Warner Bros. will replace rotten DVDs

There is no better way to protect the art you love and ensure it is always available for enjoyment than physical media. We know some people enjoy keeping tabs on the licensing agreements, expiration dates, and streaming availability of every title they could want to watch. But for our money, a good Blu-ray is much more convenient—that is, unless the disc was a Warner Bros. release produced between 2006 and 2008. A rash of disc rot plaguing discs produced by Warners between those years has been ruining collections for years, with reports beginning as early as 2020. At long last, the studio has announced a soothing ointment. In a statement to JoBlo, Warner Bros. is offering to replace rotting discs produced between 2006 and 2008:

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is aware of potential issues affecting select DVD titles manufactured between 2006 – 2008, and the company has been actively working with consumers to replace defective discs.

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Where possible, the defective discs have been replaced with the same title. However, as some of the affected titles are no longer in print or the rights have expired, consumers have been offered an exchange for a title of like-value.

Consumers with affected products can contact the customer support team at [email protected].

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Disc rot is caused by corrosion between the disc’s protective lacquer and reflective layer. DVDs should be more resistant because, unlike CDs, the lacquer on the back of discs is made of plastic instead of aluminum. Though some precautions can prevent the deterioration, some reports confirm that this issue has hit discs fresh out of the package. Degradation in DVDs and HD DVDs released by Warner Bros. reveal unsightly discoloration on the back of discs that have never been played or were recently removed from their wrapping. The Verge notes that some DVD enthusiasts have experienced disc rot with 2009 releases as well, while YouTuber Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader has narrowed the origin of the issues to a Cinram manufacturing plant in Olyphant, Pennsylvania—though that has not been confirmed. To make it easier for collectors, Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader has compiled a list of “known rotted DVD titles,” which currently contains 215 titles, including such classics as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Entourage Season 3, Part 2.

There is no cure for disc rot. If you believe one of your discs has rotted out, please contact your local Warner Bros. fulfillment center.