Sam Mendes, the director best known for the 1999 classic American Beauty and more recently for his work on the James Bond films Skyfall and SPECTRE, is directing a new World War I film titled 1917. On 28 March 2019 the production announced a number of prominent cast additions.
Leading the new names is Oscar winner Colin Firth. He joins fellow acclaimed actors including Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch, BAFTA TV nominee Mark Strong and Golden Globe TV Best Actor nominee Richard Madden. The film’s ensemble continues to grow with several other well-known British performers confirmed to appear.
Left to right: Colin Firth (Mary Poppins Returns), Benedict Cumberbatch (Avengers: Infinity War), Mark Strong (Kingsman II: The Secret Service), Richard Madden (The Bodyguard).
Principal photography is scheduled to begin imminently at locations across England and Scotland. 1917 is set to portray the experience of a group of soldiers over the course of a single day during the First World War. The screenplay is written by Mendes together with his writing partner Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and the production aims to capture the intensity and immediacy of that brief but pivotal period.
While specific character details for the newly announced cast members have not been disclosed, they will join the film’s previously revealed leads: George MacKay (known for Pride and Captain Fantastic) and Dean-Charles Chapman (noted for his work on Game of Thrones). Additional cast members announced for the project include Andrew Scott, Daniel Mays, Adrian Scarborough, Jamie Parker, Nabhaan Rizwan and Claire Duburcq.
The film is being produced by DreamWorks and Universal Pictures in association with Mendes’ Neal Street Productions. Neal Street is overseeing the project with producers Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Callum McDougall and Michael Lerman attached. This creative team, coupled with a cast of established actors, signals a major production that aims to deliver both cinematic scale and intimate character drama.
From the outset Mendes has been clear that the intention is to tell a focused, immersive story that conveys the urgency and human stakes of war within a concentrated timeframe. The collaborative script by Mendes and Wilson-Cairns and the selection of experienced performers suggest an approach that balances technical ambition with performance-driven storytelling.
DreamWorks and Universal’s involvement ensures substantial backing and wide distribution plans; the studio release is scheduled for 25 December 2019. That release timing positions 1917 for awards-season consideration and a high-profile holiday launch.
With production locations set in the U.K. and a roster of celebrated British talent, 1917 is shaping up to be one of the year’s most anticipated historical dramas. As filming begins and more information about roles and story specifics is revealed, audiences and critics alike will be watching to see how Mendes and his cast bring this day-in-the-life World War I story to the screen.