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See Dennis Quaid, Jon Voight and Darci Lynne in first trailer for Oklahoma-made film ‘Reagan’

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See Dennis Quaid, Jon Voight and Darci Lynne in first trailer for Oklahoma-made film ‘Reagan’


Check out the long-awaited first trailer for the upcoming movie “Reagan,” which was filmed primarily in Oklahoma.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the almost three-minute preview for the biopic of the late U.S. President Ronald Reagan gives viewers several looks at the movie’s stars, Dennis Quaid, Jon Voight and Penelope Ann Miller.

But it also offers sneak peeks of Oklahoma talents Rachel Cannon, who plays a housewife who can’t place Ron and Nancy Reagan when they visit her house on the campaign trail, and Darci Lynne, who appears as a damsel in distress rescued by the future president (David Henrie) during his teenage stint as a lifeguard.

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“I was a lifeguard on a river, and I learned how to read the currents: not just the ones on the surface, but also the ones deep underneath the water,” Reagan says in the trailer, which draws parallels between his impressive run saving swimmers to his way of spotting potential geopolitical conflicts as president.

When and where in Oklahoma was the movie ‘Reagan’ filmed?

Due in theaters this summer, the biographical drama about America’s 40th president began filming in the Oklahoma City and Guthrie areas in September 2020. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma was one of the few states where filming on movies like “Reagan” could continue.

The production was headquartered in Guthrie, with filming centered at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple. In the trailer, viewers can get a glimpse at how the historic building stood in for the Oval Office at the White House, the fabled Cocoanut Grove supper club in Hollywood and even some locales in Cold War Russia.

Although the production was forced to shut down twice due to COVID, the project, which used the state’s film rebate, created 1,966 local jobs and generated $16.6 million in direct spending in fall 2020, according to the Oklahoma Film + Music Office.

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The production moved to California in early 2021 to film at Reagan’s Rancho Del Cielo ranch outside of Santa Barbara. It returned to Guthrie in summer 2021 to shoot additional footage, including outdoor water sequences from the president’s youth, as well as John Hinckley Jr.’s 1981 assassination attempt on Reagan, which are both featured in the trailer.

Filming also took place on Air Force One, according to a news release.

Reagan served two terms as president, from 1981 to 1989, and died on June 5, 2004, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Who sings ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’ in the ‘Reagan’ trailer?

Directed by Sean McNamara (“Soul Surfer,” “The Miracle Season”), the biopic follows Ronald Reagan’s life from his childhood in Dixon, Illinois, to his acting career in Hollywood, to the U.S. presidency and the world stage.

The first trailer shows a sampling of all those different time frames, set to a pensive cover of Tears for Fears’ familiar 1980s hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

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Independent California singer-songwriter Molly Jenson recorded the moody cover.

Who stars in ‘Reagan’ and how much of Ronald Reagan’s life does the movie cover?

Quaid, who has made at least three movies in Oklahoma with “Reagan,” 2018’s “I Can Only Imagine” and 2021’s “American Underdog,” portrays Reagan as an adult. Tommy Ragen (“Mighty Oak,” the musical “School of Rock”) and Henrie (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) play Reagan as a boy and as a young man, respectively.

Voight (“Deliverance,” “Coming Home”) co-stars as Viktor Petrovich, a fictional KGB agent who trails Reagan throughout his political career. “Reagan” begins as 90-year-old Petrovich — a composite character based on real people — is visited by an up-and-coming Russian leader who wants to know how the Soviet Union was lost.

The spy who knows everything there is to know about Reagan recounts the tale of his adversary — the man he mockingly nicknamed “The Crusader” — beginning in 1922, when 11-year-old Ronald Reagan faces the first crisis of his eventful life.

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Along with providing film fans with a look at the three actors playing the title role as well as Voight as his nemesis, the trailer gives glimpses of Miller as Reagan’s first lady, Nancy Reagan; Mena Suvari as Reagan’s first wife, Jane Wyman; Olek Krupa as Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev; and Kevin Dillon as Warner Bros. co-founder Jack Warner.

“Reagan” is inspired by Paul Kengor’s book “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism” and written by Howard Klausner (“Space Cowboys”) and Jonas McCord (“Ask the Dust”).

Which Oklahoma studio helped with de-aging effects for ‘Reagan?’

Producer Mark Joseph told The Oklahoman in an autumn 2022 email that the film’s extensive post-production — especially de-aging special effects for Quaid and Voight — would mean a long wait for “Reagan” to arrive in theaters.

