• 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.

It’s Batman Day and as both a Batman and 4K Blu-ray fan, I had to celebrate the occasion. The caped crusader first debuted in May 1939 (a whopping 87 years ago!) and, ever since, has become one of the most iconic figures of page and screen.

While many remember the classic 1966 Batman series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, the character’s first appearance on-screen was in 1943, in a 15-part serial also titled Batman. Since then, we’ve seen numerous animated shows and big-budget movies starring DC’s comic book hero.

I thought I’d pick out some of my favorite 4K Blu-rays (and even some standard Blu-rays) of the caped crusader to help you celebrate the day, including one disc I regularly use as a benchmark for testing the best TVs and best soundbars.

The Batman (2022)

One of the latest big-screen adaptations, The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, follows Bruce Wayne’s early years as the Dark Knight, as he deals with a serial killer named The Riddler (Paul Dano), while also navigating corruption in Gotham and a deepening mystery involving Bruce’s own family.

Anyone who reads my work on TechRadar will know that this is one of my go-to discs for AV testing. Its low brightness and numerous high-contrast scenes make it an excellent test for any display, while the superb shadow detail and crisp textures provide plenty to scrutinise. The interesting camera work also gives the film a murky, gloomy look that perfectly captures the seedy underbelly of Gotham.

If you have a Dolby Vision-capable TV, you’ll be rewarded with some truly breathtaking images that really show off what your screen can do. The best OLED TVs are particularly impressive with this disc, making it a no-brainer for my TV testing.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is immersive and packed with detail. My reference scene is the Batmobile/Penguin chase sequence, which shows off just about every element of a home theater surround sound system or soundbar. From the roaring bass of the Batmobile’s engine to the precisely mapped sound of swerving traffic and hail of bullets, The Batman is essential for anyone looking to hear their sound system shine.

Batman Forever (1995)

Directed by Joel Schumacher, Batman Forever took a more colorful approach than Tim Burton’s previous movies, Batman (1989) and Batman Returns. Starring Val Kilmer as Bruce Wayne/Batman, he must deal with the joint threat of Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones) and The Riddler (Jim Carrey).

This is the first Batman movie I remember watching growing up. While the film itself remains divisive among Batman fans, that shouldn’t detract from what is a fantastic 4K Blu-ray release. Its bold, neon colors really pop on-screen, especially in Dolby Vision, with the Riddler's vibrant greens, the neon light tubes used throughout Gotham and the movie's vivid reds all bursting with colour.

There’s excellent use of shadow here, too, with the often melodramatic shots of characters standing forlornly over lamps creating a dynamic image. On an OLED, such as the LG G6 I used for testing, blacks are rich and inky throughout, while the 4K upscale delivers crisp textures, particularly with skin tones.

Batman Forever's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is just as impressive. The sound of the batarang cutting through the air is precisely mapped to rear channels, creating a wonderfully immersive effect on a surround-sound system. Explosions have plenty of heft, bullets pack a satisfying punch, and Two-Face’s helicopter at the start of the movie is a great showcase for Atmos.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The second entry in Christoper Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, The Dark Knight, sees Batman (Christian Bale) go head-to-head with the Joker (played brilliantly by the late Heath Ledger), a criminal mastermind who seeks to plunge Gothan into chaos and push Batman to his very limits.

The 4K Blu-ray of The Dark Knight looks fantastic throughout, but it’s the IMAX scenes where it shines. The opening bank robbery is packed with intricate detail, from the Joker’s creased suit, the robbers' mask, to the densely packed streets of Gotham city. Later, as Batman stands amid smouldering wreckage in another IMAX-shot sequence, the rich black levels and superb shadow detail look sublime on OLED.

There are some seriously impressive high-contrast scenes, too. During the prison escort, as cars move into the tunnels, the contrast between the dark surroundings and the trucks and overhead lights create a fantastic picture.

The DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack is phenomenal. In the opening scene, the score is perfectly balanced, with the scratching strings mapped to the left rear and the ticking clock mapped to the right, all while the front channels handle the main action. Subwoofers will get a nice workout, thanks to the monstrous explosions, thumping bullets, and punchy Tumbler engine. There’s some excellent detail, too, when Batman rides his bike for instance. As the camera’s perspective changes, the trajectory of the sound is mapped to the correct channel with real precision.

