As we closed out 2025 and headed into what is typically a quiet start to the new year for physical media, December went out with a bang. Not only did long-anticipated titles like Boogie Nights and Minority Report receive 4K upgrades — complete with Steelbook options — but Kevin Smith’s long-delayed release of Dogma finally arrived under the Lionsgate Limited label. It delivered in such a big way that it ended up being my favorite release of the month.

Lionsgate also put out a Steelbook exclusive of Battle Royale, along with several Amazon exclusives, including a Southpaw Steelbook and a Good Fortune DigiPack. Another highlight was Arrow Video’s release of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trilogy on 4K, featuring exclusive artwork available through their own shop.

Rounding out the year, a handful of 2025 titles also hit shelves. Walmart released an exclusive Steelbook for The Black Phone 2, featuring Ethan Hawke’s character prominently on the cover. The much-discussed Bugonia also arrived in a 4K Steelbook, with early rumblings of Oscar attention already beginning to swirl. Shout Factory, meanwhile, continues to focus largely on re-issuing existing 4K titles in new Steelbooks following its move to the GRUV website as its primary hub for announcements and distribution. In a much quieter move, Walt Disney released a 4K upgrade of its animated classic The Emperor’s New Groove.

One release I saw coming — and can’t help rolling my eyes at — is the Anaconda 4K Steelbook. Back at the beginning of 2024, Mill Creek released a Blu-ray Steelbook for the film, which already raised the question of why a 4K upgrade wasn’t happening then. With the upcoming Jack Black and Paul Rudd Anaconda reboot, Sony has now stepped in to release the 4K upgrade themselves, leaving us with two Steelbooks for the same film in a relatively short span.

My least favorite releases continue to be some of Shout Factory’s offerings. The Grey, featuring Liam Neeson’s hands poised to punch wolves, is yet another example of the company avoiding actor likenesses rather than putting Neeson on the cover. Riddick suffered from a similar issue, using a hand clutching a snake instead — though the artwork there is admittedly a bit more effective.

Kino Lorber, on the other hand, has been on a strong run releasing excellent comedies that likely wouldn’t have received 4K upgrades otherwise. While I do wish the label invested more in original artwork for both its packaging and discs, I’m more forgiving given their consistent use of original poster art and the inclusion of reversible case artwork.

Looking ahead, January appears to be a predictably quiet month for physical media. At the top of my must-have list is Disney’s Tron: Ares 4K Steelbook, along with several Arrow Video releases, including Under Siege, Evil Dead Rise, and Snakes on a Plane.