Although it had seemed like a foregone conclusion that Stanley Kubrick‘s 2001: A Space Odyssey would be restored and re-released by Warner Bros. in 2001, it may only get limited distribution in four cities — Seattle, Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles — late this year, according to Wired magazine.
A wider release is planned for 2002 if this year’s screenings produce a profit, the magazine said. Warner’s hesitant plans have received a tongue lashing from critic Roger Ebert, who featured the film at his Overlooked Film Festival in April (although the film could hardly be described as “overlooked”).
Ebert told Wired: “Seeing it on a big screen in 70mm is not just seeing a better picture, but essentially having a different experience. … Those unlucky enough to have seen it only on video have not really seen it at all.”
