Rumor: The Abyss 4K Blu-Ray tentatively coming in August with James Cameron’s approval

I’ve come to accept that director James Cameron will end his career making endless sequels to Avatar but that doesn’t mean I have forgotten some of his stellar earlier work. Some of Cameron’s work seems perfect for a 4K Blu-Ray release and while I’m still holding out for True Lies, it looks like his 1989 film, The Abyss, could be on the way.

We’re calling this a rumor for now because an official release date hasn’t been announced but we do have some info that a 4K edition of The Abyss is coming. Back in December, during an interview with Space.Com, Cameron said that he did indeed oversee a 4K digital transfer of the film. At the time he praised cinematographer Mikael Salomon’s work on the film and even expressed regret that he didn’t appreciate it enough when he was working in it.

“It is truly, truly gorgeous cinematography. That was before I started to assert myself in terms of lighting and asking the cinematographer to do certain things. I’d compose with the camera and choose the lenses, but I left the lighting to him. He did a remarkable job on that movie that I appreciate better now than I did even as we were making it.”

During the same interview, Cameron said that he hopes with the recently-finished high-def transfer that audiences can enjoy the film in pristine condition via streaming and on physical media. At the time, he said he completed the transfer two months ago. The Twitter page GeekGabNews, says the 4K edition will release tentatively in August of this year but since we haven’t gotten an official announcement, we’re going to call that release date a rumor, for now. You can check out the post below!

The Abyss, released in 1989, is a science fiction film written and directed by James Cameron that stars Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. In the film, when an American submarine sinks in the Caribbean, a US search and recovery team works with an oil platform crew, racing against Soviet vessels to recover the boat. While deep in the ocean, they encounter something unexpected. The Abyss was released to critical acclaim, registering an 89% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes but some believe that the film was expected to perform better at the box office. By the end of its run, the movie grossed $54.4 million domestically and $90 million worldwide. There were issues about scenes that were removed from the film’s theatrical cut due to mixed test screenings but the history of the film’s release and tales of its special edition, have given the film a bit of a second life as a cult classic in Cameron’s filmography. The movie is also known for its state-of-the-art visuals which led to the film winning the 1990 Oscar for Best Visual Effects and it was also nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound.

Do YOU want a 4K Blu-Ray release of The Abyss?