Great Streaming Movies We Want On Physical Media

So many of the biggest movies from the last decade or so aren’t available on physical media, with streaming services refusing to issue them.

It used to be said that every movie, no matter how badly it did at the box office or critically, went to heaven. Heaven, of course, meant physical media. First, it was VHS, then it was Laserdisc, then DVD, Blu-ray, and now 4K Blu-rays; every movie would get some kind of physical media release. After all, rentals and sales were important to a film’s profitability. In fact, some movies that tanked theatrically did so well on DVD that they became perennials, such as Donnie Darko or The Transporter, with the DVD sales of that movie directly influencing the studio to greenlight a sequel and give Jason Statham a legit career as an action star. Yet, despite physical media making a comeback, it’s worth noting that some of the most popular movies in recent memory have never gotten a physical media release. And we’re not only talking about movies that all but disappeared when they hit streaming. Oscar winners aren’t getting released on physical media. In fact, the only streaming movies that reliably hit Blu-ray are the ones Netflix lets Criterion put out. Still, unless your name is Martin Scorsese or Noah Baumbach, so many HUGE movies haven’t gotten physical media releases, so let’s take a look at ten that REALLY need some kind of physical release.

Road House

One of the most contentious streaming movies of all time also ended up being one of the most successful, with something like 50 million people watching this in its first week on Prime Video. While I had issues with the movie, I also think it would be a no-brainer to put out on a slick-looking 4K Blu-ray that could really showcase what star Jake Gyllenhaal and director Doug Liman were trying to pull off with this. 4K streaming is good, but it’ll never be AS GOOD as 4K physical media.

Outlaw King:

It’s worth noting that the version of this movie I saw at TIFF in 2018 isn’t the version that hit streaming, with 20 minutes being excised from the film before its general release. Given that it’s a quasi-sequel to Braveheart and the fact that its stars, Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Florence Pugh, are even bigger now than they were back then, this seems like a movie that’s ripe for the re-appraisal a Blu-ray release could give it.

The King:

The same thing goes for this superb historical drama, which – quite honestly – was the movie that sold me on Timothee Chalamet. This David Michod movie is loosely based on Shakespeare’s Henry V, and Chalamet is so good that a lot of us think the action-driven drama might have played a big hand in his Dune casting. Again, Chalamet is much bigger now than he was in 2019, so why not polish it off with a new release? Joel Edgerton has rarely been better than he is in this as Falstaff, and it has an incredible score by Nicholas Britell.

Glass Onion:

Again, this seems like a no-brainer, given how popular Knives Out was on physical media. You’d think Rian Johnson would push for this one to get an extras-packed release, but no dice so far from Netflix. You have to think that the people who bought the first film would love to have it in their collection, with a Rian Johnson commentary track.

Dolemite is My Name:

Now, this one is really inexplicable. Dolemite is My Name is begging for a Criterion release with a ribald Eddie Murphy commentary track and some deleted scenes. The original Dolemite isn’t streaming on Netflix either, making a Blu-ray set that included it a must for collectors. 

6 Underground:

I’m surprised Michael Bay hasn’t pushed for a physical release for his would-be franchise starter, which Netflix apparently considered a misfire. Given the fact that it’s a Ryan Reynolds action flick, this would certainly sell well, especially for home theater enthusiasts. 

The Gray Man:

Another misfired franchise starter; given how Ryan Gosling is riding a new wave of popularity following Barbie, one assumes this high-profile action flick would sell a bunch of 4k discs. I suppose Netflix hopes more people will check it out on the streaming service, but it feels like a missed opportunity for disc.

The same thing goes for the Extraction films. This has proven to be a solid franchise for the streamer, but action fans are collectors. Both of these movies would certainly make a mint on 4K Blu-ray. Give these flicks to Arrow Video, and let them do a special-feature loaded double bill. It would SELL.

Triple Frontier:

J.C. Chandor’s star-studded heist flick has gotten some renewed attention, with star Charlie Hunnam hyping a potential sequel. Again, some of the actors in this, notably Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal, are way more popular now than they were a few years ago. It’s a great movie, and frankly, this is one I’d actually like to add to my own personal collection.

Coda:

Apple’s Coda is the only Best Picture winner at the Oscars that you can’t get on physical media. I know from posts on X that this drives collectors crazy, so this charming film would certainly sell well, especially given that far fewer people subscribe to Apple TV Plus than Netflix. This would be a sharp way to make a little extra bread. 

Barbarian:

This one boggles the mind. Barbarian was a solid box office hit and a pop culture phenom once it hit Hulu. Horror fans love physical media, and a loaded-up Blu-ray of this movie would sell like hotcakes. That said, of every film on this list, I think this has the best chance of maybe eventually coming to physical media, with Disney putting out Prey not too long ago.

What other streaming movies do you think should be out on physical media? Let us know in the comments!