Oscar winner Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) will star as Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower in Working Title and Studiocanal‘s upcoming D-Day movie “Pressure”
As previously reported by Deadline, Fraser joins Andrew Scott in a film described as a “ticking-clock drama about the tense days leading up to the Normandy landings.” Scott will play Britain’s Chief Meteorological Officer James Stagg, whose job was to inform Eisenhower of weather conditions, which were absolutely crucial to the success of the D-Day invasion.
Anthony Maras (“Hotel Mumbai”) will direct “Pressure,” which is set to commence production in September. David Haig and Maras wrote the screenplay based on Haig’s critically acclaimed play
The official synopsis reads:
In the 72 hours leading up to D-Day, all the pieces are in place except for one key element — the British weather. Britain’s Chief Meteorological Officer James Stagg is called upon to deliver the most consequential forecast in history, locking him into a tense standoff with the entire Allied leadership. The wrong conditions could devastate the largest-ever seaborne invasion, while any delay risks German intelligence catching on. With only his trusted aide Captain Kay Summersby to confide in, and haunted by a catastrophic D-Day rehearsal, the final decision rests with Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. With only hours to go, the fate of the war and the lives of millions hang in the balance.
In the meantime, Fraser has already shot his post-Oscar role and it’ll be in Searchlight’s “Rental Family,” which is directed by “Beef” director Hikari — she also co-wrote the script with Stephen Blahut. No release date as of yet for that film.
Fraser is coming off “The Whale,” which won him the Oscar for Best Actor earlier this year. His triumphant comeback, after years away from the spotlight, was dubbed the “Brenaissance.” Did he deserve the Oscar for his performance? I’m not sure. Many will disagree with me on this one.