July 24, 2025

— Houston, we have a 30th anniversary re-release.

"Apollo 13," Universal Pictures' 1995 movie about NASA's "problem"-ridden 1970 mission to the moon, will be returning exclusively to IMAX theaters in September. The full-length film is being presented in giant-screen format for the first time.

First released on June 30, 1995, "Apollo 13" follows the events of the historic mission, which after departing Earth orbit for the moon, suffered an explosion in the spacecraft's service module, leaking oxygen into space and placing the astronauts' return to Earth at risk. Apollo 13 "lost the moon" and became an engineering challenge for Mission Control to bring the crew safely home. Failure was not an option.

"Apollo 13 is a testament to human resilience, ingenuity and teamwork in the face of impossible odds," said Ron Howard, the movie's director, in a statement released by Universal Pictures on Thursday (July 24). "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," said Howard, referring to his and Brian Grazer's production company. "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: Official Trailer. Click to enlarge video in new pop-up window. (IMAX)

Tom Hanks, the late Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon starred as the crew of the third U.S. lunar landing attempt, Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert, respectively. Kathleen Quinlan portrayed Lovell's wife Marilyn, Gary Sinese played astronaut Ken Mattingly and Ed Harris was flight director Gene Kranz, the head of Mission Control.

"Apollo 13" was the first and only major motion picture to be set in space and film in reduced gravity. The actors, film crew and set pieces were loaded onto a NASA astronaut training aircraft, which flew parabolas in the sky to produce 30 seconds of weightlessness at a time.

"Apollo 13" was also a technological achievement for IMAX, the Canadian large-format film company. The movie was the first live-action production to be digitally remastered using IMAX's DMR process. Released in 2002 as "Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience," it was the first picture to open in commercial and institutional IMAX venues around the world.

Thirteen minutes were cut from the theatrical version of the movie to physically fit it onto the large platters used to project IMAX films. The 30th anniversary release of "Apollo 13" will present the entire movie in IMAX for the first time.

"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," said Jim Orr, president of domestic theatrical distribution at Universal Pictures. "It's a film that continues to inspire audiences with its portrayal of human resilience and problem-solving under unimaginable circumstances."

"'Apollo 13' is a towering accomplishment in filmmaking and storytelling," said Orr.

The 30th anniversary edition of "Apollo 13," will be in IMAX theaters from Sept. 19-25, 2025.