The Lego Batman Movie (2017)

The Lego Batman Movie follows Batman (Will Arnett), Robin (Michael Cera) and Batgirl (Rosario Dawson) as they try to foil the Joker’s (Zach Galifianakis) plans to take over Gotham city. This was a spin-off of the highly successful The Lego Movie, where Arnett’s Batman was first introduced.

Again, this movie looks superb in 4K. Color reproduction is fantastic, with bright, bold and lively colors throughout. The greens of the Joker’s hair and Riddler’s costume really pop, as do all the other colors, too. On the LG G6, reds were rich and deep, bringing excellent texture to images. Speaking of textures, the crisp animation looks slick, with the 4K detail really capturing the Lego look.

There are plenty of high-contrast scenes here, too, with bold HDR highlights standing out against deep shadows — such as the contrast between Batman’s eyes and his cowl. Shadow detail is excellent, retaining plenty of texture and defintion in even the darkest areas.

The disc includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtracks. Atmos delivers weighty but controlled bass, with the Batwing’s engines and the impact of explosions providing plenty of low-end punch. Directionality is excellent, too, especially during scenes with a lot of movement. The sound follows movement precisely, and it’s all mapped around the surround sound. The DTS-HD 5.1 track isn’t quite as powerful, but it has a pleasing warmth and plenty of detail.

Bonus: Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)

Debuting in 1992, Batman: The Animated Series is arguably one of the most famous adaptations of Batman’s adventures on-screen, with an all-star cast including Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker.

This is a rare Blu-ray recommendation from me, but for Batman Day, it would be impossible to leave the series out. Textures have been upscaled nicely and the beautiful animation and art style really benefits from the HD makeover. Colors are bright, vibrant and accurate across every episode, while the lack of HDR is hardly a drawback given how good the series looks.

Audio comes courtesy of a DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix, so while it won't put your surround-sound system through its paces, it's crips and clear, with clean dialogue, punchy effects and surprisingly good directionality. The iconic score is beautifully rendered — which, if you’re like me, will scratch that nostalgia itch nicely.

• Panasonic launches new DMR-4X1010 4K Blu-ray player in Japan
• Also includes 4K tuners, 10TB of local storage for recordings, Blu-ray recording, and support for cloud storage
• About $2,800 / £2,080 / AU$3,930

Blu-ray fans should be feeling blessed this month: with new players decidedly thin on the ground, September has brought us news of not one but two 4K Blu-ray players — though neither is really aimed at the average movie enthusiast.

The new Panasonic DMR-4X1010 is a flagship 4K player with a bunch of other neat tricks up its sleeve, and while it's likely to stay as a Japan-only release, we're still happy to see new players being made.

A 434,500 yen, which works out at about $2,800 / £2,080 / AU$3,930, it's a fair bit cheaper than this month's other new Blu-ray player, the Magnetar Ultima: that costs a cool $12,000 (about £8,895 / AU$16,687).

Panasonic DMR-4X1010: key features

The Panasonic DMR-4X1010 not plays 4K Blu-rays, regular Blu-rays and DVDs, it also features 4K broadcast tuners and includes a giant 10TB hard drive for recording shows and movies. There's also the option of cloud recording of up to 10TB via Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive, so you can access recordings on your phone or store Blu-ray disc images in the cloud.

It even records to BD-R/RE discs of up to 100GB, if you prefer. Recording from live broadcast isn't that popular worldwide, but evidently it's popular enough in Japan to make this the ultimate 'own your copies' machine.

The player uses an AVC encoder for high-definition recording, and Panasonic says the encoder can compress 24Mbps signals to around 1.6Mbps to maximize recording space… though, again, it does come with 10 terabytes.

The DMR-4X1010 also works with Panasonic's AI Viera system, which can automatically adjust the picture quality to fit the scene — so bright and vivid if you're watching sports, and richer contrast if you're watching a noir movie. AI can also adjust the audio to make it more immersive.

The new player launches through authorized dealers on October 22, 2026, and exclusively to the Japanese market.

There have been worries about the future of 4K Blu-ray, and whether the companies are still interested in producing them — the current models have been around for a long time, and Panasonic just increased the price of its options.

But the release of this model and the Magnetar show that companies aren't blind to the desire for new options — I just hope we might get something more affordable and mainstream than these at some point.