WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
#26
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
Also, Criterion has a habit of using the word "new" very loosely. A number of their titles are promoted as having a "new master" that was actually several years old at the time of release.
#27
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
The listing at Criteron's site says "4K digital master, approved by director Andrew Stanton".
Which I feel like doesn't tell us anything. It could still be the existing master, the existing master with some tweaks, or a new master.
Which I feel like doesn't tell us anything. It could still be the existing master, the existing master with some tweaks, or a new master.
#28
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
So the director of WALL-E, Andrew Stanton requested the film be put in the Criterion Collection. It’s not a bigger plan for Criterion to release more Pixar/Disney films. Unless this sparks a partnership down the road, but seems like this may be a one off situation.

Getty ImagesAndrew Stanton
The Criterion Collection’s upcoming reissue of “WALL-E” will mark the first time that a Pixar film has been released as part of the prestigious home video series. The move comes at a cultural moment when animators and their fans have been fighting to see animation legitimized as a filmmaking medium, so many will be thrilled to see a Pixar film recognized as part of the prestigious collection.
But other cinephiles are concerned about Criterion’s increased openness to commercial films and have expressed disappointment about how the arthouse haven now collaborates with companies like Netflix and Disney. Combined with the company’s recent round of layoffs, some worried that the beloved Criterion Collection might be going in a new direction.
But as it turns out, the reissue of “WALL-E” was not the result of a strategic shift for the company. It was a unique project driven by one filmmaker’s passion for cinema.
In a new interview with IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “WALL-E” director Andrew Stanton spoke about the process of collaborating with Criterion on the project. He revealed that he reached out to the company on his own because he believed that the many allusions to silent films and other classic cinema made “WALL-E” a natural fit for the Criterion Collection.
“It felt like it was a love letter to everything from cinema that I took in from youth,” Stanton said. “Because of that, I felt like it had a chance to be appreciated by Criterion. So I put out an olive branch or a bat signal to them, and that was just before the pandemic. They said they were interested, which was exciting, but then the pandemic hit. We got serious about it last year. It was a real endorsement that they thought there was a there there.”
When asked if the “WALL-E” deal was part of a larger partnership between Disney and Criterion, Stanton made it very clear that this was a one-off project driven purely by his passion for the Criterion Collection.
“Not at all,” he said. “It was filmmaker-driven. If it’s anything, it was driven by my own filmmaker ego of wanting to be in the club.”
https://www.indiewire.com/2022/11/wa...XqLWP1ueHDvgSA
Andrew Stanton Reached Out to Criterion About ‘WALL-E’ Because He ‘Wanted to Be in the Club’
Andrew Stanton Reached Out to Criterion About ‘WALL-E’ Because He ‘Wanted to Be in the Club’
Stanton stressed that Pixar's first addition to the Criterion Collection is not part of a larger deal, but a one-off driven by his "filmmaker ego."
Christian Zilko
Getty ImagesAndrew Stanton
The Criterion Collection’s upcoming reissue of “WALL-E” will mark the first time that a Pixar film has been released as part of the prestigious home video series. The move comes at a cultural moment when animators and their fans have been fighting to see animation legitimized as a filmmaking medium, so many will be thrilled to see a Pixar film recognized as part of the prestigious collection.
But other cinephiles are concerned about Criterion’s increased openness to commercial films and have expressed disappointment about how the arthouse haven now collaborates with companies like Netflix and Disney. Combined with the company’s recent round of layoffs, some worried that the beloved Criterion Collection might be going in a new direction.
But as it turns out, the reissue of “WALL-E” was not the result of a strategic shift for the company. It was a unique project driven by one filmmaker’s passion for cinema.
In a new interview with IndieWire’s David Ehrlich, “WALL-E” director Andrew Stanton spoke about the process of collaborating with Criterion on the project. He revealed that he reached out to the company on his own because he believed that the many allusions to silent films and other classic cinema made “WALL-E” a natural fit for the Criterion Collection.
“It felt like it was a love letter to everything from cinema that I took in from youth,” Stanton said. “Because of that, I felt like it had a chance to be appreciated by Criterion. So I put out an olive branch or a bat signal to them, and that was just before the pandemic. They said they were interested, which was exciting, but then the pandemic hit. We got serious about it last year. It was a real endorsement that they thought there was a there there.”
When asked if the “WALL-E” deal was part of a larger partnership between Disney and Criterion, Stanton made it very clear that this was a one-off project driven purely by his passion for the Criterion Collection.
“Not at all,” he said. “It was filmmaker-driven. If it’s anything, it was driven by my own filmmaker ego of wanting to be in the club.”
Last edited by Mike86; 11-05-22 at 11:42 PM.
#29
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
Criterion could do with the occasional “mass market” film. It’s a good seller and it’s nice to get titles like this in an upgraded package.
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John Pannozzi (11-05-22)
#30
Senior Member
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
Yeah, he claims that Pixar is involved, but also said that Disney "had no involvement", which makes little sense, especially considering Disney owns Pixar.
And yeah, the Indiewire article Mike86 shared makes it sounds like this is something comparable to Shout Factory's Blu-ray release of the Disney-produced animated series Gravity Falls. A great release of a great show, but it proved to be a one-off. I'll still probably get the Criterion release of Wall*E anyway.
And yeah, the Indiewire article Mike86 shared makes it sounds like this is something comparable to Shout Factory's Blu-ray release of the Disney-produced animated series Gravity Falls. A great release of a great show, but it proved to be a one-off. I'll still probably get the Criterion release of Wall*E anyway.
#32
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
Also, there’s chatter going around that this was done at the behest of Andrew Stanton and does not indicate any future deals with Disney.
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John Pannozzi (11-07-22)
#33
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WALL-E to be released on Criterion Collection Nov. 22
I suspect they'll be dipping into the mainstream market more than ever to try and offset shrinking physical media market which is certainly shrinking their sales as well.