Scream Factory and Shout Factory have announced their March batch of 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray releases, which include a 4K release of The Devil’s Advocate, the 1997 horror thriller starring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino. It’s set to be released on March 10.
Special Features
Unfortunately, the film doesn’t include a robust helping of extras (at least for the moment), but the special features include:
- 4K Transfer from the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- Presented in Dolby Vision
- Audio Commentary with Director Taylor Hackford
- Audio Commentary with Taylor Hackford
- Deleted Scenes
- Theatrical Trailer
What is The Devil’s Advocate About?
The Devil’s Advocate stars Reeves as a gifted young Florida lawyer who is invited to work for a major New York City law firm. As his wife (Charlize Theron) becomes haunted by frightening visions, the lawyer slowly realizes that the firm’s owner, John Milton (Pacino), is the Devil. The rest of the cast includes Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, Jeffrey Jones, Judith Ivey, and Heather Matarazzo.
We Have Keanu Reeves to Thank for Al Pacino Playing the Devil
The Devil’s Advocate received mixed reviews upon its release, but it’s hard not to admire a film that lets Al Pacino go completely full-throttle as the Prince of Darkness. That said, the iconic actor initially wanted nothing to do with the project, turning it down three separate times. Pacino even suggested that Robert Redford or Sean Connery might be better suited for the role, but the studio had its heart set on him.
A rewrite was commissioned to make the material more appealing, and Pacino eventually signed on—only for the production to realize it couldn’t afford him. Enter Keanu Reeves, who was so eager to work with Pacino that he reportedly took a multi-million-dollar pay cut to make it happen. For that sacrifice, cinephiles everywhere owe him a sincere thank you.
A Lawsuit Delayed the Home Video Release
Before it could even reach home video, the film became entangled in a lawsuit. The massive wall sculpture featured in Milton’s apartment was deemed to closely resemble Ex Nihilo, a work by sculptor Frederick Hart. A federal judge ruled that the film’s video release would be blocked until the case went to trial, unless a settlement was reached. Ultimately, Warner Bros. agreed to edit the scene in future releases and affix warning stickers to unedited videotapes clarifying that the artwork in the film was not related to Hart’s sculpture.
Will you be adding The Devil’s Advocate to your 4K collection?
