‘Apollo 13’ Lifts Off Again in Cinemas Nationwide This April, 50 Years After the Breathtaking Crisis in Space

Almost 50 years to the day after the liftoff of the ill-fated 1970 space mission for America’s third Moon landing, director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer’s acclaimed film “Apollo 13” returns to movie theaters in a special three-day-only presentation from Fathom Events, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment.

Tickets are available at www.FathomEvents.com or participating movie theater box offices.

“Apollo 13” will play April 5, 6 and 8, blasting off in more than 600 movie theaters nationwide. A full list of theater locations is available on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

“Apollo 13” boasts a star-studded cast, featuring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris and Kathleen Quinlan, but its even more remarkable achievement may be how director Howard executes a story of perseverance, unity and commitment to a higher purpose. Twenty-five years after its initial release – and a half-century after the arduous, near-fatal journey that made legends out of astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert – “Apollo 13” shines as brightly as ever, thanks to its groundbreaking technical achievements, captivating performances and a soaring score by the late James Horner.

Lovell (played by Hanks), Swigert (Bacon) and Haise (Paxton) are almost to the Moon when an on-board explosion leads to the unforgettable line: “Houston, we have a problem.” As their spacecraft is depleted of most of its oxygen supply and electrical power, they attempt to return to earth, led by NASA flight controllers working in a pre-digital age.

A commercial and critical success upon release, “Apollo 13” cemented its status as one of the great space films of all time when it was nominated for nine Academy Awards™, including Best Picture (winning for Film Editing and Sound).

“Apollo 13 may have been deemed a ‘successful failure,’ but the movie is a brilliant reminder that it was anything but, and we are honored to commemorate the 50th anniversary of such an extraordinary human accomplishment – and the 25th anniversary of the movie – by bringing Apollo 13 back to movie theaters, where its vision and scope can be best appreciated,” said Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations Tom Lucas.