Stop-motion maestros LAIKA studios have announced that they will be releasing remastered blu-ray versions of four of their critically acclaimed animated adventures. Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, and Kubo and the Two Strings are being re-released as deluxe LAIKA Studios Editions.
All four of these films, as well as LAIKA’s most recent film Missing Link, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in the years that they were released.
The new DVD and blu-ray combo sets will include a slew of new special features including never-before-seen storyboards, exclusive animation test footage, and interviews from those working with the studio. The new editions also include deluxe collectible packaging and essays on the films written by high-profile film journalists. These include forewords and analyses from Variety’s Peter Debruge, IndieWire’s Bill Desowitz, and Animation Magazine’s Ramin Zahed.
LAIKA’s rich collection of films consistently pioneer new techniques in stop-motion animation and visual storytelling. Coraline, based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name and directed by The Nightmare Before Christmas’ Henry Selick, was the first film of its kind fo be completely conceived and filmed in stereoscopic 3-D. Meanwhile, Kubo and the Two Strings – directed by Bumblebee’s Travis Knight – was the first film to be nominated for the Oscars for both the best animated feature and the best visual effects. This film also saw the LAIKA crew construct a puppet measuring over 16 feet tall and weighing over 180kg, the largest ever built for an animated film.
The deluxe editions of Coraline and The Boxtrolls will be available from August 31st via Shout! Factory, and can be pre-ordered now. The LAIKA Studios Editions of ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings will be released on September 14th. For anyone who has fallen in love with LAIKA’s consistently beautiful output and dazzling flair for blending this with heartfelt stories, they are a must-have new addition to your collection.