'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Will Hit Digital HD In March, Blu-Ray And DVD In April
If the worldwide box office is any indication, just about everyone reading this sentence has already seen Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Heck, many of you have probably seen it several times. And pretty soon, you'll be able to watch it until your heart's content, because Disney has officially announced the home video release date for the first Star Wars spin-off and it's arriving soon.
Rogue One will become available on digital HD on March 24, 2017, with physical Blu-ray and DVD copies arriving on April 4, 2017. This aligns with all of the early rumors suggesting a late March or early April arrival date – they're just splitting the difference.
The initial announcement arrived on the latest episode of The Star Wars Show and you can skip ahead to the 1:50 mark in the video below for details. They also list off some of the special features that will be on the disc – featurettes include "A Rogue Idea," which takes a look at John Knoll's original pitch, "Visions of Hope," about the design choices seen in the film, and "The Princess and Governor," which will examine the digital recreations of certain iconic Star Wars actors.
The announcement also comes with a new trailer, which provides the release dates and teases a few special features. The most amusing thing about this video is how it utilizes extensive footage from scenes that were kept out of the original trailers at all costs, including shots from a major character's death scene. The marketing is very aware that you've already seen this movie and it's gently nudging you, saying "Remember that part? That was cool and dramatic, right? You want to see that again, right? You want to have that on your shelf, right?"
And not to brag, but the trailer also features a quote from our own Peter Sciretta, where he describes the film as "edge-of-your-seat thrilling" (you can read his full review here, if you desire).
Because this is such a beautifully made movie, this disc feels like a must-own just so I can give my television and speakers a workout. Hopefully, the special features will offer something worthy of exploration, especially since the initial home video release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a bit of a dud in that department. Here is the complete list of features (via StarWars.com) that will be included on the Rogue One home video release:
StarWars.com also provided details about retailer exclusives, letting you strategize about exactly where you want to buy your copy:
And here is what the box art will look like in its many incarnations:
This news follows hot on the heels of the second Star Wars spin-off movie, the untitled young Han Solo adventure, officially starting production. It's due in theaters on May 25, 2018. The next core movie in the saga, Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, is set for a December 15, 2017 release date. In other words, there's a chance we'll be reading The Last Jedi Blu-ray and DVD news right around the time Han Solo swoops into theaters.