 Logo used since 2024 | |
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Home video |
| Founded | March 23, 2009; 16 years ago (2009-03-23) |
| Products | Home video releases |
| Services | Digital distribution Physical distribution |
| Parent | Warner Bros. Home Entertainment |
TheWarner Archive Collection is a home video division for releasing classic and cult films fromWarner Bros.' library.[1][2] It started as amanufactured-on-demand (MOD) DVD series byWarner Bros. Home Entertainment on March 23, 2009, with the intention of putting previously unreleased catalog films on DVD for the first time.[3] In November 2012, Warner expanded the Archive Collection to includeBlu-ray releases.[4][5] Some Warner Archive releases, such asWise Guys, previously had a pressed DVD release but have lapsed out of print and have since been re-released as part of the Warner Archive collection.
DVDs are manufactured on-demand for the consumer and authorized distributors for online resale using DVD-R Recordable media rather than the traditional business model of pressing large batches of discs that ship to "brick and mortar" retailers. This saves on the costs of storing unsold stock in a warehouse and mitigates the risk of a retailer holding unsold merchandise, especially since the majority of the films in the archive do not have widespread public demand. However, the use of DVD-R Recordable media for manufacturing DVDs on-demand created an opportunity for the sale of counterfeit DVDs, as their quality was much easier to replicate than that of traditional mass-produced discs. Warner Archive claim the discs are indistinguishable in quality from to their mass-produced counterparts.[6]
In addition, Warner Archive also sells films and television shows as downloadableWindows Media files, and formerly operated a subscription-basedstreaming video service, Warner Archive Instant, which allowed members to stream many of the Warner Archive properties in a format similar toNetflix.[7] In 2018, Warner Archive Instant merged with its sister serviceFilmStruck.[8] The combined FilmStruck / Warner Archive streaming service was discontinued on November 29, 2018, and was replaced byHBO Max.[9]
The collection consists of theatrical films, television shows, and television films from the libraries ofWarner Bros. Pictures,Turner Entertainment Co. (including pre-May 1986Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,Associated Artists Productions,RKO Radio Pictures,Brut Productions),Hanna-Barbera Productions, pre-1991Ruby-Spears Enterprises,HBO,The Saul Zaentz Company,Lorimar Productions,Warner Bros. Television, post-1970The Wolper Organization, post-August 1946Allied Artists Pictures, post-1946Monogram Pictures, post-November 1984New Line Cinema and post-1994Castle Rock Entertainment.
Sony Pictures (includingColumbia Pictures titles),Paramount Pictures,[10][11]Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,[12]Universal Pictures,[13]Walt Disney Studios,[14] and20th Century Studios[15] also started MOD services after the success of Warner Archive. Their services are named Sony Pictures Choice Collection (formerly Screen Classics By Request), MGM Limited Edition Collection, Universal Vault Series, Disney Generations Collection, and Fox Cinema Archives, respectively. Including Warner,major film studios and includingLionsgate,[16]CBS,MTV, andNickelodeon also started to offer MOD discs of catalog titles throughAmazon CreateSpace.[14] On April 13, 2011, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group andSony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that Warner Archive would offer on-demand titles from Sony.[17] MGM Limited Edition titles are also sold through Warner Archive.[18] In 2013, as part of Paramount's agreement with Warner Bros., select Paramount titles were released under the Warner Archive moniker.
The Archive Collection began releasing titles onBlu-ray in November 2012, with the first two releases beingDeathtrap andGypsy.[19] Unlike their DVDs, all Warner Archive Blu-Rays use pressed discs.[citation needed]
Over the years, Warner Archive's Blu-ray releases expanded to include season sets of current television series, such asiZombie,The 100,Longmire,The Originals,Lucifer,Lethal Weapon,Ballers andFinal Space.
The Warner Archive Collection began releasing titles onUltra HD Blu-ray in November 2024, starting withThe Searchers.[20]
Expanding their films' availability to Internet streaming, in July 2014, Warner Archive introduced the Warner Archive Instant service. Similar toNetflix, Warner Archive Instant allowed its members access to various Warner Archive library titles via their website, in addition to apps forRoku andiOS-based devices.[7]
In February 2018, Warner Archive retired its online streaming service, transferring several of its films toFilmStruck.[21] It was discontinued as of November 29, 2018, and was replaced byHBO Max in 2020.[9]
WaterTower Music with Linn now also reporting to Paul Broucek, president, music, Warner Bros. Pictures. In March 2015, the company switched distribution fromTurner Classic Movies, and was replaced by Rhino Movie Music in 2015, which later soundtrack to justWaterTower Music in 2015.
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