88 Films Releasing The Protector (1985) on 4K UHD in March 2026
88 Films is releasing The Protector (1985) on 4K UHD in March. The limited edition 4-disc set presents three cuts of the film from brand-new 4K restorations sourced from the original 35 mm camera negatives.
Film Overview
The Protector (1985) follows New York City cops Billy Wong, played by Jackie Chan, and Danny Garoni, played by Danny Aiello, after the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman's daughter. Their investigation sends them to Hong Kong, where they clash with local authorities and confront crime boss Harold Ko, played by Roy Chiao, who is intent on protecting his drug empire. This release includes the US and international version, Jackie Chan's personal Hong Kong edit, and the Japanese extended version.
Video and Audio Specs
The release is sourced from brand-new 4K restorations created from the original 35 mm camera negatives. The 4K UHD presentations are delivered in 2160p and are presented in Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range with HDR10 compatibility. All versions are presented in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, and the set includes High Definition 1080p Blu-ray discs. The 4K UHD discs are region free, and the Blu-ray discs are region coded B.
Audio options include a 2.0 stereo soundtrack and a 5.1 DTS-HD MA remixed soundtrack. The release includes English SDH subtitles, as well as Cantonese with English subtitles for the Japanese and Hong Kong cuts.
Bonus Features
The set includes the following bonus features:
- Brand new audio commentary by East Asian film experts Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and F. J. DeSanto (HK Cut)
- Audio Commentary by George Clarke and Mike Leeder (HK Cut)
- Mars Cheung on The Protector
- Hard Edge: Interview with Writer and Director James Glickenhaus
- Follow the Puck: Interview with Cinematographer Mark Irwin
- A Tale of 2 movies with Steve Lawson: A side-by-side comparison of the HK cut and the US cut of the film
- Archive Behind the Scenes Featurette
- International Trailer
- Japanese Trailer
- Hong Kong Trailer
- Japanese Teaser Trailer
Editions and Packaging
This limited edition 4-disc set is housed in an O-ring and rigid slipcase featuring artwork by Sean Longmore. Inside the package are art cards, a double-sided poster, and an 80-page book with new writing on the film by William Blaik and Thorsten Boose, along with an interview with cinematographer Henry Chung. The reversible sleeve includes new artwork by Sean Longmore on one side and the original Hong Kong art on the other. An 88 Films website-exclusive edition will feature the original poster art.
Release Date and Availability
88 Films will release The Protector (1985) 4K UHD limited edition set on March 16, 2026. It is currently available to pre-order.
The Protector arrives as part of the broader lineup of 88 Films March releases highlighted in our previous roundup.
Physical media enthusiast covering Blu-ray & 4K UHD releases.