These 15 Classic Movies Are Coming Back to Theaters in 2020
Turner Classic Movies is bringing some of our favorite films back to theaters nationwide in 2020. Throughout the year, TCM’s Big Screen Classics series will air 15 beloved movies, including An American in Paris, Ghost, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Each movie has a few showings and will air both weeknights and weekends. We can’t wait to watch our favorite films while munching on real movie theater popcorn instead of at home on the couch.
To bring these movies back to the big screen, TCM partnered with Fathom Events, an event planning company that organizes movie showings nationwide. The films will be shown in AMC, Cinemark, and Regal theaters across the country, and ticket prices at our local theaters were all under $9 (cheaper than any new movie showings). To find a participating theater near you, check Fathom Events’ website. And while you're waiting for your favorites to hit theaters near you, stream one of these 17 classic movies to watch with your mom.
'An American in Paris'
In Theaters: January 19 and 22
Watch Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron sing and dance their way through the streets of Paris to the musical compositions of George and Ira Gershwin in this 1951 musical comedy. The film won six Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and is in the top ten of the American Film Institute’s list of greatest movie musicals of all time.
'Love Story'
In Theaters: February 9 and 12
This film starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw, is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time and is number nine on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest love stories of all time. Based on the novel by Erich Segal, the film was originally released in 1970 and will hit theaters this year to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
'The Color Purple'
In Theaters: February 23
The 1985 Steven Spielberg adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Color Purple hits theaters this February. Watch Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, and Margaret Avery as their characters navigate themes of domestic violence, racism, and sexism in early twentieth-century Georgia. This powerful film will only be in theaters for one day, so mark your calendars now.
'King Kong'
In Theaters: March 15
This 1933 classic stars Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, and Robert Armstrong in a horror film about a larger-than-life gorilla. In 1991, the Library of Congress selected this film for preservation in the National Film Registry, naming it "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant." In other words, it’s a must-see.
'A League of Their Own'
In Theaters: April 26, 27, and 29
This inspiring 1992 comedy-drama follows The Rockford Peaches, an all-female baseball team. While the story is fiction, it is loosely based on the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was formed in 1943. To see Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O’Donnell, and Lori Petty compete, head to theaters this spring.
'Airplane!'
In Theaters: May 17 and 20
This satirical film celebrates its 40th anniversary this summer. Starring Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty, the movie follows Ted, an ex-fighter pilot, and his recent ex-girlfriend Elaine (a flight attendant) who find themselves on the same flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. When the pilot comes down with food poisoning, Ted is recruited to safely land the plane. The 1980 film is full of slapstick comedy and was voted one of the top ten funniest movies ever made by the American Film Institute.
'The Shining'
In Theaters: May 31 and June 3
It’s been 40 years since we first watched this 1980 film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, but it hasn’t gotten any less scary. This summer, you can watch Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall as their characters move into a secluded hotel with a haunting past.
'Annie'
In Theaters: June 14 and 17
This is one of our all-time favorite classic movies. Originally released in 1982, the musical comedy-drama follows the story of an orphan from New York City who is adopted by a billionaire. You can sing along to “It’s the Hard Knock Life for Us” or "Tomorrow" in theaters this summer.
'The Blues Brothers'
In Theaters: June 28 and July 1
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd play Jake and Elwood Blues in this beloved 1980 comedy. Watch as the brothers set out to save a Catholic orphanage from foreclosure by performing with their R&B band to raise the money. This spinoff of a recurring Saturday Night Live skit is definitely worth a trip to the theater.
'Ghost'
In Theaters: July 19 and 22
It’s been three decades since this epic love story first appeared on the big screen, so TCM is bringing back Ghost in honor of its 30th anniversary. The thriller-meets-romance film from 1990, starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg, tells the tale of a young woman and the ghost of her murdered lover, who must enlist the help of a psychic to help him save his girlfriend.
'Babe'
In Theaters: August 9 and 12
This endearing tale of Babe the piglet returns to theaters for its 25th anniversary this August. The 1995 Academy Award-winning comedy tells the story of a livestock pig who wants the job of a sheepdog. This is a classic the whole family will enjoy.
'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
In Theaters: September 13, 14, and 17
This 1977 Steven Spielberg film tells the story of Roy Neary, an Indiana man (played by Richard Dreyfuss) who comes face to face with a UFO. As Roy begins to have mysterious visions, his life takes an unexpected turn.
'Psycho'
In Theaters: October 11 and 12
Experience the Bates Motel on the big screen this fall as Psycho celebrates its 60th anniversary. This 1960 Alfred Hitchcock horror film stars Janet Leigh, whose character finds herself in a creepy old motel after stealing money from her employer. If you love scary movies, plan a date night to see Psycho in theaters.
'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest'
In Theaters: November 8 and 9
Jack Nicholson stars as a patient in a psychiatric hospital, where he attempts to encourage the other patients to escape with him. The film won five Academy Awards following its release in 1975 and returns to screens to celebrate its 45th anniversary.
'Fiddler on the Roof'
In Theaters: December 13 and 14
This musical comedy is about a father who attempts to teach his five daughters about his Jewish traditions. The 1971 musical comedy won three Academy Awards, all for the film’s musical numbers. Take the entire family to see this one in theaters.
