Some movies arrive too early. Movies that miss their moment, only to be rediscovered by those of us still digging through the VHS graveyards and Blu-ray bargain bins. Krull is one of those movies.

Released in 1983 and directed by Peter Yates (Bullitt, Breaking Away), Krull is a gorgeously mounted fantasy epic that continues to endure despite the massive ignorance surrounding it. It’s a film that broke the Joseph Campbell mold and saddled its mythic structure onto the back of a new/old world—one that feels like a fever dream of Arthurian legend, space opera, and British stagecraft. It’s a big-screen fantasy that simply refuses to die.

This release marks the first time Krull has been presented in true 4K with high dynamic range and immersive audio. While previous editions (like Mill Creek’s Blu-ray) offered visual upgrades, this SteelBook is the definitive home video version for fans of 1980s fantasy cinema.

Starring Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Jones, Francesca Annis, Robbie Coltrane, and a young Liam Neeson, Krull follows the heroic journey of Colwyn, a prince tasked with rescuing his bride from The Beast—a hideous, intergalactic villain who’s crash-landed on the planet Krull in a skull-shaped spaceship called the Black Fortress. His army of “Slayers” terrorizes the countryside, and only the mythical Glaive—a five-pointed, retractable-blade weapon—can stop him.

Yes, it’s all very rote. And yes, Krull is unapologetically mechanical in its structure. But that’s part of its charm. This is uncomplicated fantasy, and it works. Screenwriter Stanford Sherman takes us on a magical journey through swamps, spooky caves, and a web-strewn lair guarded by a giant white spider. There’s even a Cyclops with a tragic backstory. The performances are serviceable, the script predictable—but somehow, it all clicks.

In today’s era of algorithm-driven content and fan-service fatigue, a film like Krull wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s too earnest, too weird, too... British. But that’s exactly what makes it special. The 1980s were a time when studios took wild swings. For every Star Wars, there was a Flight of the Navigator, an Explorers, or a Last Starfighter—films that dared to dream big, even if they didn’t always stick the landing.

Krull isn’t Excalibur, but it shares that film’s ambition. The seeds of greatness are scattered throughout: the lavish sets, the sweeping landscapes, the practical effects that still hold up better than most CGI, and James Horner’s rousing score—yes, it borrows liberally from Star Trek II, but it still soars.

What Krull lacks in narrative surprise, it makes up for in sheer, unpretentious imagination. It’s a film that believes in its world, its quest, and its characters—even if the audience didn’t at the time. And that sincerity is rare.

So saddle up your fire mare, raise your Glaive high, and go questing through your local Dollar General or online bargain bin. Somewhere out there, Krull awaits—still gleaming, still galloping, still gloriously out of step with the times.

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital 4K - Steelbook

Home Video Distributor: Sony Pictures
Available on Blu-ray - September 16, 2025
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

Directed by Peter Yates, it follows a prince’s quest to rescue his bride from an alien villain using a magical weapon called the Glaive. Though the plot is formulaic and the performances modest, the film’s imaginative landscapes, practical effects, and James Horner’s heroic score elevate it to cult status. In an era of fan-service-heavy blockbusters, Krull stands out for its earnestness and unpretentious charm, making it a nostalgic gem worth rediscovering—especially on Blu-ray, where it’s never looked better.

VIDEO

The 4K Ultra HD restoration of Krull breathes new life into this cult fantasy epic, finally giving its lush landscapes, intricate set designs, and practical effects the visual clarity they’ve always deserved. The native 4K transfer sourced from the original camera negative delivers stunning detail—especially in the Black Fortress interiors and sweeping countryside shots—while Dolby Vision and HDR10 add depth and vibrancy to the film’s rich color palette.

AUDIO

James Horner’s score sounds more majestic than ever with the Dolby Atmos upgrade.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

While the SteelBook release skimps on new extras, the audiovisual upgrade alone makes this the definitive home video edition for fans of analog-era fantasy.

• Journey to Krull featurette
• Cast and crew interviews
• Behind-the-scenes photo gallery
• Original theatrical trailer

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 121 mins
Director: Peter Yates
Writer: Stanford Sherman
Cast: Ken Marshall; Lysette Anthony; Freddie Jones
Genre: Fantasy | Action |Adventure
Tagline: A world light-years beyond your imagination.
Memorable Movie Quote: "The temple is at the center of the swamp where three trees grow as one."
Theatrical Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: July 29, 1983
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: September 16, 2025.
Synopsis: A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet, Krull.