What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – August 11, 2026 – Project Hail Mary, Devil Wears Prada 2, Elvis, Hokum, Talladega Nights, Star Trek, & More!

By Mike Spring

 on August 11, 2026

What’s New in Home Video & Pop Culture – August 11, 2026

What a great week of releases! We’ve got a couple of bona fide blockbusters some terrific catalog releases, and some stand-out graphic novels! Read on for the scoop!

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In This Week’s Column:

• Project Hail Mary (4K Ultra HD)
• The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Blu-ray + Digital)
• Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert (4K Ultra HD)
• Hokum (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Talladega Nights (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Steelbook)
• Pressure (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
• Star Trek Strange New Worlds: The Seeds of Salvation (Graphic Novel)
• Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: The Rites of Spring (Graphic Novel)
• Hungry (DVD)

Project Hail Mary (4K Ultra HD)

Official Synopsis:

Science teacher Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.

The Movie: 

If The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day are the juggernauts of the 2026 summer box office, Project Hail Mary was the spark that ignited the flame. Based upon the acclaimed novel by Andy Weir (The Martian), the film was a massive hit, grossing almost $700 million worldwide, and Ryan Gosling reminded everyone that he can be a bona fide movie star when he wants to be. So you’ve heard all the buzz about it, but here’s the real question: is the movie as good as they say?

The short answer is yes. Yes, it is. Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller have honestly never put a wrong foot forward, in my opinion, and Project Hail Mary is a triumph. Not only does it take a non-linear narrative and a science-based plot and make them accessible to wide audiences, but it also introduces audiences worldwide to one of the best characters to hit the screen in years – and I’m not referring to Ryan Gosling’s character. (Gosling’s character is perfectly fine, but he’s no– well, I don’t want to spoil anything here.) 

The film is also a visual spectacle, with incredible special effects that never once have you wondering, “How did they do that?” because it all looks so real, you just assume they simply built giant spaceships and flew off into space to film. 

My only complaint is about the physical release itself, and not the movie. This is the problem with streaming services releasing home video. Amazon (who footed the bill for Project Hail Mary) wants you to subscribe to Amazon Prime, so while the film has been released in a gorgeous 4K transfer, there’s no digital copy. So now, if I want to have the 4K in my collection but also own it digitally, I have to pay for it twice? Come on, Amazon, be better. You don’t have to be a soulless greed factory EVERY second of every day, do you?

The 4K Video/Audio:

Project Hail Mary is available on 4K Ultra HD (as well as other formats) and the 4K format works very well for the film. The picture is crisp and clean with razor sharp clarity, and the colors have a nice balance between realism and “pop,” which means that things look vibrant without moving into looking unrealistic. The surround soundtrack also really shines. This is a movie with a mix of quiet scenes and action or “event” scenes, and it all comes to life here.. The dialogue remains centered and clear, and it’s a very impressive A/V presentation from start to finish. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Commentary by Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
• Deleted Scenes
• Earth’s Favorite Eridian featurette

Digital Copy Included: No

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returns to Runway magazine as the new features editor where she finds her formidable former boss Miranda (Meryl Streep) facing threats to her glossy print empire. Familiar frenemies and fresh faces join the catwalk in this stylish sequel.

The Movie: 

I’m always skeptical whenever we get a movie sequel that comes out 20 years after the original. It’s clear that The Devil Wears Prada was never a film that was intended to have a sequel, so then the question becomes, is The Devil Wears Prada 2 just a cash grab or was there a good reason to make the movie?

The answer here is, well, both. I mean, I can’t say I feel like The Devil Wears Prada 2 really needed to be made, or that people were just crying out for a sequel. That said, the film does a lot of things right and is quite enjoyable, so who cares if it wasn’t made for the purest of reasons? Last year’s Freakier Friday fit the exact same mold and it was one of my favorite movies of the year. 

