The Wicker Man Getting 4K Ultra HD Release for 50th Anniversary

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Robin Hardy's The Wicker Man, a seminal installment in '70s horror and arguably the archetype for all cult-themed horror, with the film getting a new 4K Ultra HD release in support of the anniversary. Additionally, the film will be getting a SteelBook release featuring a variety of special features and all-new artwork honoring the experience. In the years following its release, the movie also earned a reboot starring Nicolas Cage and a prequel, The Wicker Tree, from original director Hardy. The Wicker Man is set to hit 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray on October 17th.

The film is described, "When a young girl mysteriously vanishes, Police Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) travels to a remote Scottish island to investigate. But the seemingly quiet community is not as it appears, as the detective uncovers a secretive pagan society led by the strange Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee). While the townsfolk tempt and threaten him with bizarre rituals and wanton lust, Howie must race to discover the truth behind the girl's disappearance before his clash with Lord Summerisle builds to a terrifying conclusion -- one that has cemented this cult shocker as a modern horror masterpiece."

The film also stars Britt Ekland (The Man with the Golden Gun, Get Carter), Diane Cilento (Tom Jones, Hombre), Ingrid Pitt (Where Eagles Dare, The Vampire Lovers, Countess Dracula), Lindsay Kemp (Velvet Goldmine, Pierrot in Turquoise or The Looking Glass Murders), and Russell Waters (Yesterday's Enemy, TV's The Avengers).

Special features on the upcoming release are as follows:

4K-ONLY SPECIAL FEATURES

• Revisiting the Locations of The Wicker Man
  
• The Wicker Man at 50
  
• Robin Hardy's Script: The Lost Ending
• Britt Ekland Interview
  
• Behind-the-Scenes Gallery
  
• Wicker Man Enigma
• Burnt Offering: The Cult of The Wicker Man
• Interview with Robin Hardy and Christopher Lee (1979)
  

4K & BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Worshipping The Wicker Man
  
• The Music of The Wicker Man
  
• Interview with Robin Hardy (2013)
• Trailers
  

BLU-RAY ONLY:

• Restoration Comparison

In addition to the attention drawn to the film due to its anniversary, reports emerged last year that filmmaker Andy Serkis would be adapting the story into a TV series. At the time of the reports, writer Howard Overman claimed that the new take on the material would "explore the same themes of sacrifice, superstition, and ritual that were at its core."

The Wicker Man is set to hit 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 17th.

Will you be adding the film to your collection? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!