'Reagan' film finally lands release date after delays; first look at Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan
A film adaptation of President Ronald Reagan’s life starring Dennis Quaid has officially landed a release date of Aug. 30, after a series of delays due to the COVID-19 lockdowns and an actors' strikes.
From ShowBiz Direct and set during the Cold War, "Reagan" tracks the 40th president of the United States’ life from his early days in a small town through his Hollywood career to his global political influence. The narrative, told through the perspective of Viktor Petrovich, a former KGB agent, explores Reagan's impact, which drew Soviet interest during his acting career. The film offers a unique take on Reagan's legacy, shaped by his resolve and the support of his wife.
“Portraying Ronald Reagan was an enormous challenge,” said Quaid. “This is an important movie, one of my most interesting roles, and I am really excited to work with the ShowBiz Direct team.”
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In addition to Quaid, the film's cast includes Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan, Mena Suvari as Jane Wyman, Lesley-Anne Down as Margaret Thatcher, David Henrie as a young Reagan, Kevin Dillon as Jack Warner, and Jon Voight as Petrovich. The film is directed by Sean McNamara, known for "Soul Surfer" and "Miracle Season."
ShowBiz Direct was recently launched by former exhibition veteran Kevin Mitchell, former Lionsgate Distribution President Richie Fay and former co-president of Open Road distribution Scott Kennedy.
“I've had my eyes on this movie for a while,” noted Mitchell. “Dennis Quaid does such an amazing job portraying Ronald Reagan. Our goal in launching ShowBiz Direct is to help close the gap between the creative community and exhibition while embracing the theatrical release of motion pictures in a very transparent way. REAGAN was sought by many, and we are happy that we could reach an agreement with Mark Joseph and his team.”
Originally planned for a 2023 release, "Reagan" faced production delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and was further postponed by an actors' strike. It resumed shooting seven months after initially shutting down.
Although “Reagan” is a historical biopic and not categorized as a faith-based film, “faith appears naturally in key moments, especially through his mother, Nelle, who was very devout,” Chris Massoglia, who portrays legendary Gospel Hall of Famer Pat Boone in the upcoming biopic, previously told The Christian Post.
“She gives her son a book called That Printer of Udell’s, and Reagan sees himself in the main character of that book, a young man who finds God and goes to Washington to become a congressman.”
The impact of that book “ends up shaping" Reagan's life, he added.
Massoglia also praised Quaid for being “so good as Reagan," adding, I can’t wait for everyone to see this film.”
“It’s an inspiring and realistic portrait of one of our most consequential presidents, and I was honored to be asked to be a part of this film,” Massoglia added. “I appreciate that it shows the ups and downs of his life, the setbacks and the successes. My generation is cynical, and we don’t trust stories in which the main character is perfect.”
Quaid recently shared with CP how he’s passionate about using his platform to share stories that honor his Christian faith, family and the U.S.
The actor told CP he's seeing a "hunger" for positive and uplifting films, adding: "I've been actually kind of surprised by that, like by the success of 'I Can Only Imagine' — it's not a Hollywood movie. Hollywood doesn't understand their audience anymore. People want to go to the movies to feel things and can't just discount the spirit, and people hunger for that. And so, these stories are really getting a lot of traction these days."
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
