Pressure (2026 film)
Film by Anthony Maras
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
- David Haig
- Anthony Maras
by David Haig
- Tim Bevan
- Eric Fellner
- Cass Marks
- Lucas Webb
| Pressure | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Anthony Maras |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Pressure by David Haig |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Jamie D. Ramsay |
| Edited by | Anthony Maras |
| Music by | Volker Bertelmann |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | |
Release dates |
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Running time | 100 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $9 million[2] |
The film was released in the United States on May 29, 2026. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot
In June 1944, the Allied Forces are poised to launch Operation Overlord, the invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. Success depends on a 72-hour window of manageable weather in the English Channel. General Dwight D. Eisenhower establishes his command at Southwick House, where the decision to launch or delay rests on the advice of his meteorological team.
The tension focuses on two lead forecasters with conflicting methodologies. Group Captain James Stagg, a meticulous Scottish meteorologist, analyzes real-time barometric pressure data and identifies a massive, volatile storm system approaching from the Atlantic. In contrast, Colonel Irving P. Krick, a charismatic American forecaster, utilizes historical weather patterns to predict clear skies and "invasion-perfect" conditions without mentioning poor weather forecast for Battle of Mont Sorrel in June 1916.[3]
As the scheduled launch date of June 5 approaches, the "pressure" of the title becomes both atmospheric and psychological. Stagg faces significant pushback from high-ranking officers, including Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, who are wary of losing the element of surprise. Stagg's anxiety is exacerbated by personal stakes, as his pregnant wife is hospitalized with life-threatening complications. Eisenhower’s personal assistant, Kay Summersby, acts as a confidante to the General as he weighs the risk of a disastrous amphibious landing against the tactical dangers of a postponement.
Haunted by the recent failure of Exercise Tiger, a rehearsal that resulted in heavy casualties, Eisenhower eventually trusts Stagg’s data-driven caution over Krick’s optimism. He makes the monumental decision to delay the invasion by 24 hours. When the original date of June 5 is met with the violent storms Stagg predicted, based on the readings provided by Maureen Flavin Sweeney, his credibility is cemented. Identifying a brief "lull" in the storm for the following morning, Stagg provides the window Eisenhower needs to give the final order. The film concludes with the launch of the invasion on June 6, 1944, successfully changing the course of World War II.
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 Air Chief Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory
- Robert Portal as Admiral Bertram Ramsay
- Tamsin Topolski as Liz Stagg
- 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.[4] 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.[5]
Andrew Scott was reported to be leading the cast in July 2024 as Group Captain James Stagg.[6] The same month, Brendan Fraser was cast as Dwight D. Eisenhower.[7] The following month, Kerry Condon joined the cast as Eisenhower's assistant Captain Kay Summersby.[8] They were later joined in the cast by Damien Lewis and Chris Messina. Principal photography began in the United Kingdom in September 2024.[9][10] Filming locations included Mentmore Towers in Mentmore, Buckinghamshire.[11] Volker Bertelmann composed the score.[12]
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.[13][4] Pressure was theatrically released on 29 May 2026 in the United States,[14] and will be released in the United Kingdom on 11 September.[15]
Reception
Box office
In the United States and Canada, Pressure was released alongside Backrooms and The Breadwinner, and was projected to gross around $5 million from 1,829 theaters in its opening weekend.[16] The film made $2.4 million on its first day, and went on to debut to $5.8 million, finishing in seventh.[17]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 87% of 87 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."[18] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[19] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[17]
