Warner Bros. Replacing DVDs Impacted by Disc Rot

In recent years, physical media has become more crucial than ever due to movies and TV shows constantly being pulled from streaming services and digital platforms due to licensing agreements or the whims of CEOs. As reported by movie news and reviews site JoBlo, however, hundreds of DVDs made by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment between 2006 and 2008 could be impacted by “disc rot.”

Disc rot is when DVDs suddenly stop working far sooner than the 30 to 100 years they should last when taken care of properly as a result of decay between the protective lacquer and reflective layer. In his report, JoBlo editor in chief Chris Bumbray revealed he recently discovered that films and TV shows in his collection put out by Warner Bros. in the mid-2000s have succumbed to that issue.

In a statement, the company’s Home Video department acknowledged the problem and said it had already been working with customers to replace impacted discs: “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.”

Warner Bros. added, “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 product can contact the customer support team at whv@wbd.com.”

See a comprehensive list of affected titles here.

DVD rot plaguing Warner Bros. titles is not a new problem. As The Verge points out, physical media enthusiasts have been discussing the issue in forums dating back to at least 2005 in forums like DVD Talk and Home Theater Forum.

YouTuber Damn Fool Idealistic Crusader also posted a lengthy video about the issue in 2021, in which he reported the disc rot applies to DVDs from a longer window of 2006 to 2009.

Perhaps YouTuber RetroBlasting put it best in a 2024 video, saying, “They all go bad. They curdle like milk.”