'Les Miserables' sets Blu-ray release date

Jeff Labrecque
Updated
'Les Miserables' sets Blu-ray release date

What exactly is it about Les Misérables? Has any musical ever been so beloved? Based on Victor Hugo’s 19th-century novel, the stage musical about the redemption of prisoner Jean Valjean ran on Broadway for 16 years beginning in 1987 and was a worldwide sensation. Director Tom Hooper’s ambitious film adaptation has been a spectacular popular and critical success, grossing more than $144 million at the box office and earning eight Oscar nominations, including a nod for Best Supporting Actress frontrunner, Anne Hathaway. Fans of the musical flocked to theaters to watch Hugh Jackman’s heroic Valjean joust with Russell Crowe’s devious Javert, to see Hathaway sing the heartbreaking “I Dreamed a Dream,” and to vicariously stand atop the barricades on the eve of France’s 1832 revolution. On March 22, the experience comes home when Les Misérables arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand.

Click below for an exclusive trailer for the new Blu-ray.

Bonus Features Exclusive to the Blu-ray

  • Les Misérables Singing Live: The star-studded cast and production team discuss how the daunting challenge of singing live rather than lip-syncing to pre-recorded tracks ultimately gave them the creative freedom to deliver nuanced, emotionally powerful performances.

  • Battle at the Barricade: Director Tom Hooper wanted the dramatic building of the barricade to be as visceral and intense as possible, so he had his actors build it in real time, literally hurling furniture out of windows to construct an actual barricade. This featurette takes an in-depth look at the creation and filming of all the action on this remarkable set.

  • The West End Connection: Meet the “godfather” of the original stage production of Les Misérables, renowned West End producer Cameron Mackintosh, who was deeply involved in the filming, as well as former Les Misérables, theatrical stars who were thrilled to appear in supporting roles in the current film.

  • Les Misérables on Location: Filming rather than staging Les Misérables presents the opportunity to shoot in real world locations: a massive dry dock on the coast of England, a beautiful underground chapel in the heart of London and the ancient city of Winchester. Members of the cast and crew talk about what it was like to find and work in these incredible locations.

Bonus Features on Both the Blu-rayand DVD

  • The Stars of Les Misérables: Director Tom Hooper talks about casting the iconic characters, and the actors discuss why it was important to them to be a part of this groundbreaking version of

    Les Misérables.

  • Creating the Perfect Paris: Production designer Eve Stewart created a massive Paris set featuring real cobblestones and running water. Take an intricate look into the detailed recreation of these Paris streets that no longer exist in today’s world.

  • The Original Masterwork: Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables: This mini-documentary takes a look at the historical backdrop and universal themes of Hugo’s classic, and how the filmmakers mined the novel to enrich the look and feel of the film.

  • Feature Commentary with Director Tom Hooper

Read more:

Inside the Best Picture nominees: A deep dive into ‘Les Miserables’

‘Les Miserables’ exit poll — who cried?

Susan Boyle helped spark ‘Les Miserables’ movie, says producer Cameron Mackintosh