The Greatest Show Above Earth, Soars Back Onto The Giant Screen - Follow A Year In The Life Of The Blue Angels, From Training Through Touring

January 23, 2025
The Blue Angels have been enthralling spectators across the country and around the globe for more than 75 years. Now, IMAX Entertainment proudly presents a thrilling new abridged version of the documentary The Blue Angels taking audiences soaring with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron as never before.
Opening January 17th, 2025 at the AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater at the Museum of Discovery and Science, the Filmed For IMAX® immersive footage puts viewers directly into the cockpit for a firsthand view of the Blue Angels’ precision flying, while the aerial shots deliver a spectacular showcase of the breathtaking maneuvers that have made them the world’s premier jet team.
The Blue Angels also takes audiences behind-the-scenes for a revealing, in-depth look at what it takes to become a Blue Angel - from the careful selection process to the challenging training regimen, and on through the demanding eight-month show season.
“We’re delighted to welcome audiences to the Museum of Discovery and Science for the extended return of The Blue Angels, an incredible look at the gravity-defying acrobatics flight team who push the limits of aeronautical science,” said Joseph P. Cox, President and CEO of MODS. “The film is a perfect complement to our STEM-focused permanent aviation exhibit ‘To Fly’ featuring the history of flight with authentic aircraft components and ‘The Hangar’ makerspace where guests of all ages can explore the mechanics of how flight happens. We invite thrill-seekers of all ages to discover the skies with us from a comfortable vantage point in larger-than-life IMAX.”
The filmmakers behind The Blue Angels were granted unprecedented access - on the ground and in the air - to invite audiences along, from the first days of rigorous training through to the final show and the passing of the torch to a new team. But even as the documentary lifts the veil of the Blue Angels mystique, it only magnifies the magic.
“This documentary takes us through the Blue Angels’ 2022 Season, with three new pilots flying in the formation plus two pilots flying in different positions because the team rotates every year,” said Paul Crowder, Director. “We follow that challenging journey and everything it entails, for them and for the entire squadron. I don’t think most people quite understand everything it takes to do what they do. We all felt very lucky to be there among these elite pilots, support officers and enlisted personnel and to see how incredibly proud they are to be on this team. There is just a tremendous amount of joy and love, diversity and inclusivity, camaraderie and friendship. The most daunting part for us, as filmmakers, was how to capture it all and bring it to IMAX screens.”
Producer J.J. Abrams added, “A documentary following an entire year with the Blue Angels - and doing it in IMAX with tools that are traditionally used in narrative storytelling - felt like an amazing opportunity. Most of the preparation and planning went into filming the aerial maneuvers, but it doesn’t compare to what they go through in preparing for their season. It’s a remarkable thing to see.”
Glen Powell, best known for his starring roles in Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters, stepped behind the camera to serve as a producer. “When we look up and see something spectacular, we just take it for granted that it is right,” he noted. “But we don’t see all the effort that it takes to bring that spectacular thing to life. Watching these people sit around the table literally ‘chair flying’ the entire demo and then breaking it down, you feel that relentless pursuit of perfection. It’s a different language; you can’t even process what they’re saying, but you know there is intent behind everything. It really makes it crackle.”
The film is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary teamwork, passion and pride of the hundreds of outstanding men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps who have had the honor to serve in the Blue Angels squadron...past and present.
The Blue Angels was directed by Crowder and produced by Powell, Sean Stuart, Glen Zipper, Mark Monroe, Abrams and Hannah Minghella. John Turner, Bill O’Dowd, Emerson Davis, Rob Stone and Greg Wooldridge served as executive producers, with Maren Domzalski and Bridget Topp co-producing.
The Blue Angels is a Bad Robot, Zipper Bros Films, IMAX Entertainment and Dolphin Films Production, in association with Amazon, MGM Studios, Sutter Road Picture Company, Diamond Docs and Barnstorm Productions. The film runs 45 minutes.
The AutoNation® IMAX® Theater at the Museum of Discovery and Science is located at 401 Southwest 2nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. The Blue Angels is included in the MODS Discovery Pass, an all-in-one ticket that includes Museum exhibitions, live science demonstrations and one IMAX documentary film. For tickets, please visit: https://mods.org/tickets - And for showtimes, please visit: https://mods.org/showtimes
About the AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater
The AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater is owned and operated by the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS). The Theater showcases IMAX dual 4K laser projectors and a 15/70mm projection system, which revolutionizes the way guests experience films on the six-story-high screen with an immersive 12-channel sound system featuring 114 speakers capable of 52,000 watts of digital sound. Whether it’s a pin drop or feeling the heart-palpitating force of a volcano, audiences will experience a new visceral sound experience. The AutoNation® IMAX® 3D Theater is the only place in South Florida where you can experience the power of IMAX® with Laser and is one of only three Certified Giant Screen® theaters in Florida by the Giant Screen Cinema Association. For showtimes, please visit: https://mods.org/showtimes - Private screenings are available, please inquire by emailing: booking@mods.org.
About the Museum of Discovery and Science
Founded in 1976 as the Discovery Center, today the Museum of Discovery and Science (MODS) is at the forefront of science education, innovation and exploration. MODS connects people to inspiring science, providing STEM education and cultural experiences for 450,000+ visitors annually in the 150,000 square foot facility. MODS is a 501 (c)(3) Non-Profit Organization that has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) for three decades. MODS has added to that distinction by being named Broward’s Hub for Resilience Education by the Board of the Community Foundation of Broward, selected by the LEGO Foundation as one of only 15 museums nationwide to join the Playful Learning Museum Network and awarded the prestigious 2023 IMLS National Medal for Museum Service.
The Museum celebrates diversity and welcomes visitors from all walks of life. The Museum hours are Monday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. MODS is located downtown at 401 Southwest Second Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. For more information about the Museum, please visit: https://mods.org - Or call: (954) 467-MODS (6637).
Like us or follow us on Social Media:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/modsftl
X (formerly Twitter): www.x.com/MODSFTL
Instagram: www.instagram.com/modsftl
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe. IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of September 30, 2024, there were 1,788 IMAX systems (1,714 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 62 institutional) operating in 89 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code “1970.” IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, DMR®, Filmed For IMAX®, IMAX LIVE™, and IMAX Enhanced® are trademarks and trade names of IMAX Corporation or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. For more information, visit: www.imax.com - You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram: www.instagram.com/imax - Facebook: www.facebook.com/imax - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/imax - X: www.twitter.com/imax - And YouTube: www.youtube.com/imaxmovies
(All photos courtesy of IMAX® Corporation)