“The Polar Express” movie came out in 2004, with its wide theatrical release in the United States on November 10, 2004.

Key release dates

  • The film’s main U.S. theatrical release date was November 10, 2004.
  • It first premiered earlier that year at the Chicago International Film Festival in October 2004.

Quick scoop for fans

  • The movie is a computer-animated Christmas fantasy based on Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 picture book of the same name.
  • Over time it has become a modern holiday staple, reappearing on TV, streaming, and in “Polar Express” themed train rides every December.

Many forum discussions around the 20th anniversary in late 2024 reminisce about seeing it in theaters as kids and now rewatching it with their own families.

TL;DR: “The Polar Express” came out in U.S. theaters on November 10, 2004.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.