Apollo 13 celebrates its 30th Anniversary with a return to theaters in the IMAX format
The Ron Howard astronaut drama Apollo 13 is turning 30 this year, and, to celebrate, Universal & Imagine Entertainment are bringing the award-winning film back to theaters in IMAX format. The film, which stars Tom Hanks, Gary Sinise, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris and Bill Paxton, was the first live-action film to be digitally remastered using IMAX‘s proprietary DMR technology. It was, then, re-released in 2002 as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience. At the time, 13 minutes of the film were cut to accommodate the limitations of the IMAX film platter used in projection. Now, from September 19 to September 25, Apollo 13‘s IMAX remaster will be shown in its full-length theatrical version for the first time ever.
Ron Howard celebrates the 30th Anniversary with a statement that reads, “Apollo 13 is a testament to human resilience, ingenuity, and teamwork in the face of impossible odds. As we celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary, I’m reminded of how relevant those themes remain today. This re-release is not only a celebration of that incredible mission and the people behind it, but also a proud milestone for all of us at Imagine. It was a defining moment in our journey as storytellers and we’re thrilled that Universal and IMAX have made it possible to share it with a new generation.”
The press release reads,
Released on June 30, 1995, Apollo 13 recounts the real-life events of April 1970, when an oxygen tank explosion aboard NASA’s third planned mission to the Moon transformed the flight into a harrowing battle for survival. With their spacecraft losing power and life support, astronauts Jim Lovell (Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks), Jack Swigert (Golden Globe Award winner Kevin Bacon) and Fred Haise (SAG Award winner Bill Paxton) were forced to abort their lunar landing and chart a return to Earth without a functioning command module.
On the ground, flight director Gene Kranz (Oscar® nominee Ed Harris), astronaut Ken Mattingly (Oscar® nominee Gary Sinise) and engineers at Mission Control worked against the clock to bring them back safely, while Lovell’s wife Marilyn (Oscar® nominee Kathleen Quinlan) confronted the growing uncertainty from home. The failed mission became one of NASA’s greatest triumphs—an unprecedented display of ingenuity and one of the most extraordinary rescues in modern history.
The film marked a defining moment for Imagine, which is also celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. “Apollo 13 is a towering accomplishment in filmmaking and storytelling,” said Jim Orr, President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution for Universal Pictures. “It’s a film that continues to inspire audiences with its portrayal of human resilience and problem-solving under unimaginable circumstances. We’re thrilled to bring it back to theaters in IMAX, where its full emotional impact and visual scope can be experienced like never before.”
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