The Revenant is a 2015 American survival drama western film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The screenplay by Mark L. Smith and Iñárritu is based in part on Michael Punke‘s 2002 novel of the same name, describing frontiersman Hugh Glass‘s experiences in 1823. That novel is in turn based on the 1915 poem The Song of Hugh Glass. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter.

Development began in August 2001 when producer Akiva Goldsman purchased Punke’s manuscript. Iñárritu signed on to direct in August 2011 and in April 2014, after several delays due to other projects, Iñárritu confirmed that he was beginning work on The Revenant and that DiCaprio would play the lead role. Principal photography began in October 2014. Location and crew concerns delayed the film from May to August 2015.

The Revenant premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre on December 16, 2015, and had a limited release on December 25, expanding on January 8, 2016. The film received largely positive reviews, with praise for DiCaprio and Hardy’s performances, Iñárritu’s direction, and Lubezki’s cinematography, although the film’s runtime was criticized. It won three Golden Globe Awards and five BAFTA Awards. At the 88th Academy Awards, the film received 12 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Hardy), winning Best Director (Iñárritu), Best Actor (DiCaprio), and Best Cinematography (Emmanuel Lubezki). DiCaprio also won the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, BAFTA, and Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor.