In the world of good cops and bad cops, one name stands alone. One of the most seminal and, frankly, the greatest action thrillers of all time, this gloriously influential genre masterpiece is all set for a new release more than half a century after making its debut. And it might even be as effortlessly cool as the movie itself.
Released way back in 1968 and starring Hollywood icon Steve McQueen, director Peter Yates unleashed Bullitt, which remains one of the most groundbreaking action thrillers of all time, thanks in large part to McQueen’s captivatingly icy on-screen presence and a particular car chase sequence that’s hailed as the greatest ever put to screen. Based on the 1963 crime novel Mute Witness by Robert L. Fish and adapted by Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner, Bullitt stars silver screen icon Steve McQueen alongside Robert Vaughn, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Robert Duvall, Simon Oakland, and Norman Fell.
The action crime thriller follows McQueen as SFPD police lieutenant Frank Bullitt, who goes rogue when the star witness for a Senate hearing on organized crime is killed before taking the stand. Facing blame from federal prosecutor Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn), Bullitt digs deeper into the case and soon finds himself becoming a target. Featuring a ruthless criminal underworld, all manner of double-crosses, and a cop who cares more about delivering justice than following the rules, Bullitt is the major blueprint for all of these action crime thriller tropes. And while they may now seem a little stale nowadays, they will soon be refreshed like never before when Bullitt is released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray later this year.
“It’s a mood, it’s a look, it’s the roar of an engine and the screech of tyres on asphalt. It’s the car, it’s the music, it’s McQueen and his ice cool eyes. Fasten your seatbelt, Bullitt is back,” declares Arrow Video, revealing that Bullitt has now been given “Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films.”
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Arrow Video -
Arrow Video
PRODUCT FEATURES
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
– Brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative by Arrow Films
– 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
– Original restored lossless mono audio, plus lossless stereo surround audio
– Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
– Archive audio commentary by director Peter Yates
– Brand new audio commentary by film critics Jason Bailey & Matt Zoller Seitz
– The Sound of Cool, a brand new appreciation of Lalo Schifrin’s iconic score by composer and historian Neil Brand
– Bullitt: Steve McQueen’s Commitment to Reality, a vintage behind the scenes featurette
– Peter Yates at the BFI, an on stage interview with the director from 1996
– The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing, an archive feature-length documentary
– Theatrical trailer
– Image gallery
– Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ben Turner
– Collectors’ booklet containing new writing by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Priscilla Page
Bullitt stands at a near-perfect and “Certified Fresh” 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and is an undisputed classic of the action thriller genre. Renowned for influencing the likes of Walter Hill (The Driver), Michael Mann (Heat), Quentin Tarantino (Death Proof), Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher), and many more, Bullitt has a legacy so ingrained in the genre that even Hollywood heavy-hitters Steven Spielberg and Bradley Cooper have tried and, so far, failed to remake it for the modern era.
While we wait and see whether Spielberg ever figures it out, the 4K Bullitt Blu-ray release is now available for pre-order for $35.00 (RRP: $49.99) ahead of release on Dec. 8, 2026.
