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‘Big Mouth’ Will Recast The Role Of Missy With A Black Actress As Jenny Slate Exits The Show

Jenny Slate has officially exited the Netflix series Big Mouth after coming to the decision that it was wrong for her to voice a Black character. The actor/comedian posted a statement to her Instagram account on Wednesday afternoon announcing her departure and her apology for the thought process that led her to accept the part of the Black character Missy despite Slate being white.

“At the start of the show, I reasoned with myself that it was permissible for me to play ‘Missy’ because her mom is Jewish and White — as am I,” Slate wrote. “But ‘Missy’ is also Black, and Black characters on an animated show should be played by Black people. I acknowledge how my original reasoning was flawed, that it existed as an example of white privilege and unjust allowances made within a system of societal white supremacy, and that in me playing ‘Missy,’ I was engaging in an act of erasure of Black people.”

In a closing paragraph, Slate apologized for her mistake and promised to engage in “meaningful anti-racist action”. She also offered her support to Black Lives Matter.

You can read her full statement below:

In a tandem statement tweeted by Big Mouth creator Nick Kroll, the creative team “wholeheartedly” agreed with Slate’s decision to exit the show and apologized for their role in not originally casting a Black actor.

“We made a mistake, took our privilege for granted, and we’re working hard to do better moving forward,” the creators said. “We are proud of the representation that Missy has offered cerebral, sensitive women of color, and we plan to continue that representation and further grow Missy’s character as we recast a new Black actor to play her.”

You can read the full statement from the Big Mouth creators below:

(Via Jenny Slate on Instagram, Nick Kroll on Twitter)

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People are sharing the red flags that made them realize someone was a bad friend

A communications professor I had in college once shared an analogy about friendship that has stuck with me for over 20 years: friends are like tools in a toolbox, there are different people for different jobs.

There are some friends that are great to party with but may not be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on. There are those you text with about pop culture or politics but may not see very often in person.

There are drinking buddies, workout friends, and those that you may only talk to about one shared interest. There’s also that coworker you hung out with every day at lunch then never saw them again after changing jobs.

Then there are also those lifelong friends that are like part of your family.


These friends are all part of the toolbox we carry with us throughout life.


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Sadly, we don’t take all of our friends along for the entire journey. There are some we realize aren’t really friends at all but it takes a while to come to the realization. Before the big defriending there are always hints along the way that things just aren’t right.

Reddit user dragonxgal, asked people on the askReddit subforum “What are red flags in a friendship most people brush away?” Their candid answers provide a great way to identify the people we think are friends, but really aren’t.

“When you hang out with them it feels like you’re defusing a bomb when theres nothing going on right then.” — The DialupGamer

Friends that only care to talk about their own success and aren’t genuinely happy for you and yours unless it amounts to less than their own.” — 313JoJo

“Friends who are good to you when one on one but constantly put you down In group settings. This is a big sign of insecurity/jealousy. Other signs: inappropriate attention seeking behaviors, trying to twist the situation on you when confronted about things, not respecting your boundaries, is super friendly with new people but in a disingenuous “I wanna be liked the most” way, constant gaslighting, getting mad at you for not going by the exact same moral playbook as them, when in group settings they get really uncomfortable and try to change the subject or put you down extra if attention is on you, acting they like can take constructive feedback but actually taking it out on you in small ways throughout the rest of the day.” — -MattTheRat-

Continually feeling like you want to say something but should hold your tongue.” — WilletteKinoshita

“Friends who gossip excessively. If they’re talking about other people, chances are they’re talking about you.” — Jalaphi23

“Always asking for favours but never there when you need them to return one.” — ayeblondie

“Inability or unwillingness to apologize when he or she does something wrong. It’s symptomatic of an ego issue that will eventually infect every aspect of your friendship.” — ohShrub

“Having their damn phone in their face the whole time. If they do that, they don’t want a friend, they want company. It’s not the same.” _splug

“Friends that are a one way street. I was always the one to message, call, or make plans with them. I was always the one to check up on them to see if they were okay. I always offered a helping hand and be there for them.

“I decided to stop to see if they would reach out to me, but we never spoke to me again. Oh, well.” — llunagirl

“When you realize that you are more yourself when they’re not around.” — kdizzleswizzle

“If you have had a friend for a long time, but you only seem to be able to talk about memories in the past.

