Technically speaking, the first Disney+ original series to receive a physical media release was The Beatles: Get Back, but that was a function of the distribution rights Disney agreed to when they acquired the Peter Jackson-directed documentary series. Nearly 4 years since the launch of Disney’s streaming service, the first homegrown original series to be legally pressed on disc is Marvel Studios Loki. And it’s no coincidence that it arrives just ahead of the series' second season, which kicks off on Thursday, October 5th. Disney has been the only major streaming service to consistently not offer home video releases of its most sought-after exclusive content, but at long last, they’re finally testing the waters with the Loki Season 1 Collector’s Edition.
(Marvel Studios)
Set after Avengers: Endgame, Loki follows the thread of a new timeline that began when a past version of the God of Mischief (Tom Hiddleston) stole the Tesseract and escaped The Avengers. Arrested by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), Loki is assigned to Agent Mobius M. Mobius (Owen Wilson) to be reset and turned into a TVA Agent himself. But before he can be repurposed, he is burdened by the glory of a multiverse of variants of himself. Billed initially as a 6-part limited series, one of Loki’s biggest tricks was the well-kept secret that Loki would be a continuing series, one that introduced Kang the Conquerer (Jonathan Majors) to the MCU before his big screen debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Seemingly aimed at a niche collector’s market, Loki and a handful of upcoming Disney+ originals (Marvel’s WandaVision and Lucasfilm’s The Mandalorian) are being released exclusively in SteelBook packaging on 4K and Blu-Ray (and DVD as a Disney Movie Club exclusive format). This review covers the 4K release, although all variants (or formats) carry the exact same content in their maximum resolution. As an added bonus for MCU collectors, the set contains some exclusive bonus features, including deleted scenes and the complete animated TVA Orientation Video starring Miss Minutes, plus a set of three concept art cards.
Bonus Features
Disc 1
- Designing the TVA (5:43) – Step into the incredible set of Loki Season 1 with Production Designer, Kasra Farahani, and Tom Hiddleston while getting a sneak peek into Season 2.
- The Official TVA Orientation Video (1:46) – Miss Minutes explains the inner workings of the TVA timeline in her orientation video.
- Gag Reel (1:21) – Take a look at some of the fun outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Loki Season 1.
- Deleted Scenes (4:59)
- Loki’s Coronation (2:35) – Mobius reviews some moments from Loki’s timeline, in which Frog Thor makes an appearance during Loki’s coronation.
- The Standoff (2:24) – Loki holds Sylvie hostage against the TVA in a standoff.
Disc 2
- Assembled: The Making of Loki (1:03:01) – Loki explores the series centering on the MCU’s chief mischief maker.
Video
With a retro-futuristic aesthetic, Loki’s production design often employs muted color schemes with low lighting levels. The transfer handles all of that exceptionally well, but where it really shines are towards the end of the season when Loki and Sylvie enter far more colorful territory. The transfer also boasts a lot of details that I missed in its streaming counterpart, particularly when it comes to textures on costumes and surfaces. This release retains the series’ cinematic 2.39:1 aspect ratio, although it breaks this at select times, such as expanding to academy ratio for the TVA orientation video. (Note: The back of the package incorrectly lists the aspect ratio as 1.78:1)
Audio
The primary audio mix on the 4K Ultra-HD discs is Dolby Atmos. The rear channels are primarily used for score and ambient sounds, although the big action moments feel very immersive. Additional audio options include a 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Audio mix, plus Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital
Packaging & Design
Loki Season 1 Collector’s Edition comes in SteelBook packaging, with discs held on individual spindles on the backside of the interior. The 4K discs feature orange labels and line art for Miss Minutes (the Blu-Ray version has green discs with Loki icons, and the Disney Movie Club exclusive DVDs have blue artwork with TVA icons). The only insert is a package of three art cards, a physical collectible. There isn’t a code for reward points through Disney Movie Insiders. The menu for both discs features Loki flanked by Mobius, Ravonna Renslayer, Hunter B-15, and Miss Minutes in front of a spinning TVA clock set to score.
Final Thoughts
As a fan of physical media and a collector of MCU films, I’m excited that Disney is humoring physical media releases for Disney+ original series. Overall, this is a winning release. While a traditional case option would’ve been nice for those who aren’t a fan of SteelBooks, the fact that this initial wave of releases has a consistent style is appreciated (I just hope they stick with it). My only complaint is that there aren’t any chapters within the episodes, which is particularly frustrating when it comes to the recaps of what’s come before. You can quickly skip them on Disney+, so not offering the same on the disc release is a real head-scratcher. But I’m hopeful that these releases will continue, as evidenced by the “1″ on the spine, implying that Loki Season 2 will get a physical media release if the sales numbers meet Disney’s expectations.
Purchase Options
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