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The Best of Universal Pictures Home Video Releases (2025 Gift Guide)

Collage of Universal Pictures home video releases As the year winds down, Universal Pictures has quietly taken over my home video shelf. They’ve been releasing the titles I’m most eager to revisit, and when that includes their distribution work for DreamWorks, it’s an added bonus. What follows is a look at the releases that earned a place in my collection for one reason or another. I’ll begin with a title that hasn’t hit home media yet, but I’m already excited for it.

Bugonia

Bugonia Blu-ray cover art

This UFO-tinged conspiracy adventure is set to be a treat for anyone who missed its limited theatrical run. The story follows two people who kidnap the CEO of a pharmaceutical company because they believe he’s an alien bent on destroying Earth. The odyssey that follows has the spirit of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but flipped on its head. Whether the planet survives is part of the fun.

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Even at 50 Years Later, Jaws Will Make You Afraid of Going to the Beach (Again) For The Special Events Taking Place

When this week and next is filled with lots of Jaws related celebrations, is it really safe?

Jaws 50th Anniversary Release — Now available to purchase on Amazon USA

Jaws has another re-release on home video, and when this year celebrates this movie’s golden jubilee, perhaps it’s okay to go to the beaches of Amity Island, New York again. This seminal hit from Universal Studios made some folks afraid back in the day, and Bruce can be found on display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.

What’s special about this anniversary edition is the new documentary included, titled “Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story.” The video transfer is the same as the prior 4K release, and there is also a Steelbook edition. Both releases contains over five hours of bonus features, including deleted scenes, outtakes, “The Making of Jaws” documentary, “Jaws: The Restoration,” and “The Shark is Still Working: The Impact and Legacy of Jaws.”

As for just how good this recent addition is, I would say it’s finally worth adding to the home video collection. Without it, I would not be looking at filling in the “one day I’ll buy” bucket list. Yes, I’m one who hasn’t bothered to pick up prior releases, and that’s because it’s not a film high on my priority list to own.

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When Nobody’s Boy Remi Is Heading “Home” In The Warm Month of May!

When 19th-century life was harsh, what options were available? In Nobody’s Boy Remi, this French country boy learns what the true meaning of family is after getting sold off by his mean spirited father…

Nobody's Boy Remi Slipcover Box Art Back in the 70s, I often tuned into CBC’s French channel to get my daily anime fix. They often featured films and series more often than the other channels, and two such works included Sherlock Hound and Nobody’s Boy Remi. As for The Mysterious Cities of Gold, that did not arrive until the early 80s, and together they defined a part of my childhood. ‘

Flash forward to the present, I’m thrilled to see that anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD have announced the home media Blu-ray release of Nobody’s Boy Remi. This series will become available for purchase on May 11th.

Before advances in technology reinvented the three-dimensional effect for modern day televisions, some production houses used a built-in illusion without having to change anything. The Pulfrich Effect (more information below) created the sense that objects appear closer than they are. This technique preserves the visual image, allowing viewers to see both flat and pronounced images with or without glasses.

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Finally Watching White Snake Afloat! A Touching Review and the Quest to Find This Lost Tale of Love

Although there’s still no proper North American release for Light Chaser Animation’s White Snake Afloat, thankfully eBay has come to the rescue! And I got info regarding the two types of Blu-ray releases available. Meanwhile Warner Brothers Malaysia is handling distro.

White Snake Afloat in this package release The home video release of Light Chaser Animation’s White Snake Afloat is now available in China and select surrounding regions. When I saw a limited edition box set released back in December, I wanted to buy it—but I didn’t have the funds saved.

Fast forward to now: it’s still attainable through eBay, albeit at nearly double its original retail price. Unfortunately, it’s not listed on official English-language retailers like YesAsia or Amazon, and Light Chaser hasn’t made it available on international streaming platforms either. For those willing to pay a premium, the set is a visual treat. It features beautifully illustrated packaging and includes a bonus booklet. While I hoped for additional extras, it appears that beyond the artwork, there’s little else included. Still, I’m relieved the Blu-ray comes with English subtitles.

As for whether Bianca’s (White Snake’s) journey concludes in this final chapter, I’d say yes. Her arc comes full circle. However, I hope the Fox Demon’s story continues. Her subplot remains unresolved and full of potential. She’s a manipulator, often acting as a mysterious merchant of souls across all three films. But just who she’s serving—and why—remains unanswered.

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From Night of the Blood Beast, just what will Attack of the Giant Leeches Feast on? And a Future connection…

Could there be a connection with the types of scares made with Creepy Bits and Corman? Probably not with Night of the Blood Beast, but for the second film, read on to find out!

Night of the Blood Beast Blu-ray Release — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

The Film Masters latest double-feature is showing what producer Roger Corman loves about horrors from space and undersea. In Night of the Blood Beast (1958), humanity has to face off against some alien parasite that’s reanimated a dead astronaut. This pilot was aware something hit his craft, but when he aborted the flight, little did he know he had a rider back to earth!

I like to think of this film as a precursor to the way the 94 Spider-Man animated series introduced Venom. The tales are wildly different, but I couldn’t get that image off my mind! As for what’s special about this release is that it’s the most ‘complete’ of the releases. This includes the Mystery Science Theatre 3K episode where this film gets riffed upon. It’s a nice add-on for fans of this series.

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Look Out Chicago! Sorting Out All The Latest Gunsmith Cats and Riding Bean News

Fans of 90s anime will be thrilled to learn there’s rereleases of two of Kenichi Sonoda’s most recognised classics, Riding Bean and Gunsmith Cats! And we have the details on what’s offered on print and video!

Dark Horse Comics & AnimEigo
Release Date: Feb, 2025

The Gunsmith Cats are coming back in an omnibus collection from Dark Horse Manga! For newcomers, what’s offered is sure to please. Past editions are long out of print, and as much as I’d love to see brand-new stories happen, it’s not looking likely. Everything depends on what creator Kenichi Sonoda wants to do, especially following his attempts to reboot Bean Bandit / Riding Bean.

But for his most beloved series starring two bounty hunters, this edition collects: