Christopher Nolan’s Memento is finally getting a 4K Blu-ray — and it’s the first disc of his movies to be approved for a Dolby Vision HDR version by the man himself

• Christopher Nolan's Memento is being restored for a 4K Blu-ray
• This marks the first Blu-ray release with Nolan-approved Dolby Vision HDR
• A release date hasn't been announced, but we know it's 'coming soon'

Christopher Nolan is ruling the box office right now with the release of his epic fantasy The Odyssey (2026), but the movie that introduced him to the world over 25 years ago is finally getting a 4K Blu-ray release.

Nolan’s sophomore feature Memento (2000) is being restored in 4K by independent Australian distributor and restoration specialist Umbrella, and will be available in Dolby Vision HDR in Collector and Standard editions. A release date hasn’t been announced, and it’s unclear whether the restoration will be sourced from the original film negative, but we know it’s ‘coming soon’.

To say that Memento put Christopher Nolan on the map is an understatement. The crime thriller, which stars Guy Pearce as a man with amnesia on a mission to find the person responsible for his wife’s murder, earned Oscar nominations for Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay, losing to Julian Fellowes for Gosford Park (2001).

When released, it will be the 12th Nolan feature to receive a 4K Blu-ray restoration, with The Odyssey 4K edition set for a November 17 release. That leaves his directorial debut, Following (1998), the only feature film without a 4K version, and one can only hope this will follow in the footsteps of his other movies.

That said, there’s a slight twist with Memento’s restoration, as it marks the first time one of his movies has received director-approved Dolby Vision HDR for a physical release. According to Umbrella, the company teamed up with Nolan to bring this added flair to the new 4K release and shared the following post to X:

While this is a first for Christopher Nolan and his physical releases, you can catch Dolby Vision HDR versions of his movies across the best streaming services, and through digital purchasing platforms such as Prime Video.

Why this is the case for digital versions and not physical formats is unknown, but it’s likely that it all comes down to control. Nolan seems to exercise a lot of control over the choice of formats used in the Blu-ray releases, but perhaps doesn't have as much control — or perhaps doesn't mind as much — when it comes to streaming. Platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, or other services also often have automated pipelines to support Dolby Vision, which may play a part.

As mentioned, Umbrella has yet to announce an official release date for the 4K Memento Blu-ray, so, annoyingly, we’re being forced to wait patiently. However, the distributor has released first-look images of the restoration, and it’s clear that a lot of work has gone into refining the feature’s neo-noir landscapes. Fingers crossed the viewing experience will blow previous 4K restorations out of the water.

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