THE WIZ Movie Joining The Criterion Collection in June
The new release, which includes a 4K UHD and a regular Blu-ray, will hit shelves on June 10.
By: Josh Sharpe Mar. 14, 2025
The Criterion Collection has revealed the June 2025 lineup of Blu-ray titles, which includes the 1978 musical film adaptation of The Wiz, starring Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne. The new release, which includes a 4K UHD and a regular Blu-ray, will hit shelves on June 10.
The release will include a new 4K digital restoration approved by producer Rob Cohen, a new audition commentary, and archival interviews with director Sidney Lumet and actor Diana Ross. The 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo edition will retail at $49.95, with the Blu-ray edition going for $39.95. Pre-orders are available now here.
The Wiz is a reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz based on the Broadway musical of the same name. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1974 and went on to win seven Tony Awards. A Broadway revival hit New York in 2024 and is currently touring.
In the film, Diana Ross brings her showstopping star power to the role of Dorothy, here a Harlem schoolteacher who is magically transported to a surreal fantasyland that resembles New York City, complete with man-eating trash cans and a disco paradise. Propelled by the musical contributions of Quincy Jones and an all-star cast that includes Michael Jackson, Richard Pryor, and Lena Horne, this dazzling soul spectacular from legendary director Sidney Lumet reframes a beloved tale through the Black American experience, creating a powerful celebration of self-determination.
Earlier this month, Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande took the stage at the Academy Awards to sing a medley of songs from the world of Oz, including Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Defying Gravity, and Home from The Wiz. Watch their performance here. Also at the awards ceremony, Queen Latifah continued wth the Oz theme with a performance of The Wiz's Ease on Down the Road in a tribute to the late Quincy Jones, who worked on the film. That performance can be found here.
CRITERION SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
• New audio commentary featuring scholars Michael B. Gillespie and Alfred L. Martin
• Archival interviews with director Sidney Lumet and actor Diana Ross
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic Aisha Harris
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