BY: Ashley Blackwell
Published 2 weeks ago
Is “Brokeback Mountain” heading back to theaters?! According to reports, the groundbreaking film is gearing up for a nationwide re-release.
As you may know, the neo-western romance (starring the late Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, and Michelle Williams) initially debuted in 2005. Directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee, “Brokeback Mountain” was adapted from writer Annie Proulx’s 1997 eponymous short story by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry.
The classic drama follows two cowboys who meet in the summer of 1963 and unexpectedly fall into a powerful whirlwind of love, loss, and the many emotions that come with it. The raw portrayal of queerness in “Brokeback Mountain” reigned revolutionary for LGBTQIA+ representation in Hollywood, especially during the early 2000s. Its thought-provoking depiction of rainbow intimacy, which took place during a forbidden era, did a lot for the culture on screen.
Because of this, “Brokeback Mountain” quickly became a legendary flick that influenced most of the productions we see today. Per Deadline, the iconic picture won three of the eight Oscar nominations it received. Upon its unveiling, it grossed over $178 million at the global box office.
Throughout its run, “Brokeback Mountain” sparked much controversy, as it was discussions surrounding the true sexual identities of main characters Ennis Del Mar (Ledger) and Jack Twist (Gyllenhaal). While there’s long been a tug of war over whether the fellas were gay, bisexual, or straight, Ledger told TIME Magazine in a 2005 interview, “I don’t think Ennis could be labeled as gay.”
When speaking of the unconventional roles, he furthered, “Without Jack Twist, I don’t know that he ever would have come out. I think the whole point was that it was two souls that fell in love with each other.”
Social Media Responds to “Brokeback Mountain” Heading Back to Theaters
Two decades later, “Brokeback Mountain” is still deemed as one of the most passionate films to date. Ledger and Gyllenhaal’s ability to be so vulnerable made it a timeless project that fans will never forget, even in Ledger’s death. If you didn’t know, unfortunately, the Australian actor passed away in 2008 from an accidental overdose. He was only 28.
Now, in celebration of “Brokeback Mountain’s” 20th anniversary, Focus Features has decided to bring the heroic movie back in U.S. theaters this June. According to the distributor’s website, tickets for the showings (set for June 22 and 25) are already on sale. Special-edition posters, merchandise, and more items will be available for attendees for a limited time.
Following the announcement of its resurgence, fans poured into X (formerly Twitter) with sheer excitement. A user gushed, “Brokeback Mountain coming back to theaters on my literal actual birthday like what did I do to deserve this karmic treat[?]”
Another individual suggested: “If they re-release Brokeback Mountain every June for Pride Month, gays will keep coming back each year. It’ll be like their civic duty and they can do a ‘meaningful’ ig post with a selfie in front of the movie poster, Also it’s a great movie, the only time I cried in a theater.”
Someone else comically added, “Brokeback Mountain is coming back to theaters. I snuck and watched the movie so much as a kid.”
Check out the official trailer for the “Brokeback Mountain” return below.
Will you be hitting up your local theater? Let us know in the comments below!
