The class of 2001 is turning 25, and theaters are marking it. Studios and event distributors have spent much of 2026 pulling their anniversary titles back onto big screens, usually for a few days at a time.
Some of these runs are already over. Others are still ahead, so the list below covers both. Dates and formats are mostly for the U.S., and local showtimes can vary.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings trilogy returned to cinemas in January 2026 as part of Fellowship of the Ring’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Naturally, they were the extended editions. That meant a long weekend commitment for anyone who wanted all three films in one go.
Fathom Entertainment and Warner Bros. handled the American run, with screenings on 16 to 19 and 23 to 25 January. Peter Jackson’s films were also back in UK cinemas the year before, in a remastered form. The anniversary run was a second pass for fans who had already seen the restoration.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The first Harry Potter film originally debuted in theaters on November 16, 2001. For its 2026 return, it screened with ten minutes of extra behind the scenes footage. That bonus material gave longtime fans a small reason to buy a ticket again.
Warner Bros. didn’t stop at one film. All eight Harry Potter movies were scheduled to return to theaters globally from August 27 to September 3, 2026. Participating chains included AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Megaplex, Harkins and Marcus Theatres.
The Fast and the Furious
Universal brought the 2001 street racing film back to theaters across the country on August 21, 2026, for a limited engagement. It originally opened on June 22, 2001, with Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto. The rerelease also played in 4DX, according to a published list of motion enhanced titles.
The film looks different in hindsight. Screen Rant notes that it strongly resembled the 1990s action movie Point Break, with street racing replacing extreme sports. Gizmodo counts ten mainline films since, with more in development.
Shrek
Shrek returned to theaters nationwide in a special limited engagement beginning Friday, May 15, 2026. Universal Pictures announced the rerelease of the DreamWorks Animation hit. The voice cast of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow was unchanged, of course.
The anniversary also carried some awards history. The film earned the first ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. In the UK, the rerelease included standard and 4DX screens.
Donnie Darko
Donnie Darko returned to theaters from October 2 to 4, with a new 4K restoration. The date was chosen deliberately, since October 2 has come to be known as Donnie Darko Day. The run is over now, but it was easily the most cult flavored entry on this list.
Its history makes the rerelease more interesting. The film was a flop on release and made only $517,375 in its initial run. This version came with an exclusive introduction from Richard Kelly about the film’s legacy.
A Beautiful Mind
Ron Howard’s biographical drama is part of Fathom’s 2026 lineup. The company’s Big Screen Classics series returned in 2026 with anniversary screenings spanning 85 years of cinema. A Beautiful Mind sits in that lineup as a 25th anniversary title.
The film stars Russell Crowe as mathematician John Nash, with Jennifer Connelly as his devoted wife. I couldn’t confirm exact showtimes in the sources I found, so check Fathom or your local theater for dates.
Spirited Away
GKIDS and Fathom Entertainment announced that Spirited Away will return to theaters nationwide from October 17 through October 21. The five day engagement concludes Studio Ghibli Fest 2026, with both English dub and Japanese subtitled screenings. It opens in just a few days.
The schedule opens with English dubbed screenings over the first weekend, followed by subtitled showings on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2003, making Hayao Miyazaki the first Japanese filmmaker to win the category.
Spirited Away: Live on Stage
This entry is a companion event rather than the original film itself. Spirited Away: Live On Stage joined the 2026 Ghibli Fest lineup for two nationwide theatrical screenings. It brought a Japanese stage adaptation to American cinemas as part of the anniversary celebration.
GKIDS and Fathom presented the filmed production on October 1 and October 8, in Japanese with English subtitles. The two dates featured different performances, with Kanna Hashimoto as Chihiro on October 1 and Mone Kamishiraishi on October 8.
