Forrest Gump is a
American comedy-drama film based on the
1986 novel of the same name by
Winston Groom. The film, directed by
Robert Zemeckis, stars
Tom Hanks,
Robin Wright Penn,
Sally Field and
Gary Sinise. The story is of Forrest Gump, a simple man hailing from Alabama, and his journey through life meeting historical figures, influencing popular culture, and experiencing firsthand historic events of the late 20th century.
The film differs substantially from
Winston Groom's novel on which it was based. Filming took place in late 1993, mainly in Georgia and North and South Carolina. Extensive visual effects were used to incorporate the protagonist into archived footage as well as for developing other scenes. An extensive soundtrack was featured in the film, and its commercial release made it one of the top selling albums of all time.
Released in the United States on July 6, 1994,
Forrest Gump was well received by critics and became a commercial success as the top grossing film in North America released that year. The film ended up earning over $677 million worldwide during its theatrical run. The film garnered multiple awards and nominations, including
Academy Awards,
Golden Globe Awards,
People's Choice Awards, and
Young Artist Awards, among others. Since the film's release, varying interpretations have been made of the film's protagonist and its political symbolism. In 1996, a themed restaurant opened based on the film, and has since expanded to multiple locations worldwide. Although a screenplay was developed on Groom's second novel, as of 2009, no sequel has been officially greenlit.