Christopher Nolan’s 20-year-old thriller will look different when it returns to theaters.
Nolan is coming off of a massive opening weekend for his latest movie, The Odyssey, which debuted with $246.1 million globally and $124.5 million domestically. IMAX screenings make up $51.8 of the worldwide ticket sales, and 70 millimeter IMAX showings have been particularly in demand, with the initial run of tickets selling within an hour an entire year earlier.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan has now revealed that The Prestige will be re-released in the 70 millimeter format. The filmmaker discusses how the original movie was shot on 35 millimeter film, which he recently revisited, and in the coming weeks he will begin the process of having it “look absolutely beautiful blown up to 70 millimeter.” Check out his comments below:
I’m just really excited to bring it to fresh audiences. We’re actually going to do 70 millimeter blow-ups. Wally Pfister shot it anamorphically on 35 millimeter, and he did an incredible job. I screened a 35 mil print the other day to check it, and his photography is just extraordinary. Nathan Crowley’s production design is amazing as well. So it’s going to look absolutely beautiful blown up to 70 millimeter, and we’re going to start that process in the next few weeks.
Nolan previously shared in an interview with Fred Asquith that The Prestige would be theatrically re-released on January 21, 2027 to honor the movie’s 20-year anniversary, but did not provide further details. In his newest update, he does not say anything about the re-release being in IMAX, but having it presented via standard 70 millimeter film still provides extra incentive for fans to see the movie in theaters.
Before revealing the information about the re-release, Nolan was asked about whether he is open to collaborating with Christian Bale again after working with him on four movies, which includes The Prestige and all installments of The Dark Knight trilogy. Nolan makes it clear that he is interested in reuniting with the Academy Award-winning actor, and why he is excited for audiences to see Bale on the big screen again in The Prestige.
Oh, of course. He’s one of the great actors of his generation, and I’ve had tremendous experiences with him. I’m thrilled that they’re going to re-release The Prestige because it’s one of his most underrated performances.
In The Prestige, which is set in Victorian London, Bale plays Alfred Borden, an illusionist in a rivalry with fellow magician Robert Angier (Hugh Jackman), with the movie exploring the lengths they will go to perform their tricks. Nolan directed the psychological thriller and co-wrote the script with his brother, Jonathan Nolan. It grossed $109 million worldwide after being made on a $40 million product and has a “Certified Fresh” 76% critics’ score and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Michael Caine, Scarlett Johansson, David Bowie, Andy Serkis, Rebecca Hall, and Piper Perabo are in the cast as well.
Wally Pfister and Nathan Crowley received Academy Award nominations for their respective work in cinematography and art direction on the film. Based on his comments and praising both of their work, Nolan is not looking to change what they achieved but to instead showcase it on an even larger scale through 70 millimeter film.
For The Odyssey‘s 70mm IMAX screenings, there have been accounts of viewers driving multiple hours, watching it in the middle of the night, and tickets being sold through scalpers in order to experience it in this format. With The Prestige being a 20-year-old movie and not confirmed to be re-released in IMAX, the 70mm showings won’t have quite the same demand. However, between the popularity of Nolan, the visual upgrade, and the movie’s ongoing positive reputation, it will likely perform exceptionally well for a theatrical re-release.
The Prestige returns to theaters on January 21, 2027.
- Release Date
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October 20, 2006
- Runtime
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130 minutes