FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Denver Film Media Contacts:
Ambriehl Turrentine: ambriehl@denverfilm.org
Marty Schechter: marty@schechterpr.com
DENVER – APRIL 21, 2025 – Denver Film and Denver Arts & Venues today announced the lineup for the 26th edition of Film on the Rocks, the annual summer series featuring live performances and beloved films under the stars at the iconic Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre. Tickets for the five-event season go on sale April 25 at 10 a.m. at denverfilm.org. Tickets, including fees, are $25 for general admission and $50 for VIP reserved seating which includes premium location seating near the front of the amphitheater and an exclusive 2025 Film on the Rocks branded giveaway. Group sales are also available by contacting David Vargas at boxoffice@denverfilm.org.
The season kicks off Monday, June 9 with a presentation of the mind-blowing sci-epic 2001: A Space Odyssey and continues through Monday, August 18 with a presentation of the hilarious animated adventure film Shrek 2. In between, the schedule delivers beloved blockbusters Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Legally Blonde.
“Film on the Rocks is one of Denver’s most beloved summer traditions, and we’re thrilled to return with a lineup that blends cinematic icons with unforgettable live performances — all set against the stunning backdrop of Red Rocks,” said Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith. “There’s nothing quite like watching a film like 2001: A Space Odyssey or Willy Wonka under the stars, surrounded by thousands of movie lovers. It’s community, it’s culture, and it’s a Colorado summer night at its best.”
Gates open at 6:30 p.m. with pre-show entertainment taking the stage at 7 p.m., followed by the film presentation at 8 p.m. Each show will be emceed by local comedian, actor, and event host Janae Burris. Pre-show entertainment includes a ComedyWorks comedian and musical performances by Big Dopes, The Martini Shot, School of Rock, blankslate, and Shrek Rave.
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Monday, June 9, 8 p.m.
When Dr. Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) and other astronauts are sent on a mysterious mission, their ship’s computer system, HAL, begins to display increasingly strange behavior, leading up to a tense showdown between man and machine that results in a mind-bending trek through space and time.
Featuring a pre-show performance by Big Dopes and comedian Al Jackson
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Directors: Gore Verbinski
Monday, June 23, 8 p.m.
Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who’s in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.
Featuring a pre-show performance by The Martini Shot and comedian Steve Gillespie
WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Director: Mel Stuart
Monday, June 30, 8 p.m.
A sweet boy from a poor family dreams of finding one of five golden tickets hidden inside chocolate bar wrappers which will admit him to the eccentric and reclusive Willy Wonka’s (Gene Wilder) magical factory. One after another, tickets are discovered by ghastly children – but will the lad find the last remaining one and have all his dreams come true?
Including a pre-show event with School of Rock and comedian Janae Burris
LEGALLY BLONDE
Director: Robert Luketic
Monday, July 7, 8 p.m.
Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) has it all. She wants nothing more than to be Mrs. Warner Huntington III. But there is one thing stopping him (Matthew Davis) from proposing: She is too blond. Elle rallies all of her resources and gets into Harvard Law, determined to win him back.
Featuring a pre-show performance by blankslate and comedian Hannah Jones
SHREK 2
Director: George Miller
Monday, Aug. 18, 8 p.m.
After returning from their honeymoon and showing home movies to their friends, Shrek and Fiona learn that her parents have heard that she has married her true love and wish to invite him to their kingdom, called Far Far Away. The catch is: Fiona’s parents are unaware of the curse that struck their daughter and have assumed she married Prince Charming, not a 700-pound ogre with horrible hygiene and a talking donkey pal.
Featuring a pre-show performance by Shrek Rave and comedian Georgia Comstock
Members of the press interested in covering Film on the Rocks may contact Ambriehl Turrentine at ambriehl@denverfilm.org or Marty Schechter at marty@schechterpr.com.
Sponsors
Xcel Energy, Aquafina, Ent Credit Union, HCA HealthONE, Hippeas, Keep Colorado Wild, School of Rock, Toyota, United Airlines, Visit Denver, Serendipity Catering, Vermillion, 5280 Magazine, City Cast Denver, KBCO (97.3 FM), Axios, Bonfils Stanton Foundation, Keep Colorado Wild, SCFD (Scientific and Cultural Facilities District)
Film on the Rock’s branding is designed by AOR.
About Denver Film
Denver Film has been transforming and entertaining the Colorado community through the power of diverse voices in film since 1978. Operating as the region’s only membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit film institution, Denver Film has grown into a signature cultural organization in the West, screening international and independent movies found nowhere else in the region.
Serving more than 100,000 patrons annually through 600-plus screenings that include year-round programming at Denver Film’s flagship home the Sie (pronounced SEE) FilmCenter, the annual Denver Film Festival celebration, the iconic Film on the Rocks program at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and Spotlight Festivals including CinemaQ, Women+Film, and the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival. Spotlights highlight underrepresented communities and foster inclusivity. Denver Film works to build resilience across all of its programming and events by amplifying diverse voices, promoting equity, and fostering community connections.
For more information or to explore the full suite of Denver Film programming, events, and ticketing visit: denverfilm.org.
About Denver Arts & Venues:
Denver Arts & Venues (DAV) is the City and County of Denver agency responsible for operating some of the region’s most renowned facilities, including Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Performing Arts Complex, Colorado Convention Center, Denver Coliseum, Loretto Heights and McNichols Civic Center Building. We also oversee the Denver Public Art Program, funding opportunities like Urban Arts Fund, P.S. You Are Here and Denver Music Advancement Fund, implementation of Denver’s Cultural Plan and other entertainment and cultural events such as the Five Points Jazz Festival.
Funds generated by the agency are put back into the community through grants for artists and arts organizations, free and low-cost cultural events, art in public spaces, venue operation and maintenance and arts education.
