With 4K TVs still in their relative infancy, the demand for Ultra HD Blu-ray players hasn’t yet hit a fever pitch. In order to sweeten the deal, some manufacturers and bundling 4K Blu-ray discs to help entice customers. Earlier this year, Panasonic did this in Europe, bundling Mad Max: Fury Road with its DMB-UB900 Blu-ray player, and now Philips is getting in on the game with its new Ultra HD player, out this month.
Today, Philips’ North American licensee P&F USA announced that the upcoming BDP7501 will include a copy of Warner Brothers’ Creed on Blu-ray. Not only does this film come in 4K, but also features HDR, allowing those who have recently bought a higher-end TV to pair with their new Ultra HD player to get an idea of just what it’s capable of. The package also includes an HD version of the disc, as well as special features, also available in HD.
“We’re very pleased to offer buyers of our new Ultra HD Blu-ray player the opportunity to immediately enjoy all of the benefits that 4K and HDR provide by including Creed with the purchase of the player,” said Karl Bearnarth, P&F USA vice president of sales and marketing, in a statement. “4K Ultra HD Blu-ray provides consumers with the opportunity to own and enjoy stunning 4K content without the glitches that can occur when streaming large 4K files, and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment’s UHD release of Creed delivers the full benefit by combining 4K resolution with the brighter, deeper, more lifelike colors that HDR provides.”
Released last year, Creed details the next chapter in the Rocky franchise and features series mainstay Sylvester Stallone. The film was a hit, and a sequel could arrive as soon as 2017.
The Philips BDP7501 is only the second 4K Ultra TV Blu-ray player to become available in the U.S., following Samsung’s K8500. Like that player, the Philips model will retail for a suggested $400. The combo goes on sale beginning later this month, and will be available through September.