Along with filming in Oklahoma, the makers of “Reagan” also tapped into the Sooner State’s resources for post-production: The Oklahoma City film studio, production house and advertising agency Boiling Point provided visual effects work on the biopic. Several of Boiling Points’ ‘VFX shots appear in the trailer, The Oklahoman has confirmed.

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When is the movie ‘Reagan’ coming to theaters?

“Reagan” is due to open Aug. 30 in movie theaters nationwide.

Advance group tickets are now available for groups of 50 people or more. For information, go to https://www.reaganmovie.com.



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Oklahoma State Live Score for NCAA Baseball Regional Opener vs. USC Upstate

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Oklahoma State Live Score for NCAA Baseball Regional Opener vs. USC Upstate


The Oklahoma State Cowboys and the USC Upstate Spartans meet in the first game of the Tuscaloosa Regional on Friday.

The Cowboys (37-20) and the Spartans (33-28) have never met on the diamond. Both enter the game on hot streaks. Oklahoma State didn’t win the Big 12 Tournament, but the Cowboys have won 11 of their last 14 games. The Spartans won the Big South Conference Tournament champions and have won 14 of their last 16 games.

The game is the first of two in Tuscaloosa. The second game features the host school, Alabama, facing Alabama State. The winners of the first two games will meet Saturday for a trip to the regional final on Sunday.

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Oklahoma State fans can keep up with the game here, including lineups and inning by inning details on the game. Check out Oklahoma State On SI’s NCAA Tournament Central for everything related to the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Game Details

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Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday. | STEVE SISNEY / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Oklahoma State vs. USC Upstate

Time: 1 p.m. central

TV: ESPN+ (Derek Jones & Jared Mitchell on the call). NOTE: TV is subject to change without notice. Game times and TV for games played after Friday will be announced.

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Radio: Cowboy Radio Network & The Varsity Network App/93.7 KSPI-FM or okla.state/GetVarsity (Rex Holt on the call)

OSU Batting Order

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Oklahoma State Cowboys catcher Campbell Smithwick. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The batting order for Friday’s game will be posted here when it is released by the team.

Tuscaloosa Regional

Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala. Venue:  Sewell-Thomas Stadium (5,867).

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Friday’s Games

Game 1: USC Upstate vs. Oklahoma State, 1 p.m., ESPN+

Game 2: Alabama State vs. Alabama, 6 p.m., ESPN+

Saturday’s Games

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Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, TBA (elimination game)

Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, TBA (advances to Sunday’s final)

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Sunday’s Games

Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 (elimination game)

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Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5

Monday’s Game

Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)

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(Times subject to change for TV purposes) 

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Oklahoma barbecue restaurant owner Brent Swadley found guilty in fraud trial

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Oklahoma barbecue restaurant owner Brent Swadley found guilty in fraud trial


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A jury convicted Brent Swadley, owner of a string of popular Oklahoma barbecue restaurants, at his fraud trial and chose prison time as his punishment.

The 12 jurors reached their unanimous verdict Thursday, May 28, in a felony case that focused on Swadley’s inflated bills for the renovation and operation of restaurants at six state parks.

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Jurors found Swadley, 55, guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud the state and all five counts of presenting fraudulent claims to the state.

They chose five years in prison and a $25,000 fine as his punishment for the conspiracy. They agreed on one year in prison and a $10,000 fine as punishment on each fraudulent claims count.

Oklahoma County District Judge Susan Stallings could order Swadley to serve the time back to back for a total of 10 years.

Jurors voted for the maximum fines but showed leniency on prison time. Jurors could have chosen prison sentences totaling 20 years.

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Sheriff’s deputies led Swadley from the courtroom in handcuffs to be taken to jail. Formal sentencing was set for July 16.

His defense attorney, David Smith, said, “We are not done fighting.”

Still to be decided by the judge is restitution. Prosecutors said Swadley defrauded the state of at least $3.1 million.

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The owner of Swadley’s Bar-B-Q did not testify at his trial but has been outspoken in the past that he is innocent.

“The state attorney general … is pushing a false, politically motivated narrative accusing us of purposely misleading the government. Nothing could be further from the truth,” he wrote in an open letter to Oklahomans in 2024 after he was indicted.

Jurors took only 90 minutes to reach their verdict. “It was pretty easy,” one juror told prosecutors afterward.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who is running for governor, told reporters outside the courtroom that the case was never political.

“Mr. Swadley broke the law. His arrogance has been illustrated for the last four years, and I’m very happy that justice has been done,” Drummond said.