Of course, what carries TDWP2 is the cast, with Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci all returning to their roles and absolutely killing it. The film doesn’t feel quite as fresh or new as the original, but it does feels familiar and welcoming, like you’re revisiting some old friends — or at least frenemies. I doubt anyone will say that The Devil Wears Prada 2 is better than the original, but it’s at least a worthy sequel, and I wasn’t sure that would be the case. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Level Up: Updating the Icons featurette
• Inside the Fashion Closet featurette 
• Front-Row Access: Shooting in Italy featurette 
• “Runway” Music Video by Lady Gaga and Doechii
• Gag Reel
• Audio Commentary by director David Frankel, writer Aline Brosh McKenna, and costume designer Molly Rogers.

Digital Copy Included: Yes

EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert (4K Ultra HD)

Official Synopsis:

For the first time ever, Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, tells his own story through candid conversations and dazzling performance footage from the early days of his Vegas residency. Witness never-before-seen archival footage unearthed for the first time. Visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann presents an intimate and riveting cinematic portrait of the greatest performer of all time.

The Movie: 

Baz Lurmann’s Elvis was an outstanding biopic of one of the most famous entertainers in history. EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert (That’s an acronym, by the way!) is the director’s follow-up project. In this documentary/concert film, Luhrmann uses tons of unearthed, never-before-seen footage to craft a movie that starts with archival footage of Elvis’s history coupled with interviews with Elvis himself, before evolving into a concert film from Elvis’s residency in Las Vegas. 

But this is no ordinary concert film. Luhrmann stitches together from several different nights of performing (and some rehearsals) to give us a performance video that feels both coherent and a pastiche at the same time. It’s visually dazzling, and the music is outstanding. The interview clips just make it better, as you get to see Elvis’s natural charms and sense of humor and see him as more than just a pop idol. 

The one thing that stood out for me a bit was this, however: it’s a little similar to the classic concert film Elvis: That’s the Way it Is. The footage is all completely different, but since it’s drawing from the same reservoir of material, it can feel a little familiar at times. (Of course, if you haven’t seen TTWII, you have nothing to worry about.) That said, EPIC: Elvis Presley in Concert is utterly outstanding, whether you’re a fan of The King or not. 

Once again, I have to mention, though: NO digital copy. This is the kind of movie I’d love to have to watch on a plane or on vacation but… nope. You get a 4K and a Blu-ray, but no digital copy. Sigh. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

The presentation of EPIC is really quite amazing. As you would expect from a movie that draws from mixed footage that’s 50 years old, there’s some variety to the picture quality. But honestly, I’ve never sen Elvis himself look clearer or more vibrant. Most of the footage is so crisp and clean and vibrant that you’d swear it was shot last year. (Maybe he really is alive?!?) The soundtrack obviously focuses mostly on the music, and it also comes across warm and full and clear. Baz Luhrmann had to resend a lot of the audio with the video, and there are some occasional moments where it feels like there’s a millisecond of delay between the picture and sound, but if that’s the biggest complaint I have — and it is — that’s pretty incredible.   

The Bonus Features: 

• Theatrical trailers
• Promotional TV spots

Digital Copy Included: No

Hokum (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray)

Official Synopsis:

A reclusive novelist (Adam Scott) visits a remote Irish inn and is consumed by tales of an ancient witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a sudden disappearance draw him into a nightmarish confrontation with his past.

The Movie: 

I’m not a huge fan of what’s going on in horror these days, especially the genre of so-called “elevated horror” (Midsommar, Nosferatu, Keeper, etc.) I’m not entirely sure if Hokum fits into that genre or not, and while it sort of skirts the line between elevated and traditional horror, it also skirts the line of whether I liked it or not. 

First off, let me get this out of the way: Hokum has the exact same problem as so many movies do these days: “natural lighting.” It’s the worst trend in movies, I hated it in movies like Wolf Man and Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (and even non-horror offerings like Hamnet), and I hate it here. I CAN’T BE SCARED BY WHAT’S ON SCREEN IF I CAN’T SEE WHAT’S ON THE SCREEN, HOLLYWOOD! Seriously, you could just tape a picture of Adam Scott to your TV and leave it off and you’d have the exact same experience. 

