Brokeback Mountain returning to theaters to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ang Lee’s Western romance

It’s been 20 years since Ang Lee’s (Hulk, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) Brokeback Mountain moseyed into theaters. The highly-celebrated film, which depicts the unexpected relationship between two young cowboys, won three Oscars at the 2006 Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score) and remains a classic take on Western romance in cinema. To honor the film’s legacy, Focus Features is re-releasing the emotionally charged film in theaters for special screenings starting on June 22 and 25.

Brokeback Mountain premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2005, earning acclaim from audiences before its wide release. Many consider it a barrier-shattering release, as it spoke to various viewers and critics. The film revolves around Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), two young cowboys working at the picturesque sheep herding locale, Brokeback Mountain, who discover a deep and abiding love for one another that lasts a lifetime. Lee’s film became a critical and commercial success upon release, with a $178M global take.

In addition to Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain stars Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway, and Randy Quaid.

Ang Lee directed Brokeback Mountain from a screenplay co-written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, who adapted from the short story by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx. The story was initially published as a feature in The New Yorker in 1997. Proulx’s bold tale of love and loss won the National Magazine Award for Fiction, making it a prime candidate for a silver screen adaptation.

Focus Features is thrilled to present Brokeback Mountain in theaters for its 20th anniversary. According to reports, the re-release includes merchandise and other incentives related to the Western romance’s return to theaters.

Ang Lee’s last directorial effort was Gemini Man, a conspiracy thriller starring Will Smith as an over-the-hill hitman who faces off against a younger clone of himself. Written by David Benioff, Billy Ray, and Darren Lemke, Gemini Man also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, and Benedict Wong. Lee’s next film, Thrilla in Manila, is a biographical drama focusing on the third and final boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier in 1975 for the world’s heavyweight championship.

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