‘Stonewall’, the Roland Emmerich directed gay rights drama has been acquired by a US film distribution company and will be released later this year.

Stonewall is set in 1969, during the Stonewall Riots and stars Jeremy Irvine, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ron Perlman and Jonny Beauchamp.

The film tells the story of the police raid of the mafia-owned Stonewall Inn in New York’s Greenwich Village that became one of the defining moments of the gay rights movement. The patrons were subjected to unwarranted police brutality which lead them to fight back.

Stonewall follows Danny (Irvine), who is thrown out of his home and flees to New York, ending up destitute. He then meets a group of street kids who introduced him to the Stonewall Inn.

Directed Emmerich said: “I was always interested and passionate about telling this important story, but I feel it has never been more timely than right now.”

BREAKING NEWS: @Stonewall_Movie has officially received US Distribution! #StonewallMovie #WherePrideBegan http://t.co/5t2PgvBbvi

— Stonewall (@Stonewall_Movie) March 26, 2015

Roadside Attractions have acquired the film for distribution, the Co-President Howard Cohen said of the film: “Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall is an explosive, dramatic story set against one of the monumental events of the 20th century. Roadside is so proud to bring this stirring film to audiences.”