That said, the lead character is an issue, too. Adam Scot plays a writer who travels to an Irish hotel where his parents honeymooned, which of course is haunted by a witch. As written, Scott’s character is an absolute trashbag of a human. He’s rude, condescending, smug, and mistreats everyone around him, especially the service staff. The dissonance is that Adam Scott is just so likable of an actor that when he’s not actively being an a-hole, you kind of like him. But then you remind yourself that he literally burned a bellhop with a spoon because he was annoying him, and you find it hard to root for him. 

Ultimately, the underlying story of Hokum is mildly interesting. But the filmmaking is so infuriating that I spent most of the movie’s running time literally saying out loud, “What the f—- am I looking at?” It’s an exhausting experience from start to finish. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

I already mentioned how I feel about how Hokum looks from a cinematography point of view. As a result, the film looks exactly the way I think it’s supposed to look in 4K. Which means that while I actually hate the way the film looks on my TV screen, I think it’s a fault of the cinematography and not the transfer. Everything is too dark and I hate it, and it’s hard to even form an opinion of the video quality because there’s so little to see. The color palette of the film is almost exclusively black, brown, and orange, so there’s not much to judge there. The surround soundtrack does its job well, although this is a film driven almost entirely by dialogue. There are some very creepy atmospheric sounds that fill in the soundscape here and there, so that’s the best part of the A/V side of things. 

The Bonus Features: 

• Audio Commentary with director Damian McCarthy
• The Making of Hokum
• Jack the Donkey, A Family Favorite short
• Trailers

Digital Copy Included: No

Talladega Nights (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Steelbook)

Official Synopsis:

The fastest man on four wheels, Ricky Bobby (WILL FERRELL) is one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. A big, hairy American winning machine, Ricky has everything a dimwitted daredevil could want: a luxurious mansion, a smokin’ hot wife (LESLIE BIBB) and all the fast food he can eat. But Ricky’s turbo-charged lifestyle hits an unexpected speed bump when he’s bested by flamboyant Euro-idiot Jean Girard (SACHA BARON COHEN) and reduced to a fear-ridden wreck. Losing his wife and job to best bud and fellow fool, Cal Naughton, Jr. (JOHN C. REILLY), Ricky must kick some serious asphalt if he’s to get his career back on the track, beat Girard and reclaim his fame and fortune. ‘Cause as Ricky Bobby always says, IF YOU AIN’T FIRST, YOU’RE LAST!

The Movie: 

I have a weird thing with Will Ferrell’s most popular movies (well, except for Elf, which I loved the very first time I saw it.) But often times, I’ll watch a Will Ferrell movie and dismiss it as mediocre, and then over time it will grow on me. It happened with Anchorman, and it definitely happened with Talladega Nights. I remember seeing the movie in theaters – Jeez, that’s 20 years ago according to this anniversary edition! – and really thinking the movie just wasn’t that funny. Fast forward a couple of decades, and now I’m in on the joke. 

Not to say that Talladega Nights is a perfect movie; there are still times when it’s clear that the cast was ad-libbing and the filmmakers fell a little too in love with their own material. Not every joke lands, and sometimes things just go on too long or go too far. But by and large, it’s a funny movie that’s a great parody of racing movies like Days of Thunder. 

This week, Sony treats us to a 4K release of the movie that comes packaged in a really sharp-looking Steelbook case. It includes the film on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, AND digital. Other studios, take note: this is how you treat your film fans who are still buying physical media. Just because I like a Steelbook doesn’t mean I don’t want the film in my digital library. Sony, at least, gets that. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

The audiovisual upgrade for Talladega Nights is definitely noticeable, and it looks exactly like what you’d want to see a 20-year-old comedy look like on 4K. Imagery is super clear with excellent shadow delineation, while colors are strong and image clarity is terrific. There’s lots of fine detail and the print is free of any artifacts or debris. The surround soundtrack creates a nice, active atmosphere throughout the film; the racing scenes, naturally, really shine and will make it sound like there are cars racing through your living room. Dialogue remains clear and present, so you won’t miss a single joke. All in all, it’s a top-notch effort.  

