September offers an ideal excuse to head to the cinema. With summer winding down and darker evenings setting in, settling into a cinema seat with a generous tub of popcorn, putting your phone away and getting absorbed in a compelling story can be hard to beat. If you’re already thinking about what to see next month, Pressure could be one film worth adding to your list.
The upcoming war drama brings together BAFTA-winning actor Andrew Scott and Oscar winner Brendan Fraser in a story rooted in real events.
Adapted from David Haig’s 2014 stage play, Pressure focuses on General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg during the tense hours before Operation Overlord, the code name for the Allied invasion of Normandy.
Set against the pressure and uncertainty surrounding one of the most significant military operations of the Second World War, the film centres on the crucial decisions facing Eisenhower and Stagg as the invasion approaches.
A fierce storm, a looming invasion and a decision that could determine the outcome of a war form the heart of Pressure, the gripping new drama directed by Anthony Maras.
The film follows the tense clash among meteorologists as they try to determine whether dangerous weather will strike the beaches of Normandy on the day Allied forces are scheduled to launch the D-Day invasion. With so much at stake, the uncertainty leaves General Dwight D. Eisenhower facing a decision with potentially devastating consequences.
Based on this extraordinary true story, Pressure combines high-stakes suspense with a compelling historical backdrop and a strong ensemble cast. The film is set to arrive in September, making it one to watch for audiences drawn to stories of courage, uncertainty and pivotal moments in history.
Read on to discover more about Pressure, including the remarkable events that inspired the film and how readers can watch it for free ahead of its official release.
What is Pressure about?
Set at the height of the Second World War – just 72 hours before D-Day – the film follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Captain James Stagg, a talented meteorologist, as they face an impossible choice: launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
The synopsis reads: “In the seventy-two 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 (Andrew Scott) 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 (Kerry Condon) to confide in, and haunted by a catastrophic D-Day rehearsal, the final decision rests with Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser).
“With only hours to go, the fate of the war and the lives of millions hang in the balance.”
Who stars in Pressure?
Andrew Scott, known for his work in All of Us Strangers and Ripley, leads the cast as Captain James Stagg. He shares the screen with Brendan Fraser (The Whale) as General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who would become President of the United States, Damian Lewis (Homeland) as British army general, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, and Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) as Eisenhower’s loyal aide, Lt Kay Summersby.
When will Pressure be released?
Pressure arrives in UK cinemas on 9 September. If you want to watch the film ahead of its release, click the link below.