“Each time you get together or exchange messages, it’s ‘Remember in high school….’ or ‘Remember that time when….’ – Could be a sign that you both have grown apart and do not have much in common today that you can connect on.” — Intersectaquire

“When they cancel plans, they always do it last-minute.” — TheRodgerizer

“If you think about them when you read this post.” — FloatingwithObrien

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Every day this father of two posts ridiculous dad jokes on a whiteboard in his driveway

As the old saying goes, “laughter is the best medicine.” According to science, it’s true. When dealing with tragic events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, finding a way to laugh, can be helpful to ourselves and others.

The humor must be appropriate, of course.

Neuroscientist V.S. Rakmachandran says that humor is a “mature defense mechanism” that can be seen alongside other defenses such as patience, humility, mindfulness, tolerance, and forgiveness.

He says that humor can give us a sense of control over traumatizing events and helps people deal with conflicting thoughts and emotions.


According to What’s Your Grief? Humor and laughter increase the production of dopamine, endorphins, T-cells, and immune proteins which may contribute to the following: strengthened immune function, stress reduction, decreased feelings of depression and anxiety, and elevated mood.

It also helps us put things in perspective and increases our problem-solving abilities.

Graeme Parsons, a father of two in Regina Saskatchewan, has been spreading some levity in his neighborhood during the pandemic by posting dad jokes on a whiteboard in his driveway every morning.

“It’s a crazy world we’re living in right now and there is so much negative all over social media and through the media. It’s a way to start brightening the days of people walking by in my neighborhood,” Parsons told Global News Canada.

He said the response has been overwhelming.

“It’s been absolutely amazing; it’s been extremely positive. Everybody in the neighborhood, I see them walking by day after day coming in to check the sign,” Parsons said.

“There’s people taking pictures of it, sending it to their parents who don’t live here,” he added.

The jokes have become so popular he’s posting them on Instagram, where he has nearly 1000 followers. “In a time of a world wide pandemic, humour can unite us all. Be safe. Be healthy. Stay strong. We will get through this together,” the page’s bio reads.

(Note: we said they were popular, not necessarily funny.)

Parsons says that the big reason he’s posting the jokes is to bring some smiles to people’s faces during such trying times.

“I’ll continue as long as people keep enjoying it and smiling and as long as people need laughter, which I don’t think ever goes out of style,” Parsons said.

“There’s plenty of material and smiles to pass around.”

There’s a scientific reason as to why people are responding to Parson’s dad jokes. Research shows that humor increases bonding among family and friends, enhances teamwork, helps diffuse conflict, and boosts morale.

So when you see someone indulging a bit of gallows humor during the crisis, don’t feel bad, laugh along. They’re actually helping us get through a tough time.

Here’s a message of gratitude from Parsons.

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​Elijah McClain played violin for lonely kittens. His last words to police are devastating.

Elijah McCain was a massage therapist who played violin for shelter kittens on his lunch break in his hometown of Aurora, Colorado, because he thought the animals were lonely. If that detail alone doesn’t conjure up a picture of a gentle soul, Colorado Music described McClain as a young man who was “quirky, a pacifist, a vegetarian, enjoyed running, and known to put a smile on everyone’s face.”

According to The Cut, McClain’s sister says he sometimes wore a ski/runner’s mask because he was anemic and would often get cold. One night last August, he was walking home from the convenience store with his mask on when the police approached him, responding to a call about “a suspicious man” in the area. What ensued was “a struggle” according to police, which was only partially caught on body camera, as all of the officers’ body cameras allegedly fell off during the incident.


McClain was held in a carotid hold, a controversial restraint technique banned in some cities for its potential danger, and was also given a shot of ketamine by paramedics. He had a heart attack on the way to the hospital and died there three days later, after having been declared brain dead.

He was unarmed. He was only 23. And his last words as the officers held him down are heartbreaking.

Unknown

The full body camera footage of the entire evening’s events was posted on YouTube by the Aurora Police Department in November, three months after McClain’s death. (Discretion is advised.)


Body Worn Camera Regarding the In-Custody Death of Elijah McClain

www.youtube.com

After the body camera footage was released, according to the Sentinel, District Attorney Dave Young sent a letter to Aurora police chief Nick Metz stating, “Based on the investigation presented and the applicable Colorado law, there is no reasonable likelihood of success of proving any state crimes beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. Therefore, no state criminal charges will be filed as a result of this incident.”

The officers were cleared of all wrongdoing.

