Reagan, starring Dennis Quaid as the 40th U.S. president, is officially coming to cinemas.
The movie has set an August 30 opening under a partnership with new distributor Showbiz Direct, according to a Deadline report. Showbiz Direct is headed by Kevin Mitchell as well as former Lionsgate distribution president Richie Fay and the former co-president of distributor Open Road, Scott Kennedy.
Reagan will be the first big-screen movie to dramatize the life of Ronald Reagan and is expected to cover its subject’s entire life — from his beginnings in Illinois, to his career as a Hollywood actor, and ultimately his rise in politics.
Howard Klausner, one of the movie’s screenwriters, told Breitbart News: “His story is the story of the 20th century, and reminds us of who and what we are still.” (Klausner was a screenwriter on the 2000 Clint Eastwood movie Space Cowboys).
Dennis Quaid had the task of embodying the president’s distinctive look and congenial way of speaking.
“Portraying Ronald Reagan was an enormous challenge,” Quaid told Deadline. “This is an important movie, one of my most interesting roles and I am really excited to work with the ShowBiz team to get this film opened in theatres this summer.”
The movie, directed by Sean McNamara, will reportedly put an emphasis on the Cold War and will unfold in a flashback structure as told by a former Russian spy, played by Oscar-winner Jon Voight.
The cast also includes Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan; Mena Suvari as Reagan’s first wife, Jane Wyman; Lesley-Anne Down as Margaret Thatcher; David Henrie as a teenage Reagan; and Kevin Dillon as Hollywood mogul Jack Warner.
ShowBiz Direct’s Kevin Mitchell told Deadline, “I’ve had my eyes on this movie for a while. Dennis Quaid does such an amazing job portraying Reagan.”
Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg. Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com