Over the last several weeks, we’ve been reporting on older movies making their way back to theaters. These movies, which include the live-action flicks and the , are being put back on the silver screen to commemorate a specific milestone—like hitting 25—or seemingly just because everyone else made it look so fun. To that end, Universal’s putting the 1999 film back in theaters for its 25th birthday, and 20th Century Studios is doing the same with for its 45th. Both are dropping on April 26 ahead of their respective anniversaries in May, but in the case of it takes on some extra weight since the franchise will return with a new installment in on August 16. As the spring and summer movie season gets closer into view, it may be that other films get a similar re-release treatment—Movies turning 10+ years old is a big deal, and if the first wave of movies get a sizable turnout, you can imagine other movies with similar milestones (like the original ) get re-releases of their own. first released on May 7, 1999, directed by Stephen Sommers and starred Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Beyond being a remake of the 1932 Universal movie by Karl Freund, its claim to fame was helping to pave the way for the summer blockbuster as we know it: an effects filled action-comedy starring hot young actors (emphasis on looking at the leads) going through one set piece after another. Despite a mixed reception, it made $416.4 million and ended up spawning multiple sequels: 2001's (which marked Dwayne Johnson’s acting debut), 2007's and the sub-series that came after There was also the , which...well, it happened. As for it came out in Seattle on May 25, 1979 ahead of a wider release on June 22. Directed by Ridley Scott, it also got a mixed critical reception, but it hit big at the
box office with $184.7 million, and ended up winning an Oscar for Best VFX. In the decades since its release, it became reappraised as one of the most influential sci-fi horror films of time. Fox has kept the franchise consistently going with prequels (like ), sequels ( ), comics, , and crossovers with . The series has never not been around, and now that it’s owned by
Disney, that’ll be even more true between Noah Hawley’s TV series, and who knows what else. Both and hit theaters for a full week on April 26, and tickets are available now. , and