In celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Sugarland Express, Universal Pictures is bringing Steven Spielberg’s 1974 debut film back to the big screen in a new 4K restoration. This special re-release follows the film’s premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and a Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Restoration. The 4K remastered film will first screen at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. PT, with a nationwide theatrical release set for December 8, 2024.
The Sugarland Express marked Spielberg’s first feature film and was the beginning of his acclaimed partnership with composer John Williams, who scored nearly every Spielberg film since. Williams, a five-time Academy Award® winner and 54-time nominee, created iconic scores for Jaws, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and more, cementing a remarkable artistic collaboration that has influenced cinema for decades.
Starring Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, and Ben Johnson, The Sugarland Express follows the intense journey of Lou Jean (Hawn) and her husband, Clovis (Atherton), who escape custody to reclaim their son. The desperate couple’s actions lead to a high-stakes police chase across Texas, turning them into national symbols of defiance. The screenplay, co-written by Spielberg, is inspired by a true story and captures themes of family and societal perception.
The film also introduced Spielberg to future collaborators, including producers David Brown and Richard D. Zanuck, cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, and editor Verna Fields, who would later win an Oscar® for her work on Jaws.
The Sugarland Express 4K restoration is also available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and Digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Tickets for both the special screening and general theatrical release are available online.
TICKETS FOR THE EVENT CAN BE PURCHASED HERE
THE NATIONWIDE THEATRICAL RELEASE BEGINS DECEMBER 8, 2024
THEATRICAL TICKETS FOR THE RE-RELEASE CAN BE PURCHASED HERE
