Forrest Gump’s Scene-Stealing Nike Cortez Sneakers Have Returned

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Thirty years after the movie's release, Nike is cashing in on Forrest Gump once again. This week the brand rereleased the film's classic red, white, and blue Cortez sneakers. Of course, they sold out in hours—it has, after all, been six years since the original 2018 rerelease. (Though it's worth noting that you can still buy those on StockX for relatively cheap.)

There's something in the air, because just a month ago the real pair from the movie were auctioned off for upward of $50,000. It's a testament to the best product placement of all time and, arguably, the most American shoes of all time.

I tried to think of another movie that's so tied to a particular product—maybe the Space Jam Jordan 11s?—but this is number one if you ask me. The whole film is about feet, running, America's forward movement. Jenny (Robin Wright) tells Forrest to always run away from danger, so he does. Momma (Sally Field) tells him, "There's an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes." The first rule in a war zone for Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise) is "Take care of your feet."

And what does Jenny give him as part of her pseudo-proposal? A pair of Nike Cortez sneakers. "The best gift anyone could get in the wide world."I mean, come on. It's right fucking there.

By the time we get to a bus stop in Savannah, Georgia, and the woman next to him says her feet hurt, Forrest has run the length of America multiple times, and he's still sitting in those Nike Cortez sneakers. He's got new laces. ("Take care of your feet.") But the shoes are cooked. Like America from the 1950s to the 1980s, those red, white, and blue sneakers had seen the worst of it.

Is this too deep a concept to associate with a pair of rereleased sneakers? Probably. But if the Nike nostalgia factory in Oregon can keep churning, I think I should be allowed to indulge. Forrest Gump is a film about a man's small role in the massive movements of history, in which a simple Southerner is oblivious to all the shit happening around him. And the enduring symbol of the movie? A pair of shoes that get rereleased every couple of years and sell out immediately.

I think that's kind of beautiful. It's the point that the film was making. In 2024, the big political wheels are turning. Shit's happening all around us. We are all living through a period of history that will be considered some sort of watershed moment. But you know what we really care about? Buying a pair of these shoes that look cool. That's what America is all about.

If you want to buy this specific colorway, go to StockX. If you don't want to pay $200 for the rerelease (I don't!), just buy a normal Cortez colorway and call it a day.

Nike Cortez

Nike Cortez

Nike Cortez

You Might Also Like

• Kid Cudi Is All Right

• 16 Best Shoe Organizers For Storing and Displaying Your Kicks