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‘Reagan’ Movie Adds Theaters

‘Reagan’ Movie Adds Theaters

The film Reagan continues to make waves at the box office, holding steady in its second weekend of release. Expanding to 2,770 screens, Reagan pulled in over $4.8 million, a performance that secured its position at No. 3 for the weekend. This impressive box office run placed it behind the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine at No. 2 and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice at No. 1, the latter being a long-awaited sequel to the 1988 classic that hit theaters during the final year of Ronald Reagan’s presidency.

In just two weekends, Reagan has managed to gross over $10 million, showcasing a strong box office presence. Interestingly, while most films experience a 50% or higher drop from their opening weekend, Reagan held firm with just a 37% decrease in ticket sales compared to its debut, making it an outlier in the crowded movie marketplace. This resilience mirrors the film’s Thursday performance, where it briefly claimed the top spot before the Beetlejuice sequel’s debut.

Audiences have responded positively, giving Reagan an “A” CinemaScore. The film, which stars Dennis Quaid as the 40th president, takes viewers on a journey from Reagan’s humble beginnings in Dixon, Illinois, through his presidency. The cast includes Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan and Jon Voight as Viktor Petrovich, a fictional KGB agent whose perspective frames the film’s narrative of Reagan’s impact on the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union.

The movie draws from Paul Kengor’s 2007 book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism. Reagan’s steadfast dedication to defeating communism, rooted in his Christian beliefs and early experiences in Hollywood, makes for a compelling narrative, especially in today’s political climate. Themes of global threats, domestic unrest, and economic challenges feel particularly relevant as the country moves through an election season, reminding audiences of Reagan’s fight against adversaries like the Soviet Union, with modern-day parallels to China and Iran.

For Quaid, portraying Reagan was no small feat. He told Blaze Media’s Glenn Beck that it was “the scariest role of my life, really. It’s now my favorite movie that I’ve ever done.” Quaid, who admires Reagan deeply, further shared that the 40th president was his favorite: “[Reagan] won the Cold War,” he said, reflecting on the film’s tribute to one of America’s most iconic leaders.

Written by Mark Stevens - September 10, 2024