While it didn’t win Best Picture at the 68th edition of the Oscars, Ron Howard‘s “Apollo 13” remains one of those quintessential ’90s Hollywood films: a docudrama about a real event straight from NASA, bolstered by a terrific ensemble cast led by Tom Hanks, and elite technical proficiency by the director and crew to create the most realistic movie possible. In short, they don’t make ’em like this anymore, and that’s a perfect reason for Universal to give the film a re-release for its 30th anniversary.
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But the re-release of “Apollo 13” this September is also the first chance audiences will get to see it on the grandest screen experience possible: IMAX®. And there’s no better time to experience the 1995 film all over again than in the lull between the summer movie releases and each studio’s Fall slate.
Here’s an official synopsis for “Apollo 13,” courtesy of Universal Pictures:
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, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise 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, astronaut Ken Mattingly and engineers at Mission Control worked against the clock to bring them back safely, while Lovell’s wife Marilyn 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.
Along with Hanks, “Apollo 13” also stars Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen Quinlan, and Chris Ellis.
Howard directs a screenplay by William Boyles Jr. and Al Reinert on “Apollo 13,” who adapt the book “Lost Moon” by Lovell and journalist Jeffrey Kluger. Brian Grazer produces the film. “Apollo 13” is an Imagine Entertainment production.
“”Apollo 13” is a testament to human resilience, ingenuity, and teamwork in the face of impossible odds,” Ron Howard said in a press statement about the “Apollo 13” re-release. “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.”
“Apollo 13” was a critical and commercial hit when it first hit theaters in the summer of 1995. Howard’s film went on to earn $355.2 million at the global box office, cementing his status as a prestige director. The movie also received nine Academy Award nods, and won two: Best Film Editing and Best Sound. During that awards season run, “Apollo 13” also won a Directors Guild Of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures, a Producers Guild Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures, a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture.
Want to relive “Apollo 13” all over again in the biggest format possible? Howard’s film hits theaters and IMAX screens nationwide for a one-week theatrical run from September 19-25. Watch the 30th Anniversary trailer for the movie below.
