Context:

CNN outlines a comprehensive, multiplatform commemorative cycle for the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, pairing personal recollections with in-depth reporting to assess the event’s enduring impact on national security and collective memory. The rollout includes new television premieres, exclusive interviews, and live anniversary coverage across sites of impact, with a focus on survivors, first responders, families, and journalists. Momentum centers on remembering the victims and examining how the day redefined U.S. policy and public life, while looking ahead to how these narratives shape ongoing remembrance. The slate begins with a CNN Film retrospective and expands through live coverage on September 11, 2026, and related programming, accessible across CNN platforms. The effort underscores continued public engagement and reflection a quarter-century later.

Dive Deeper:

• CNN planned multiplatform coverage to mark the 25th anniversary, emphasizing first-hand accounts, in-depth reporting, and conversations with survivors, first responders, families, and journalists who covered the attacks.

• Key context notes that nearly 3,000 Americans were killed and that the events reshaped the United States’ national security posture, with coverage aimed at examining the lasting impact through personal stories.

• The sequence begins on Sunday, September 6, with a CNN Film presentation of '9/11' followed by an 'Inside the Film' interview with Gédéon and Jules Naudet, offering a minute-by-minute account of the attacks from the perspective of first responders.

• On Monday, September 7, CNN premieres 'Top of the World,' tying the 25th anniversary to the 50th anniversary of Windows on the World atop the World Trade Center, directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen.

• Live coverage on September 11, 2026 starts at 7 a.m. ET with anchors reporting from Memorial Plaza, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and other locations to honor victims and reflect on the day’s legacy.

• Correspondents in New York and Washington, D.C., along with a reporter in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, cover ceremonies and national remembrance events across CNN's streaming and pay TV platforms.

• The 9/11: 25 Years Later coverage is streamed live for subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV, and mobile apps as part of a coordinated, cross-platform memorial effort.