those effects were not corrected and the film brought up to par with the other films.

And the price tag for the set: a staggering $155.99. So start saving your nickels and dimes for this one!

As more news becomes available, I’ll pass it along to you.

Many thanks to Bill Hunt, Jim Bowers, and HD Movie Source for all of the latest news and information on this upcoming and highly anticipated 4K release.