Steven Spielberg's portrayal of the D-Day events in Saving Private Ryan will be featured in approximately 300 French theaters on June 6, marking the 80th anniversary of the historic World War II operation, according to studio Paramount. The movie's limited re-release, announced recently, chronicles Tom Hanks' portrayal of Captain John Miller, who guides a small group of soldiers through the chaos of the Allied amphibious invasion in northern France. Their objective is to rescue Private James Ryan (played by Matt Damon) whose siblings have all perished in combat. The poignant concluding scene depicts an elderly Ryan paying homage at Miller's grave in the American cemetery in Normandy, where President Joe Biden will pay tribute to the D-Day fallen next week.
Spielberg's D-Day production, which garnered five Oscars, provides a visceral depiction of the intense and lethal battles during the summer of 1944. The gripping opening sequence, featuring soldiers storming the beaches amidst German gunfire, was recorded in Ireland with over 1,000 extras. During its initial cinema release in 1998, Saving Private Ryan amassed a remarkable $482 million in global box office earnings.