The Bonus Features: 

• “25 Years Later” Audio Commentary
• Audio Commentary with Director and Friends
• Adam’s Video Diaries
• Line-O-Rama 
• Line-O-Rama 2.0
• Deleted & Extended Scenes
• Raw Takes
• Auditions
• In-Character Interviews
• Gag Reel
• Will Ferrell Returns to Talladega
• Ricky & Cal’s Commercials
• Ricky & Cal’s Public Service Announcements
• Bonus Race Footage
• Walker & Texas Ranger
• Interviews (3 clips, 13:39 total)
• Trailers

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Pressure (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)

Official Synopsis:

Based on the untold true story. In the 72 hours before D-Day, and with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, Pressure follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) and Group Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) as they face an impossible choice—launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether. Also starring Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis.

The Movie: 

If you had told me that I would enjoy a movie about meteorology, I probably would have doubted you. If you had told me that movie was about meteorology and planning World War II’s D-Day invasion, I probably would have doubted you even more, but here we are with Pressure, a quiet but good movie about the weather and World War II. 

Andrew Scott stars as Captain James Stagg, a meteorologist whose team is responsible for predicting whether the Allied forces can storm the beach at Normandy on D-Day or if the weather will be too extreme. Brendan Fraser stars as General Dwight D Eisenhower, who is pressuring Stagg to make the prediction he and everyone else wants, even if Stagg believes otherwise. What follows is a drama about weather, family, duty, and the military. This isn’t a war movie. It’s a “leading up to war” movie. There’s very little action in the film. 

But overall, I liked it, largely due to the strength of the performances. Andrew Scott is brilliant, while Chris Messina, Kerry Condon, and Damian Lewis are all utterly outstanding. I’m not sure Brendan Fraser is who I would have cast as Eisenhower, but he doesn’t detract from the film, either. And, sure, there’s a lot of talk about weather patterns and fronts and air pockets and the like, but ultimately the movie is a battle of wills between four principal players that would determine the fate of the free world, and that’s pretty compelling stuff. 

The 4K Video/Audio:

Pressure is a pretty standard movie presentation on 4K Ultra HD. The film is a little on the dark side, because much of it takes place in musty rooms and offices, but I think we’re getting the movie the way it was meant to be seen. Overall, the color saturation is good, especially in the few brighter scenes, and the crystal clear imagery holds up well. The surround soundtrack delivers clear dialogue with natural tones, which is the main focus of the film. It’s a sharp effort overall.

The Bonus Features: 

• Building Pressure featurette
• An Authentic World of War featurette

Digital Copy Included: Yes

Star Trek Strange New Worlds: The Seeds of Salvation (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season-four writer Robbie Thompson comes a Lovecraftian horror the likes of which the crew of the Enterprise has never seen before!

After plodding through uneventful mission after uneventful mission, Christine Chapel is itching for a real adventure. So, when an opportunity to reunite with her old scientist friend Jinare for research on the planet Poilant crops up, Chapel is excited to finally do what Starfleet does best: explore strange new worlds. However, when the Enterprise arrives in Poilant’s space, they cannot get into contact with Jinare or any of her researchers. Chapel, Una, Spock, La’An, and Scotty beam down, and they are greeted by…nothing…no one…and no signs of what caused their disappearance, only a robot named D6 who urges them to descend into the planet’s depths in search of his friends. But there’s more than scientists lurking in the watery abyss. Ancient life-forms and behemoths await—and they might mean more adventure than even Chapel can handle.

Perfect for fans of the hit television series hungry for more Strange New Worlds action with a focus on beloved characters Christine Chapel and Spock!

The Book: 

I love Star Trek: Strange New Worlds; I think it’s one of the best Star Trek shows in a long time, perfectly capturing the feeling of the Original Series while also bringing a 21^st century aesthetic to the proceedings. Now, the problem is that a lot of what makes the show so special is also what makes it hard to translate to another medium. 

The Seeds of Salvation is a new trade paperback that collects the five-issue miniseries published by IDW, and I would say it’s a solidly enjoyable Star Trek graphic novel. I don’t think it quite captures the humor and quirkiness of SNW, but it’s also got compelling action, techie/Trekkie science, and some good character beats. It’s an enjoyable read for sure, you just can’t overly compare it to the source material. 

