High quality version of brand new, and upcoming movies? It’s Oscar DVD screener season. What is a DVD screener and which movies will get leaked this year?

As you might know, our sister site Where You Watch, tracks movies similar to how Has it Leaked track albums. And once every year, high quality versions of brand new, or even upcoming, movies are suddenly availble on pirate sites.

How’s this possible? The answer is simple, Oscar nominations generate a lot of money.

Therefore movie studios send out so called screeners. These screeners are DVD copies (often referred to as DVDSCR on pirate sites) of high profile movies the studios want considered as Oscar nominees and winners. And in order for the Oscar jury members to review movies they haven’t caught when they were in the cinemas or haven’t been shown yet, they get handed DVD copies of the movies. And many of the titles studios want to push extra hard to have Oscar nominated, are art house movies, and due to limited release, might not have been shown in the jury member’s city.

Where You Watch reports all movie leaks, including the Oscar screeners. With email alerts!

Where are movies like Star Wars 8?

And since these are the movies studio’s think, might, possibly win an Oscar – Movies such as Star Wars Episode 8 isn’t being sent out. No offence to Star Wars movies but beyond technical nominations, they are often ignored. And Disney have a history of never sending out promo copies of movies.

These screeners are watermarked, usually with a “For Your Consideration”-banner during the movie. The picture and audio is never really up to par with the upcoming retail release. And it’s on a DVD, not a BluRay or via a digital stream. But since the movies are so new, limited and aren’t due for a retail release in weeks or even months, they are super popular on pirated torrent and illegal streaming sites.

When will they leak?

Here are a few movies which are likely to leak out early this year. If you want an email when they have leaked out on the web, Where You Watch is the place you want to sign up for.

Dunkirk, the incredible war story directed by Christopher Nolan. One of the few movies the jury members will receive in 4K Bluray formats.

I Tonya. Starring Margot Robbie. Not due for a retail release until 2018.

2017’s best movie? I certainly think so. Blade Runner 2049. A movie which also had, just like the first one, an incredible soundtrack.

A24’s line-up of Oscar DVD Screeners, including The Killing Of A Sacred Deer.

The Shape of Water from Guillermo Del Toro. Already getting great reviews.

Bragging? A jury member photographs the DVD screener they’ve received. Including Detroit, Gifted and Battle Of The Sexes.

For more info and updates on all of these movies, sign up on Where You Watch and receive emails when they are out!

– Mojib