However, the public outcry over the case has grown into a tsunami of calls for accountability. More than 2.2 million people have signed a Change.org calling for a more in-depth investigation into McClain’s death. On June 9, City Manager Jim Twombly agreed to an independent investigation of McClain’s death. But even that investigation has it snags, as the initial attorney commissioned to lead the investigation was a former police officer who specialized in defending police departments in liability cases.

“Unfortunately, an attorney with a long career in law enforcement that specializes in defending municipal police departments from liability claims doesn’t qualify, in our minds, as a neutral review,” the Aurora city council said in a statement.

Some policy changes have taken effect in Aurora this month. According to CBS Local in Denver, Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson has announced that officers can no longer use the carotid hold, they must give warnings before shooting, must intervene if they see an offer using excessive force, and relieve other officers when a use-of-force incident occurs. They will also be trained to not assume a person is suspicious based off of a 911 call.

Victims of police brutality don’t need to be angels. What’s wrong is wrong. But when a demonstrably tender and sweet soul like Elijah McClain is killed from a police encounter and no wrongdoing is found, it’s long past time to examine the rules that govern the entire system. No one in their right mind can say this young man shouldn’t be alive right now, playing violin for lonely kittens on his lunch hour.

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The Three Men Accused Of Killing Ahmaud Arbery Have Been Indicted


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MLS Announced Kick Times For Group Play Matches During Its Return Tournament

The NBA will not be the first professional sports league to use the friendly confines of Disney World to restart its season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. That honor will go to Major League Soccer, which will hold its MLS Is Back tournament there from July 8 and end on August 11, at which point a champion will be crowned.

The tournament’s groups have already been laid out, and we already know that things will transition from group play to knockout play once that gets all sorted out. One of the last things that needed to be all sorted out before everyone gets down to Disney for the tournament is information on kick times, dates for matches, and television info, and on Wednesday afternoon, the league announced how things will play out.

Things will kick off on July 8 with a pair of Group A matchups: Orlando will take on Miami at 8 p.m. EST, with Nashville and Chicago going head-to-head at 10:30. From there, every single day up to July 23 will include at least a pair of matches, with the knockout stage beginning on July 25. Here’s how group play will play out:

Once group play is all wrapped up, the round of 16 will begin on July 25 and run through the 28th. The quarterfinals will occur on July 30 and August 1, the semis are on August 5 and 6, and the final will take place on August 11. As for which teams will make the knockout round, Sam Stejskal of The Athletic explained that finishing in third place for the teams in groups B-F isn’t necessarily a death knell.

According to the league, ESPN, ESPN 2, Fox, FS1, and TuDN will air every match of the tournament during its run.

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SNX DLX: Featuring The YEEZY QUANTUM Barium, LeBron 17 Graffiti, And A Must Cop PALACE Drop

After a week of Nike completely dominating the top five, we’re happy to see some variety on SNX DLX this week, with great releases from… Nike (duh), Yeezy Brand, ASICS, and the King of Corduroy himself, Mr. Sean Wotherspoon. On the apparel end, skaters will be happy to find some fresh new threads from Supreme and Palace, and if you’re looking for another way to donate some money to the NAACP and support the protestors calling for an end to police violence, we’ve got a pretty sick charitable 8-panel cap from KILLSPENCER.

Without further ado, let’s dive into all the best sneaker and apparel releases for the week.

Air Jordan 4 Animal Instincts 2.0

Nike

Tinker Hatfield, who contributed more iconic sneaker designs than any other sneaker designer ever, made history when he introduced the world to “elephant-print” on the Air Jordan III. It’s still one of the best animal-inspired prints we’ve ever seen, and to take it one step further, Nike decided to add some snake and gator skin into the mix for a dangerous reptile-heavy aesthetic. Of course, it’s not actually snake, gator, or elephant skin, and that only makes the sneaker cooler.

The Air Jordan 3 Animal Instincts 2.0 is set to drop on June 25th for a retail price of $250. Pick up a pair through the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike

Nike LeBron 17 Graffiti

Nike

The LeBron 17 Graffiti borrows the IV’s most coveted LeBron IV colorway and slaps it across the 17s performance-based construction. Featuring integrated Foamposite technology, the LeBron 17 has everything a good court shoe should have: support, flexibility, comfort, and strong design.

The LeBron 17 Graffiti is out now for a retail price of $225. Pick up a pair through the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike

Adidas YEEZY QUANTUM Barium

Adidas

It’s been a minute since we’ve included a YEEZY of note on SNX DLX, but that ends this week with the release of the YEEZY QUANTUM in a sleek Barium iteration. We’ll have to see the Barium in person to see if it shares the color-shifting properties of the earth metal its named after, but shimmer or not, the Barium is one of the craziest basketball shoes we’ve ever seen. Is it even really a basketball shoe? Well, it was good enough for NBA All-Star Weekend, so that settles it!

