Return To 'Sunset Boulevard' In Trailer For First-Ever 4K Ultra HD Restoration [Exclusive]

Return to ‘Sunset Boulevard’ in Trailer for First-Ever 4K Ultra HD Restoration [Exclusive]

DRRA May 14, 2025

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Nearly 75 years have passed since the release of arguably one of the greatest movies ever made, and a stone-cold classic of film noir — Sunset Boulevard. Directed by Billy Wilder, who would go on to helm other Oscar winners like Marilyn Monroe‘s Some Like it Hot and the Jack Lemmon rom-com The Apartment, the feature was a sensation from the moment of its release in 1950, earning 11 Academy Award nominations, three wins, and, eventually, was among the first films to be preserved in the National Film Registry. Yet, one thing the cinematic masterpiece has lacked is a proper restoration in 4K Ultra HD for modern viewers. That’s about to change this summer with a new physical release from Open Road Entertainment. Ahead of its arrival, Collider can exclusively share the official trailer made from restored footage of the Paramount classic.

Immediately, the trailer whisks viewers back to Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, which is looking crisper than ever. A news report relays news of a murder as police report to one of the luxury homes in the area and find a body face down in the pool. The reporter promises to give viewers “the whole truth” leading up to that gruesome scenario. We’re then reintroduced to Norma Desmond, a Hollywood silent film legend turned forgotten relic, cast aside by the industry, who has grown obsessed with her own perceived fame. Once struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis wanders into her home and recognizes her, she sucks him into her fantasy world where she’s still as big as ever and her big comeback is just around the corner. Joe’s big opportunity of working with her turns into an obsessive nightmare that envelops him in her delusions before taking a dangerous turn that derails his ambitions.

Though the film reflects the harsh reality that nobody stays in the spotlight forever, the 4K UHD restoration looks to keep Sunset Boulevard alive and prominent among cinephiles for generations to come. The film’s black comedy and Hollywood commentary have also helped it stay relevant, as has a star-studded cast. Hollywood’s then-golden boy William Holden leads the film as Joe Gillis, opposite Gloria Swanson in one of the all-time great tragic villain turns as Norma Desmond. Both were nominated for Academy Awards, as were Erich von Stroheim and Nancy Olson in supporting roles. Rounding out the cast are some notable cameos from the likes of director Cecil B. DeMille, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, and real-life silent film legend Buster Keaton.

‘Sunset Boulevard’ Will Make Its 4K Ultra HD Debut at Cannes

To showcase the painstaking efforts put into the Sunset Boulevard restoration and celebrate the original’s 75th anniversary, the film will get the biggest spotlight possible with a position at the Cannes Film Festival, which runs through May 24. It will make its theatrical world premiere as part of the Cannes Classics program, screening at the Cinéma de la Plage opposite the Majestic hotel. Wilder’s noir classic will share a space with some other legendary pieces of cinema, like Charlie Chaplin‘s The Gold Rush, which turns 100 this year, as well as Marcel Pagnol’s French classic Merlusse and other more recent flicks celebrating milestones or getting rereleases like John Woo‘s Hard Boiled and Kevin Smith‘s Dogma. There will also be a celebration of the late David Lynch, among other presentations celebrating the greats of cinema’s past.