Robbie Thompson is a gifted writer, and he keeps the story moving well. Travis Mercer is a talented artist as well, and I really like the energy he brings to the book. It definitely looks like Star Trek, which is a real boon. Star Trek Strange New Worlds: The Seeds of Salvation might not be an absolute home run, but it is a good read that you will enjoy. 

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Publishing
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 120 pages
• Cover Price: $17.99

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: The Rites of Spring (Graphic Novel)

Official Synopsis:

The Eisner-nominated cozy-horror comic series returns in this sequel to the critically acclaimed first volume! It’s been eight long years since a bloodlusting brown bear drove into the city, kidnapped a kind young duck, dissected his body, and buried the pieces in the woods. The duck’s family painstakingly sought justice…but this brown bear was smart…she covered her tracks…and in the ’80s, there simply wasn’t a way for the duck’s family to find answers.

But it’s not the ’80s anymore. Almost a decade after cuddly brown bear Samantha Strong solidified herself as the sole serial killer in Woodbrook, the world is entering a new era. As Samantha will soon find out, there are no secrets in the age of the internet. And those who lost loved ones to her massacre haven’t given up the flame of justice. A reckoning is coming to Woodbrook. Join visionary writer and artist Patrick Horvath as he returns to the hit series that has taken the comic world by storm!

The Book: 

It’s hard to talk about Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees if you haven’t at least read the first series. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but for background, the book takes place in an anthropomorphic world where Samantha Strong is a bear who is also a serial killer – but a likable one. (It’s not hard to imagine that Dexter was an influence on writer/artist Patrick Horvath.)

Now, I can’t give any spoilers here, but suffice it to say that while the first series introduced us to Samantha and her proclivities, this sequel volume Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: The Rites of Spring sees Samanth’s world getting smaller as somebody is investigating one of her old kills, and they get a little closer than she’s comfortable with. As with the first book, The Rites of Spring is gripping, tense, and exciting from the very first page. Horvath crafts an incredible story, while his watercolored artwork is without equal. 

And boy, what an ending! It’s not often that comics will shake up the core paradigm of their book as much as Horvath does here. Comics always talk about how “This event will chance the Marvel/DC universe forever!” and then everything stays exactly the same. Not so here. It’s clear that the next book will be a very different story, and frankly, I can’t wait to see where it goes. I would 100% start with the first volume, but then rush right back and pick up Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: The Rites of Spring. You on’t be disappointed!

The Specs: 

• Publisher: IDW Dark
• Format: Softcover
• Page Count: 144 pages
• Cover Price: $19.99

Hungry (DVD)

Official Synopsis:

After becoming lost in the Louisiana swamplands, a group of holidaymakers must fight for their lives against a rampaging hippo on the loose.

The Movie: 

In the making-of featurette included on the Hungry DVD, writer/director James Nunn mentions more than once how big a fan he is of 1990s creature features such as Anaconda and Jurassic Park. And when you watch Hungry – a movie about a killer hippo on the loose in the Louisiana Bayou – it’s clear to see how he wears his influences on his sleeve, and I mean that in the best way possible. (And don’t worry, the hippos in Louisiana thing is explained in a way that’s at least plausible, if not exactly believable.)

Hungry follows every play in the ‘90s creature feature playbook, but that’s part of why it works so well. We are introduced to a cast of characters, and then we watch as one by one they are dispatched by a very angry hippopotamus. What surprised me was how good the special effects are. Using a combination of practical effects and CGI, Nunn works on a small budget but gives us some very realistic hippo action and carnage scenes, which really make the film more enjoyable. Add to that a cast that’s pretty solid and also includes the always outstanding Joaquim de Alameida, and the end result is a largely enjoyable movie that is like a shark flick but with a hippo standing in for a shark. 

Now, here’s my complaint. I didn’t expect a digital copy, because an indie label like Decal Pictures typically won’t include one. But why was this movie only released on DVD and not Blu-ray? I assure you, the type of people who still buy physical media are not casual movie watchers for the most part, but cinephiles and collectors. They want this movie in high def! I can’t believe I could watch the trailer for the movie in high def but had to suffer through the actual film in standard definition. Such a disappointment. Especially since Hungry turned out to be better than I was expecting. 

The Bonus Features: 

• The Making of Hungry featurette 

Digital Copy Included: No