The YEEZY QUANTUM Barium is set to drop on June 25th for a retail price of $250. Pick up a pair exclusively through YEEZY Supply.

Air Jordan 11 Low Concord Bred

Nike

A mashup of two massively popular Jordan colorways on a low-profile Jordan 11, the Concord Bred utilizes the Jordan Concord’s elegant white and black leather upper and sits it atop the Jordan Bred’s iconic red and white midsole. It’s not nearly as great as the sum of its parts, but it’s still a cool mashup that hardcore Jordan heads will get a kick out of… if they don’t find the whole thing slightly blasphemous.

The Air Jordan 11 Low Concord Bred is set to drop on June 27th for a retail price of $185. Pick up a pair through the Nike SNKRS app.

Nike

Atmos x Sean Wotherspoon x ASICS Capsule Collection

Atmos

By far the most colorful release of the week, this ASICS GEL-LYTE III iteration is a collaboration between Japanese retailer atmos and Courdoroy-obsessed sneaker designer Sean Wotherspoon. Dropping in a mismatched pair, Wotherspoon’s GEL-LYTE IIIs are inspired by 1984 Los Angeles and 2020 Tokyo. In what way, exactly? We can’t say, but the set includes sneakerhead-loving attention to detail, liked mixed fabrics, embroidery, and interchangeable Tiger stripes and patches.

In addition to the sneakers, atmos and Sean Wotherspoon have also put together an apparel collection of tie-dye shirts and corduroy bags that capture the collaboration’s playful spirit.

The atmos x Sean Wotherspoon ASICS GEL-LYTE III is set to drop on June 27th for a retail price of $264 along with the full apparel collection. Shop the capsule exclusively at atmos.

Atmos
Atmos
Atmos

Supreme Leigh Bowery Collection

Supreme

One day after we published our list of the greatest Supreme shirts of all time, and we already need to make an addition thanks to this Supreme capsule collection that celebrates performance artist and 80’s London club kid, Leigh Bowery. The collection consists of a long sleeve t-shirt, hoodies, and a short sleeve t-shirt with photos of Bowery, who used his body as a canvas, taken by several photographers including Jim Krewson, Fergus Greer, and Michael Costiff. A portion of the proceeds sold will go to benefit the New York City-based HIV/AIDS organization, Visual Aids.

The Supreme Leigh Bowery collection is set to drop on June 25th and will be shoppable from Supreme’s online store. An in-store and online release will follow for Japan on the 27th.

Supreme
Supreme

KILLSPENCER Black Lives Matter 8-Panel Caps

KILLSPENCER

Show your support for the Black Lives Matter movement with one of these 8-panel caps designed by KILLSPENCER. Coming in either wool or leather-bill iterations, this cap from California-based leather masters KILLSPENCER features a reflective fist logo and the KILLSPENCER’s leather patch branding on its right side. All proceeds from the sale of the hats will go directly to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is the best reason to buy a hat we’ve ever come across.

The KILLSPENCER Black Lives Matter 8 Panel caps are on sale now at the KILLSPENCER webstore for a retail price of $65 for the wool, and $85 for the leather.

KILLSPENCER

Palace Jean Charles de Castelbajac SS20 Capsule

Palace

If you thought Palace’s summer output couldn’t get any better, you were wrong, because this week brings a capsule collection from Palace designed by Moroccan and French designer Jean Charles de Castelbajac. The playful primary-color-heavy collection features classic Palace designs, like the Tri-Ferg logo, and infuses a bit of JCC’s childlike aesthetic. For something on the more out-there and loud end of the spectrum, grab the illustration-heavy checkered crewneck or button-up shirts.

Rounding out the collection is a colorful bucket hat and dual-branded Palace and Jean Charles de Castelbajac branded embroidered caps.

The Palace JCC SS20 capsule collection is set to drop on June 26th. Shop the full collection at the Palace webstore.

Palace
Palace
Palace
Palace
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What’s On Tonight: ‘The 100’ Battles A Monstrous New Threat

If nothing below suits your sensibilities, check out our guide to What You Should Watch On Streaming Right Now.

