After more than 55 years of waiting, fans of Ken Russell’s controversial horror masterpiece The Devils are finally getting the definitive home video release they’ve been hoping for. Warner Bros. Clockwork has announced that the 4K restoration of the uncensored director’s cut will arrive on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on April 20, 2027. The release will be available in two editions, including a three-disc Collector’s Edition featuring all three versions of the film.
As we previously reported, the restored director’s cut received a theatrical release in North America this October, giving audiences an opportunity to experience Russell’s original vision on the big screen. Now, the film is heading to physical media in 4K UHD for the first time ever.
The centerpiece of the release is the three-disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray Collector’s Edition, which carries a suggested retail price of $76.66. The package includes a rigid slipcase, an eight-panel three-disc holder, and a 96-page book featuring previously unseen photography and production materials, excerpts from the original continuity script, new essays by Mark Kermode and Linda Ruth Williams, and newly unearthed archival crew interviews.
The discs contain more than 14 hours of material. The first disc features the uncensored, definitive director’s cut in 4K UHD, encoded by Fidelity in Motion with a newly restored monaural soundtrack.
The second disc contains all three versions of the film on Blu-ray:
All three versions feature a newly restored monaural soundtrack. The third disc is dedicated to bonus material, including several previously unseen interviews and archival discoveries.
Warner Bros. has assembled an extensive collection of extras for the Collector’s Edition, including material that has never been available to the public before. Among the highlights are:
And that’s not even everything. Warner Bros. promises additional material in the package.
For those who don’t need the extensive Collector’s Edition package, Warner Bros. is also releasing a standard 4K UHD edition for $36.66. This version includes the uncensored 114-minute director’s cut, encoded by Fidelity in Motion, with a newly restored monaural soundtrack. It also comes with more than four hours of bonus material, including:
The standard edition comes in a slipcase with an eight-panel, one-disc digipak. Both editions are available to preorder through major retailers.
The new 4K restoration was completed using the film’s original camera negative at Warner Bros. Water Tower Color. The audio restoration used the original English Composite 35mm magnetic film, with additional original film elements incorporated where necessary.
The director’s cut was reconstructed in 2004 under the supervision of Russell and the film’s editor, Michael Bradsell, with the collaboration of critic Mark Kermode. Warner Bros. describes this as the definitive version of The Devils.
Released in 1971, The Devils stars Oliver Reed as Father Grandier, a charismatic priest whose unconventional views and influence over the people of 17th-century Loudun make him a threat to powerful political and religious figures. When the tormented Sister Jeanne (Vanessa Redgrave) becomes consumed by an obsession with Grandier, accusations of demonic possession, corruption, and witchcraft begin to spread. The resulting hysteria becomes an opportunity for Cardinal Richelieu to eliminate Grandier and consolidate his power.
Written and directed by Russell, the film also features Christopher Logue.
The Devils was one of the most controversial movies of its era. Its graphic depictions of sexuality, religion, violence, and political corruption resulted in an X rating in both the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as extensive censorship and bans in several countries.
In 1971, Russell received Best Director awards at the Venice International Film Festival and from the US National Board of Review for the film. Over the decades, its reputation has continued to grow. Filmmakers and critics, including Guillermo del Toro and Mark Kermode, have championed Russell’s work and its importance in cinema history.
Here are the important details for both editions:
The Devils 3-Disc 4K UHD + Blu-ray Collector’s Edition
The Devils Standard 4K UHD Edition
Both editions include English, Parisian French, Italian, German, and Castilian Spanish audio options. Subtitle options include English SDH, Parisian French, Latin Spanish, Dutch, Castilian Spanish, Italian, German, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish.
With its first-ever 4K UHD presentation, the arrival of all three versions on Blu-ray, and a large collection of archival material, this is shaping up to be a definitive home video release for one of the most provocative films ever made. Are you planning to pick up The Devils on 4K UHD? Will you be going for the three-disc Collector’s Edition? Let us know in the comments below.