Over 14,000 free tickets will be available for active-duty troops and veterans to see “First Man” on Oct. 11 in any one of more than 500 Regal movie theater locations across the country, Universal Pictures and Regal announced.
The film, starring Ryan Gosling as Korean War veteran and astronaut Neil Armstrong, tells the story of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in 1969 and the decade leading up to the historic flight.
Gosling is teaming again with Academy Award-winning director Damien Chazelle (“La La Land,” “Whiplash"), and is joined by a cast that includes Claire Foy (“The Crown,” “Breathe"), Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty,” “Mudbound"), Kyle Chandler (“Argo,” “Game Night”) and Corey Stoll (“House of Cards,” “Ant Man”).
At each participating Regal location, the first 25 service members or veterans with a valid government-issued ID can receive free admission on Oct. 11 for the respective location’s 7 p.m. show. The promotion is limited to one free ticket for each military ID presented.
“As an Air Force veteran, I am proud to see this historical achievement from other veterans and NASA featured on the big screen," Ken Thewes, chief marketing officer for Regal, said in a release. “These military heroes are an incredible example of the courage and determination that allowed us to reach new heights in space exploration.”
Neil Armstrong became a Navy pilot in 1949 and flew 78 combat missions during the Korean War. During the early morning hours of July 21, 1969, he became the first man to set foot on the moon, a moment coinciding with his famous words, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
He passed away in 2012 at the age of 82.
“The friendships he forged during those critical years remained deeply important to him all of his days," Armstrong’s sons, Mark and Rick, said about their father. "Freedom — much like landing on the moon — is an achievement that is hard fought and hard won, and it cannot be accomplished without the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and their loved ones. We’d like to join Universal and Regal in thanking all our current and past veterans, as well as their families, for their brave service to this great nation.”
For more information on the promotion and to check for participating theaters near you, visit the Regal website.
J.D. Simkins is the executive editor of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.