The 100 (CW, 8:00 p.m.) — A surprise reunion takes place on Bardo as Diyoza suffers under the hand of the Shepherd while back in Sanctum, Indra struggles to keep the peace as Russell schemes and the convicts start stealing weapons. Oh, and Clarke and company are caught in a sticky situation on a hostile planet.

Bulletproof (CW, 9:00 p.m.) — In Amsterdam, Bishop and Pike discover the dark operations of the Markides family as they search for a missing girl.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC, 10:00 p.m.) — A bumpy ride through the disco decade brings the team, and Daniel Sousa, back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters where a familiar face waits to help them take down the Chronicoms. Unfortunately, their plan might actually work this time and the Zephyr senses it which is why they’re hurtled into the future to a date pivotal to the team’s continuation and Director Mack’s career.

Nobody Knows I’m Here (Netflix) — Lost star Jorge Garcia gives a riveting turn in this Spanish drama about a musically gifted recluse hiding out on a Chilean sheep farm whose talent is finally discovered, thrusting his life into chaos.

Crazy Delicious (Netflix) — Calling all cooking show competition stans. Netflix is teaming up with BBC to give us another British import, but don’t expect friendly chats over custards and tarts this time around. Home cooks are charged with creating delicious dishes in a fantasy-themed environment that will impress a panel of merciless judges. It’ll be your new binge-watching obsession.

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Doja Cat Defends Her Chat Room Friends From Accusations That They’re Racist

It’s been almost a month since Doja Cat issued an apology after controversial videos and songs from her past resurfaced. But the singer has yet to put in her last words about the situation. On Tuesday, the singer took to social media to shame those who continue to accuse her chat room friends of racist remarks.

Back in May, clips surfaced of Doja Cat video chatting with a group of mostly white men, who many labeled as white supremacists and members of the Incel (involuntary celibate) subculture. While Doja Cat apologized for her past insensitive remarks and any harm she caused fans, the singer continues to dispel rumors that her chat room friends are racist or sexist.

The singer jumped on Instagram Live to ardently defend her internet friends and call out those who are still attempting to cancel her:

“I just realized how f*cking stupid that narrative is. I just realized that. The things, the verbal harassment, the physical harassment, that I could go through being in a crowd of white supremacists, who you think I’m so good friends with. It’s f*cking ridiculous. My friends aren’t f*cking racist on chatrooms. My friends on Tiny Chat are not f*cking supremacists. They love me, I love them. They’re loving, and that’s it. And you won’t find anything on them because you’re f*cking stupid. Your actions are stupid. You may not be stupid, you may be smart. But your actions are not telling. It just is what it is. You guys are f*cking disappointing. This isn’t how you combat problems. And if you think it is, then you need to grow the f*ck up, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you suck right now.”

Watch a clip of Doja Cat’s Instagram Live above.

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Columbia Classics Volume One Is A 4K Lover’s Dream Set

I’ve written about my love of 4K Blu-rays before, and being cooped up inside for the last few months, I’ve had plenty of time to watch more and more and more. Look, like you, I also love streaming. (I’ve watched a lot of HBO Max recently and I really didn’t see that coming. Their library of films is probably the most impressive of any streaming service right now.) But even 4K streaming can’t match the beauty of the 4K disc being pumped directly into your television with no internet bandwidth to worry about.

But a movie missing from 4K, up until now at least, as been Lawrence of Arabia, one of the most gorgeous looking films of all time. So when Sony sent me a review copy of their new set, Columbia Classics Volume One, yes, Lawrence Of Arabia was the first movie I popped in and it is breathtaking. Honestly, it looks like a movie that was made yesterday. I was floored. And just the right mixture of film grain to make it looks like you’re watching a theater screen. (There’s nothing worse than a transfer that takes out all the grain, making it look like it was shot with a digital camera circa 2005. If you want to see an example of this, watch the Terminator 2 4K disc.

The set is unusual because the movies included really have no relation to one another, not even the general time period they were made. The est includes the aforementioned Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Strangelove, A League of Their Own, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Jerry Maguire, and Gandhi.

I had so many questions about this set and why these movies, and if Sony is targeting more the enthusiast crowd over mass market, that I reached out over email and asked Jeremy Glassman, the director of brand marketing for catalog titles, and asked what all went into how this set was developed.

Why were these specific films picked?

