Despite generally unfavorable reviews, Sean McNamara’s latest film “Reagan” debuted at No. 4 in its first weekend, exceeding box office projections. The biopic, starring Dennis Quaid as Ronald Reagan and Penelope Ann Miller as Nancy Reagan, follows Reagan’s life from boyhood to his acting career, and finally to his administration, with a focus on his war against communism in Hollywood. The film, loosely based on Paul Kengor’s book The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, is narrated by Jon Voight, who plays a fictional retired KGB officer who holds Reagan responsible for the fall of the Soviet Union.
“Reagan” was the only new film to battle with summer holdovers, earning $7.4 million from Friday to Sunday and expected to make a total of $9.2 million by Monday. While blockbusters Deadpool & Wolverine and Alien: Romulus dominated the movie office, “Reagan” finished fourth, barely ahead of Twisters. Despite negative reviews from critics such as Odie Henderson of The Boston Globe, who called it “the worst kind of hagiography,” and Nick Schager of The Daily Beast, who called it “the worst movie of the year,” crowds reacted warmly. The film has a 98% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many people complimenting Quaid, Voight, and Miller’s performances.
The film also sparked debate before its release, with Quaid accusing Facebook of suppressing its advertising and promotion efforts. Facebook reportedly banned attempts to “boost” specific film-related posts, prompting Quaid and the film’s digital marketing director, Eric McClellan, to write a letter to Mark Zuckerberg. Despite these challenges, “Reagan” has garnered tremendous attention and interest at the box office.