This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Gary Ross, who directed the first "Hunger Games" movie, tackles a real-life rebellion in the historical drama "Free State of Jones."
It's the true story of Mississippi farmer Newt Knight, an unwilling Southern militiaman who led an armed revolt against the Confederate army during the Civil War.
"I didn't know there was this kind of dissent within the Confederacy," Ross said at the recent CinemaCon in Las Vegas, noting that he did two years of research before starting on his script.
Matthew McConaughey, who stars as Knight, found all the material he needed in Ross' script to craft his performance. "There was a great simplicity to the man," McConaughey said at CinemaCon. "He had to right a wrong."
"Free State of Jones" opens in theaters June 24. See the full list of movies set for this summer at http://www.sltrib.com/entertainment/3817653-155/summer-movie-preview-blasts-from-the .