Apollo 13 Film Marks 30th Anniversary with Special IMAX Re-Release

Director Ron Howard's acclaimed film "Apollo 13," chronicling the perilous 1970 lunar mission, is returning to IMAX theaters nationwide for a limited engagement from September 19 to September 25, 2025. This special re-release commemorates the film's 30th anniversary, having originally premiered on June 30, 1995.

The engagement features the complete, full-length version of "Apollo 13," meticulously restored in IMAX format for the first time. This offers audiences an enhanced visual and auditory experience of the mission's dramatic events. Previously, in 2002, "Apollo 13" was the first live-action film to undergo IMAX's Digital Remastering (DMR) process, though approximately 13 minutes were omitted due to the projection limitations of that era.

Based on Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger's 1994 book "Lost Moon," the film stars Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell, Ed Harris as Gene Kranz, Bill Paxton as Fred Haise, Kevin Bacon as Jack Swigert, Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly, and Kathleen Quinlan as Marilyn Lovell. "Apollo 13" received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and won for Best Film Editing and Best Sound.

The narrative vividly portrays the critical moments of NASA's third moon mission, where astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert faced life-threatening challenges after an oxygen tank explosion severely compromised their spacecraft's life support systems. Launched on April 11, 1970, the mission was intended to be the third lunar landing, but an explosion on April 13, 1970, turned it into a desperate battle for survival.

Ron Howard highlighted the film's enduring message, stating, "'Apollo 13' is a testament to human resilience, ingenuity, and teamwork in the face of impossible odds." He also noted the film's continued relevance and its significance as a milestone for Imagine Entertainment, his production company. The filmmakers' commitment to authenticity included rigorous training for the cast and crew, with zero-gravity scenes filmed aboard NASA's KC-135 aircraft to accurately depict the astronauts' experiences.

The IMAX re-release provides a renewed opportunity for both new viewers and long-time fans to engage with this historical drama in a format that amplifies its powerful storytelling and the profound human spirit it represents.