BBC Worldwide has revealed to TechRadar that it expects to release Planet Earth 2 on Ultra HD Blu-ray following the existing Full HD Blu-ray and DVD releases.
Although it was unable to confirm a release date, we were told to expect more details in the New Year.
The news should be music to the ears of 4K TV owners, since although being shot in the new Ultra HD format, the series in its entirety has thus far only been viewable in HD.
4K tease
A small amount of footage from Planet Earth 2 in 4K has been made available through an iPlayer trial available on select devices including Sky Q and Panasonic’s TVs, but the amount of footage is a fraction of the total series.
In contrast, an Ultra HD Blu-ray disc release should see the entirety of the series made available, and because it’s a physical release rather than streamed online, viewers shouldn’t be limited by constraints such as internet speed.
If the BBC’s recent 4K trial is anything to go by then a 4K version of iPlayer seems probable at some point in the future, but a physical release should be an excellent treat for wildlife fans in the meantime.
Planet Earth was renowned for being one of the shows that propelled Blu-ray as the disc format for choice back in 2007, even though the series was actually released both on HD DVD and Blu-ray.
Users will need to make sure they have an Ultra HD Blu-ray player if they want to enjoy the disc when it releases. Check out our guide to the best 4K Blu-ray players for some top picks.
- How to watch Planet Earth 2 in 4K HDR right now, and check out our guide to the best 4K TVs if you're yet to make the jump.
