“Wall-E,” Pixar‘s 2008 sci-fi love-story animated film classic, is getting a special three-disc 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray release from the Criterion Collection this fall.
The special edition of “Wall-E,” the first collaboration between Criterion and Disney’s Pixar, features a 4K digital master approved by director Andrew Stanton, according to Criterion. The three-disc set will be available Nov. 22, 2022, and is currently available to pre-order from Criterion’s site for $39.96.
“Wall-E” is set in the 29th century, after humans have long since fled Earth for outer space, leaving the movie’s protagonist — the last functioning trash-compacting robot — to go about the work of cleaning up the pollution-choked planet, one piece of garbage at a time. When he meets EVE, a fellow automaton sent to detect plant life, the pair are launched on an intergalactic quest to return humanity to Earth.
According to Criterion’s description, “Transporting us simultaneously back to cinema’s silent origins and forward light-years into the future, ‘Wall-E’ is a soaring ode to the power of love and art to heal a dying world.”
“Wall-E” won the Oscar for best animated feature in 2009, among other accolades, and last year it was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.
The film’s runtime is 98 minutes. Criterion’s “Wall-E” special edition includes one 4K UHD disc of the film, presented in both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+, and two Blu-ray discs with the film and special features. There are two audio commentaries available: one featuring Stanton and the other with character supervisor Bill Wise, co-producer Lindsey Collins, story artist Derek Thompson, and lead animator Angus MacLane.
Other extras in Criterion’s “Wall-E” release include new programs on Stanton’s cinematic influences and production designer Ralph Eggleston’s color scripts; a tour of the Pixar Living Archive with Stanton; and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film, including segments from early animation reels.
The disc set also includes “The Pixar Story,” a 2007 documentary by Leslie Iwerks, and more than a dozen documentary features about the film’s production and robots; “Anatomy of a Scene: The Plant,” billed as a masterclass with Stanton; “Wall-E: A to Z,” a new program featuring Stanton and co-screenwriter Jim Reardon; deleted scenes featuring commentary by Stanton; and Stanton’s 1987 student film “A Story.”
Also included are an essay by author Sam Wasson; selections from Stanton’s sketchbooks, script notes and drawings; and artwork from the “Wall-E” team.
