A new World War II movie with a blockbuster cast is coming to theaters in just three weeks.
World War II movies are among the most defining in cinema and have helped create a better understanding of real-world history. This includes Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, and David Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai. These four movies won a combined total of 22 Academy Awards, including Best Picture for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Schindler’s List.
10 War Movies That Are Considered Masterpieces
Some of the best war movies ever made are not only considered masterpieces of the genre, but they are also masterpieces of cinema in general.
On May 29, the World War II movie Pressure will be released in U.S. theaters. It features Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott as meteorologist Captain James Stagg in the 72 hours leading up to D-Day. The story is centered on Stagg trying to convince Eisenhower to delay the seaborne invasion, which would be the largest and most dangerous in history, due to weather conditions at a critical point during the war.
Pressure‘s star-studded cast also includes Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, Damian Lewis, Henry Ashton, Con O’Neill, Daniel Quinn-Toye, Toby Williams, and Max Croes. It was directed by Anthony Maras, who co-wrote the script with David Haig. The story was originally written by Haig as a stage play that first premiered in 2014.
While there are already many movies about D-Day, including Saving Private Ryan and its iconic opening sequence, Pressure approaches the story from the perspective of the 72 hours before rather than the events of the invasion itself. It also highlights an unsung hero, as Stagg is not one of the more well-known names when it comes to World War II history, but he played a vital role in using his expertise to ensure that D-Day could be a success and change the direction of the war.
Given the subject matter and the history of how World War II movies have performed at the Academy Awards, Pressure has strong potential for the upcoming awards season. In 2023, Fraser won the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and this could become his second win. Scott has received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Black Mirror and Ripley, and while he has never gotten an Academy Award nomination before, his portrayal of Stagg may change that.
The movie’s other major star, Condon, got an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for The Banshees of Inisherin. This was also in 2023, the same year that Fraser won in his category. Since then, Condon has only become a bigger name with major roles in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Train Dreams, and F1. Her performance of Kay Summersby may give her a second nomination and first win.
Beyond the movie’s awards potential, Pressure offers a new opportunity for audiences to see Fraser in theaters before The Mummy 4, where he will reprise the role of Rick O’Connell. The long-awaited sequel also features Rachel Weisz and has a theatrical release date of October 15, 2027.
