Paramount Pictures’ Academy Award-winning “Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks in the legendary role, helps mark its 25th anniversary with a free movie screening kicking off Memorial Day weekend on the National Mall.
The free screening will take place on Friday, May 24, at 8:00 p.m. The event will be held between 10th and 12th Streets, with spots on the lawn available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The first 500 attendees will receive a free blanket and the first 1,000 can enjoy free popcorn. Fans can also take photos of a replica of the film’s famous bench.
Vietnam War combat veteran, Sammy L. Davis, the Medal of Honor recipient known as “the real Forrest Gump,” will make an appearance at the event. Mr. Davis was recognized for his bravery during a night long firefight at Cai Lay on Nov. 18, 1967.
Footage from his Medal of Honor ceremony was used in the film. Special effects wizards put Tom Hanks’ head on Mr. Davis’ body to create the illusion that President Lyndon Johnson was placing a Medal of Honor around Forrest’s neck.
If you can’t make it to Washington for this screening, Fathom Events will present two showings a day of “Forrest Gump” on June 23 and 25 in more than 600 cinemas nationwide. For information and tickets, visit www.FathomEvents.com.
Paramount releases remastered Forrest Gump for 25th Anniversary
For the 25th anniversary, Paramount has also released an newly-remastered Blu-ray + Digital set (following last year’s 4K UHD release) that comes with a second disc filled with over 3 hours of bonus content, including a deep dive into the special effects breakthroughs that helped make the film such a success back in 1994.
Tags: Memorial Day, National Mall
