| Pressure | |
|---|---|
U.S. theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Anthony Maras |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on |
Pressure
by David Haig |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Jamie D. Ramsay |
| Edited by | Anthony Maras |
| Music by | Volker Bertelmann |
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Production
company |
Working Title Films
|
| Distributed by | StudioCanal |
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Release dates
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Running time
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100 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
Pressure is a 2026 war drama film directed and edited by Anthony Maras and written by Maras and David Haig, based on Haig's 2014 stage play. It stars Andrew Scott as meteorologist James Stagg and Brendan Fraser as Dwight D. Eisenhower as the pair work to plan the Normandy landings during World War II; Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis also star.
The film was released in the United States on May 29, 2026. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Premise
In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, and with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, Pressure follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Group Captain James Stagg as they face an impossible choice: launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
Cast
- Andrew Scott as James Stagg
- Brendan Fraser as Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Kerry Condon as Kay Summersby
- Chris Messina as Irving P. Krick
- Damian Lewis as Bernard Montgomery
- Henry Ashton as John Eisenhower
- Con O'Neill as Trafford Leigh-Mallory
- Daniel Quinn-Toye as Michael Gregory
- Toby Williams as Bryant
- Max Croes as Private Eugene Shaw
- Roseanna Brown as Operator
Production
The film is produced by Working Title Films and financed by StudioCanal.[2] It was directed by Anthony Maras, who co-wrote the script with David Haig. It is adapted from Haig's stage play Pressure which premiered in Edinburgh in 2014 and later moved to the West End.[3]
Andrew Scott was reported to be leading the cast in July 2024 as Group Captain James Stagg.[4] The same month, Brendan Fraser was cast as Dwight D. Eisenhower.[5] The following month, Kerry Condon joined the cast as Eisenhower's assistant Captain Kay Summersby.[6] They were later joined in the cast by Damien Lewis and Chris Messina. Principal photography began in the United Kingdom in September 2024.[7][8] Filming locations included Mentmore Towers in Mentmore, Buckinghamshire.[9] Volker Bertelmann composed the score.[10]
Release
In November 2024, Focus Features acquired North American distribution rights to the film; it will also distribute the film through parent company Universal Pictures across Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, and pan-Asia.[11][2] Pressure was theatrically released on 29 May 2026 in the United States,[12] and will be released in the United Kingdom on 11 September.[13]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 69 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Finding a fresh angle on one of the most dramatized days in military history, Pressure is a brainy war film that derives most of its thrills from Andrew Scott's simmering performance."[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[15] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[16]
References
- ^ "Pressure (2026)". Irish Film Classification Office. March 24, 2026. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
- ^ a b Kay, Jeremy (January 28, 2026). "Focus, Working Title, Studiocanal set US release for D-Day drama 'Pressure'". Screen Daily. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (June 5, 2024). "Studiocanal & Working Title Team For Timely D-Day Movie 'Pressure' About The Make-Or-Break Decisions Behind The Historic Normandy Landings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (July 18, 2024). "Andrew Scott, Fresh Off Emmy Nomination, Set To Star In Studiocanal & Working Title D-Day Movie 'Pressure' About The Historic Normandy Landings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (July 22, 2024). "Brendan Fraser To Star As Dwight D. Eisenhower In D-Day Movie 'Pressure' About The Historic Normandy Landings". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (August 22, 2024). "Kerry Condon Joins Andrew Scott & Brendan Fraser In D-Day Movie 'Pressure', Filming To Begin Next Month". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
- ^ Sarrubbia, Steffania (July 18, 2024). "Andrew Scott lands next lead movie role in UK-set thriller". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
- ^ Mensah, Katelyn (September 12, 2024). "Wolf Hall and Sharp Objects stars join Andrew Scott in WWII film Pressure". Radio Times. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
- ^ Calnan, Ellie (September 10, 2024). "'Pressure' starring Andrew Scott begins filming in the UK for Working Title, Studiocanal". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
- ^ "Volker Bertelmann Scoring Anthony Maras' 'Pressure'". Film Music Reporter. February 19, 2026. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (November 4, 2024). "Focus Snaps Up Studiocanal & Working Title D-Day Movie 'Pressure' Starring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 28, 2026). "Focus Features Dates D-Day Movie 'Pressure' For Summer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "From the producers of Darkest Hour, PRESSURE tells the gripping true story of the 72 hours leading up to D-Day. Starring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon and Damian Lewis, PRESSURE will open in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on September 11th". X. January 29, 2026. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
- ^ "Pressure". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ "Pressure". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (May 29, 2026). "Box Office: 'Backrooms' Opening to Shocking $76M to $79M". Deadline. Retrieved May 30, 2026.
External links
- Pressure at IMDb