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Swadley trial ends in guilty verdict, AG Drummond ‘proud’ of prosecution

A jury unanimously found Brent Swadley guilty of defrauding the state, sentencing him to five years in prison and $25,000 fine.

“I think we in state government have a tendency to trust Oklahomans,” he added. “I think it’s a lesson for state actors. We need to not trust as we have before.”

In a news release, the attorney general said, “Today is a win for Oklahoma and for the rule of law.”

Swadley signed a contract with the state in March 2020 to remodel and operate state park restaurants. The agreement was finalized weeks before COVID-19 shutdowns began across the world.

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Swadley went ahead with the remodeling, completing work at four of the parks in months. His restaurants became a huge hit as Oklahomans spent more time outdoors because of the pandemic.

Jurors heard testimony that many of the invoices sent to the state for reimbursement of construction and other costs were marked up. Some were inflated as much as 300%.Swadley operated the state park restaurants under the company name Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen. The last one opened in 2022. 

The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department in April 2022 canceled its contract with Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen due to “suspected fraudulent activity and questionable business practices.”Much of the testimony centered around meat smokers sold to the state in 2021. The cancelation of the contracts came after tourism officials learned the smokers were used.

Swadley put the smokers in at Robbers Cave State Park and Quartz Mountain State Park. They had been in storage after he removed them from a Swadley’s Bar-B-Q in Ardmore.

He paid $23,680 each for the smokers in 2018, according to evidence in the case. He billed the state $51,346 each for the smokers in 2021.

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A restaurant supplier testified at trial that he faked paperwork that Swadley used to support the bill to the state. “He told me to make them as expensive as I could,” Mike McWhorter told jurors.

Swadley’s defense attorneys maintained at trial that it was an understood standard business practice to inflate invoices.

“Their case is − and this is no joke − Brent Swadley was supposed to do all of this construction work and not make a dime,” Smith told jurors in his closing argument.

The attorney said Swadley became the fall guy for a mess created by Jerry Winchester, the executive director of the Tourism Department at the time, and Gino DeMarco, the deputy director.

Smith argued that Winchester knew the smokers were used and lied at trial. Winchester told jurors he thought the state was buying brand new smokers.

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The defense attorney also told jurors, “What we’ve got here is a paperwork dispute, not fraud.”

Prosecutors told jurors Brent Swadley was greedy and had said the state contract might save his business during the pandemic.

“Brent Swadley believes the rules do not apply to him,” Assistant Attorney General McKenzie McMahan said in his closing argument.

The key witnesses against Swadley were former employees.

His former vice president, Curtis Breuklander, and former chief operating officer, Tim Hooper, testified invoices were marked up at Swadley’s direction.

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Breuklander, 51, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count and four of the fraudulent claim counts. “I did all of this at the direction of Brent Swadley,” he said in his plea paperwork.

Under a deal with prosecutors, Breuklander was sentenced to probation for 10 years. He stopped working for Swadley in September 2021.

Hooper, 57, also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count. He pleaded guilty to one fraudulent claim count and no contest to another fraudulent claim count.

Under his deal, Hooper was put on probation for five years. He was fired by Swadley in 2023.

Under the state contract, Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen was reimbursed for the costs of improvements to the restaurants, up to a limit. The state also covered the company’s operating losses, at first up to $1 million a year and later up to $2,116,900 a year.

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The state further paid the company management fees, at first $571,808 per year and later $1,332,000 per year.

Swadley is expected to appeal. His defense attorneys are expected to complain about the judge’s refusal to let two expert witnesses testify at trial.

(This story was updated to add new information.)



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Oklahoma City house fire causes roof collapse; no injuries reported

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Oklahoma City house fire causes roof collapse; no injuries reported


OKLAHOMA CITY –

The roof of a home in Oklahoma City collapsed following a fire early Thursday morning, according to firefighters.

The Oklahoma City Fire Department says firefighters were called around 2 a.m. to the scene of a fire at a home near Southeast 29th Street and South Shields Boulevard.

After arriving at the scene, firefighters reported flames coming from the home and serious structural damage, including the roof, which had collapsed due to the fire.

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Additionally, OKCFD reported this was not the first emergency services response to the home, with a call for medical services being placed to the same address only a few hours earlier.

“We know that earlier today, they’d made a medical call over here,” OKCFD Battalion Chief Greg Lindsay said. “Somebody was staying in that building, so we’re being extra careful to check and make sure that everybody got out.”

No injuries were reported. Fire investigators believe the cause was related to a cooking incident.





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