Dennis Quaid’s ‘Reagan’ Biopic Returns with Special Edition for America’s 250th Anniversary

The ‘Reagan’ movie is set for a re-release, featuring a famous line from the 40th president that was omitted from the original version. In a pivotal scene, Dennis Quaid portrays President Ronald Reagan delivering a speech at the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

‘You and your forebearers helped build this nation,’ he says in the clip. ‘Now help us rebuild it. And together, we will make America great again.’

Director Sean McNamara explained the rationale for excluding the phrase during the original release, which coincided with an election year. Despite Reagan first using ‘Make America Great Again’ during his 1980 presidential campaign, the line gained renewed prominence when President Donald Trump adopted it for his 2016, 2020, and 2024 presidential campaigns.

McNamara stated, ‘In the middle of a divisive election season when we released the movie, we made the decision to leave out a moment that might have been mistaken for electioneering.’ However, in 2024, a special edition was created, celebrating the line as it had been part of Reagan’s campaign slogan in 1980.

The special edition of ‘Reagan’ includes ten minutes of additional footage and is set for release on September 25, in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. Plans also include limited audience screenings on July 4 across various cities, with a broader re-release in September.

The added scenes feature moments between Reagan and his wife Nancy in the Oval Office, interactions with his father Jack, and scenes at the Reagans’ California ranch, Rancho del Cielo.

‘Making Reagan,’ a documentary streaming on Fox Nation, provides insights into the biopic’s creation process. It showcases behind-the-scenes footage, interviews with cast members including Elya Baskin, Will Wallace, and Kevin Dillon, along with archival footage of Reagan and movie highlights.

Despite poor reviews, the movie achieved a positive audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, demonstrating its appeal beyond critical assessments.