Columbia Pictures has a rich and varied library of films from its nearly 100 years of history. We wanted to celebrate a selection of those films that have become foundational within pop culture and reflected both the eras in which they were made as well as being relevant to today. It was also an opportunity to debut titles that would really shine on 4K Ultra HD and that fans have wanted to own. In the cases of Mr. Smith, Lawrence, Dr. Strangelove and Gandhi, those are some of our studio’s “crown jewel” titles and this was the perfect instance to bring them together in the highest quality. Particularly Lawrence, since it’s definitely been one of our most-requested titles for 4K UHD over the years. Then for the remaining two “modern classics,” we wanted to hear from fans about which titles to include. We created an online poll last summer where fans could select from some of our most memorable films from the last 30 years, and after over 30,000 responses, League and Jerry were the top two choices. While the titles do span a variety of genres and visual styles, there are common threads across the films of the characters battling against oppressive systems, being a force for change, and fighting for a better world (sometimes unsuccessfully). Of course, they’re also all enormously entertaining and quotable, too, so that’s definitely important!

What are the biggest challenges of converting older movies to 4K? Did 4K scans already exist from prior Blu-ray releases?

The asset management team here at Sony Pictures, led by Grover Crisp, has been working within the 4K space for nearly two decades now and has been an industry leader in terms of quality and abilities. So as long as the right elements are available, the work can be done. While the process of converting film into a 4K presentation for the home is different and often more complex than working with a movie that was shot digitally, the result of that work can be stunning, as demonstrated by the films within this set. There are specific details about the picture and audio restorations for each of the set’s six films within the included book, but most notable and challenging was probably the work done for Lawrence of Arabia. Following the original physical restoration of the film in the late 1980s, Grover and his team scanned the film’s 65mm negative at 8K resolution to capture the full scope of detail, and did an immense amount of cleanup and repair work from there at 4K resolution, resulting in the stunning presentation we have today. In addition to Lawrence, while we did already have 4K masters used on Blu-ray for Mr. Smith, Dr. Strangelove, and Jerry Maguire prior to creating this set, Gandhi and League have been newly upgraded, and all six films have received additional attention in terms of audio upgrades and restorations, additional picture cleanup and adjustments, and expansion into the High Dynamic Range (HDR) color space.

A few people have asked me on Twitter if I knew if any of these would get an individual release? (Obviously, people are very interested in the new Lawrence of Arabia.)

While it’s possible that one or more of the included titles might get an individual release in the future, there are no plans this year for individual releases.

This is a Volume One, should we expect a Volume Two and do you know yet what might be included?

We’re very enthusiastic about the overall response to our Volume One set, and it’s certainly been encouraging for any future opportunities. There are definitely a lot of amazing titles from the Columbia library that would work well for a theoretical Volume Two set and we still have a lot of feedback to sort through from last year’s 4K fan poll.

Does this show Sony is committed to 4K films? We all realize streaming is very popular now, but there are still a lot of us (like me) who still love owning discs. Especially great 4K transfers that can’t be duplicated over even 4k streaming. But does this kind of package show that the strategy for older titles might be more toward collectors?

From a library perspective, it’s important to make our films available as broadly as possible and offer choice in how fans and families choose to watch. To that end, we are dedicated to continuing to bring our films to 4K UHD disc, as well as to digital platforms. We definitely see the passion of the physical consumer, especially for 4K UHD, and share in the excitement of bringing our movies to the format in the highest possible quality all around. While the Columbia Classics set is certainly one way to bring together our films for collectors, it’s not our sole strategy going forward. We recently released standalone 4K Ultra HD editions of the adventure favorite The Mask of Zorro and the acclaimed masterpiece Boyz N The Hood, and have many other 4K UHD releases of both recent and classic titles planned beyond any other possible higher-end packages.

And related to the prior question, I guess I’m just wondering about the strategy of what catalog films get the 4k release treatment. The Bridge on the River Kwai had a prior release (and it’s a beautiful transfer), but going forward would movies like that be part of this kind of package?

There are a combination of factors that go into deciding what catalog titles get released in 4K, and it’s often a blend of the creative, the cultural, and the commercial. We usually consider key anniversaries as a driving factor, as well as theatrical drafting opportunities for related library films, important global or focused events. And sometimes just fun or meaningful movies from the catalog that sometimes may offer a cool filmmaker or special feature opportunity. The availability of 4K masters for the films is also a consideration, and we’re always enthusiastic to further expand our studio 4K asset library. The way we bring a title to market is also driven by a variety of considerations, so it wouldn’t necessarily be the case that titles like The Bridge on the River Kwai or similar would only be available within a larger set, it entirely depends on the specifics of a given title.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.