The stop-motion process used by Laika makes you want to see deeper into the frame. Now you can with even more of their films coming out on 4K UHD sets. Kubo And The Two Strings and The BoxTrolls are arriving in February. They’re also receiving Steelbooks in case you want them to look lofty on your prized home video shelf. Here’s the press release from Shout! Factory and Laika:
 |  |
| ICONIC FILMS KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS AND THE BOXTROLLS COME TO 4K UHD FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM LAIKA AND SHOUT! FACTORY |
 | |
| *Image of 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray (Limited SteelBook™ Edition) |
| Beloved by cinephiles worldwide, LAIKA has built a stellar reputation amongst film lovers for blending trailblazing artistry with bleeding-edge filmmaking technology to create timeless stories that resonate across generations. LAIKA and Shout! Factory are proud to announce Kubo and the Two Strings and The Boxtrolls will be available in 4K for the first time ever in the coming months, allowing fans to experience these cherished films in the highest possible fidelity. Supervised by LAIKA’s visionary filmmaking team, these dazzling 4K remasters feature HDR and Dolby Vision plus Dolby Atmos for the ultimate entertainment experience. Rolling out on February 28, 2023, the Kubo and the Two Strings 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray (Limited SteelBook™ Edition), and the Kubo and the Two Strings 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Standard Edition), as well as the The Boxtrolls 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray (Limited SteelBook™ Edition), and the The Boxtrolls 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Standard Edition) come loaded with a bevy of previously released bonus features from LAIKA’s archives. The February releases join the previously announced 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray (Limited SteelBook™ Edition) and the 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Standard Edition) editions of Coraline and ParaNorman, both available December 13, 2022. All four LAIKA 4K UHD titles—Coraline, ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings and The Boxtrolls—are also available digitally for purchase or rental on all major platforms starting December 13, 2022. The scrupulous remastering process for both titles was overseen by the team at LAIKA, led by LAIKA CEO (and Kubo and the Two Strings Director) Travis Knight, and Visual Effects Supervisor Steve Emerson, who pored over each film shot-by-shot, paying close attention to every last detail and color to present these groundbreaking films in the most dynamic format. The use of Dolby Vision has made these films look more spectacular than ever before, with vivid colors and exacting picture quality, and with highlights brighter and essential dark elements darker, unleashing the full potential of HDR technology. The films were also mixed in Dolby Atmos spatial audio, bringing out more details and clarity in the sound, resulting in an even more immersive experience for fans. Perennial favorites and critically acclaimed, these films showcase LAIKA’s inventive stop-motion and CG hybrid technique and were both nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Featured Film. The SteelBook™ releases feature new hand drawn art from acclaimed illustrators carefully selected to newly represent the films while keeping their original spirit alive. The Boxtrolls was created by Cancun-based illustrator and Art Director Cesar Moreno, known for creating bold and vibrant illustrations; and the Kubo and the Two Strings cover art was drawn by Kevin Tong, an artist living and working out of Austin, TX. |
 |  |
| *Image of 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray (Standard Edition) Kubo and the Two Strings (Limited Edition SteelBook™) (4K UHD) Kubo and the Two Strings 4K Ultra HDTM + Blu-RayTM Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan. The film follows clever, kindhearted Kubo as he ekes out a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town. But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With the help of his shamisen – a magical musical instrument – Kubo must battle gods and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King and the evil twin Sisters to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his family and fulfill his heroic destiny. Voice Cast: Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes, Art Parkinson, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro. Screenplay by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler. Produced by Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight. Directed by Travis Knight. Special Features: Feature-Length StoryboardsInside LAIKA -Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team Inside LAIKA—Confronting the Epic Challenges of Kubo and the Two Strings Audio Commentary with Director/Producer Travis Knight “Kubo’s Journey” Original Featurettes The Boxtrolls (Limited Edition SteelBook™) (4K UHD) The Boxtrolls 4K Ultra HD™ + Blu-Ray™ This comedic fable unfolds in Cheesebridge, a posh Victorian-era town obsessed with wealth, class, and the stinkiest of fine cheeses. Beneath its charming cobblestone streets dwell the Boxtrolls, foul monsters who crawl out of the sewers at night and steal what the townspeople hold most dear: their children and their cheeses. At least, that’s the legend residents have always believed. In truth, the Boxtrolls are an underground cavern-dwelling community of quirky and lovable oddballs who wear recycled cardboard boxes the way turtles wear their shells. The Boxtrolls have raised an orphaned human boy, Eggs, since infancy as one of their dumpster-diving and mechanical junk-collecting own. When the Boxtrolls are targeted by villainous pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher, who is bent on eradicating them as his ticket to Cheesebridge society, the kindhearted band of tinkerers must turn to their adopted charge and adventurous rich girl Winnie to bridge two worlds amidst the winds of change – and cheese. Voice Cast: Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, and Simon Pegg. Produced by David Bleiman Ichioka, Travis Knight. Screenplay by Irena Brignull, Adam Pava. Based on the book Here Be Monsters by Alan Snow. Directed by Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable. Special Features: Inside LAIKA – Discovering the Characters of The Boxtrolls with Never-Before-Seen Test Footage Inside LAIKA – Revisiting the Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team Feature-Length Storyboards Foreword by Ramin Zahed, the Editor in Chief of Animation Magazine Audio Commentary with Directors Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi The Making of The Boxtrolls Original Featurettes ABOUT LAIKA: LAIKA, founded in 2005 in Oregon and shaped by the vision of its President & CEO Travis Knight, is a studio that combines a classic commitment to artistry and the cinematic crafts with a delight in innovation and cutting-edge techniques. The studio’s five films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) and Missing Link (2019) were all nominated for the Academy Award® for Outstanding Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was also awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® plaque in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. LAIKA is currently in production on its sixth animated film Wildwood, based on the book series by Colin Meloy and illustrator Carson Ellis. The studio is developing its first live action feature film based on the action thriller novel Seventeen by screenwriter John Brownlow as well as the animated feature The Night Gardener, in partnership with and based on an original idea by Bill Dubuque, the creator of the hit Netflix series Ozark. www.laika.com YouTube LAIKATwitter LAIKAFacebook LAIKAIG LAIKA ABOUT SHOUT! FACTORY Shout! Factory, LLC is a leading multi-platform media company devoted to film and TV distribution, development, and production. Founded by Richard Foos, Bob Emmer, and Garson Foos in 2003, Shout! owns and manages a large portfolio of films, contemporary and classic TV series, animation, and documentaries. The company’s creative acquisition mandate has established it as a leading independent distributor, with partners and properties including GKIDS, Sesame Street, LAIKA Studios, The Jim Henson Company, The Carol Burnett Show, The Johnny Carson Show, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, ALF, ITV Studios, Major League Baseball Productions, and many others. Shout! Factory Kids focuses on live-action and animated kids and family properties as well as anime, and the company releases films and television shows in other genres under the Scream Factory and Shout Select imprints. Shout! develops, acquires and distributes new films via Shout! Studios, owns and operates libraries including Mystery Science Theater 3000 (in partnership with creator Joel Hodgson) and the Roger Corman New Horizons Pictures Library and operates the acclaimed streaming service Shout! Factory TV. Shout! Factory is based in Los Angeles, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com. |
