When Legends Return: ‘When You’re Strange’ Hits The Big Screen Again for The Doors’ 60th Anniversary
The documentary When You’re Strange, dedicated to the history of the iconic rock band The Doors, will return to cinemas in 2025. The updated version of the film has undergone a 4K digital remaster, timed to the 60th anniversary of the band’s formation.
Return to the Big Screen
The premiere of the remastered version is scheduled for December 4 and 6, 2025. In Spain, the film will be shown in more than 50 theaters across 21 cities, making the release one of the most significant music-cinema events of the year.
The screening will not be limited to Europe: according to international media, the Latin American chain Cinépolis will also add the film to its December lineup, covering key cities in Mexico and the region. The global release underscores the band’s enduring popularity and powerful cultural influence.
What Viewers Can Expect in the Updated Version
Director Tom DiCillo created a documentary that brings together extremely rare chronological footage of The Doors — much of which had not been available to the public for decades.
The narration is delivered by Johnny Depp, adding a special mood and emotional depth to the film.
The 2025 version includes an important addition:
a new studio recording of the legendary song “Riders on the Storm”, performed by surviving band members — John Densmore and Robby Krieger — in collaboration with the international music project Playing For Change.
This is not a remix or a reinterpretation — it is a carefully crafted attempt to revive the spirit of The Doors, preserving their original energy while adding modern sound.
Additionally, special video introductions by Densmore and Krieger are planned before the screenings, in which they will share memories, archival stories, and reflections on the band’s legacy six decades later.
Why This Event Matters
The release of the remastered When You’re Strange is more than a re-release of a documentary. It is an opportunity to:
- experience rare archival footage in a quality that feels nearly live;
- relive the era when Jim Morrison and the band reshaped music culture;
- hear the new version of “Riders on the Storm”, bridging past and present;
- connect with a legacy that continues to inspire generations of listeners, musicians, and scholars.
For longtime fans, it is a chance to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the 60s and 70s, and for younger audiences — a rare opportunity to experience the story of The Doors on the big screen as never before.
