Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, & Mark Strong Join Sam Mendes’ ‘1917’

After a pair of James Bond movies Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes is moving ahead on his next film, 1917, and unsurprisingly he’s putting together quite the cast.  Deadline reports the two biggest additions to Mendes’ film are Benedict Cumberbatch and Colin Firth, but they are just the beginning.

1917 covers two young British soldiers, played by George MacKay (Captain Fantastic) and Dean-Charles Chapman (Breathe), during one full day of war at the height of WWI.  Joining them, Cumberbatch, and Firth are Mark Strong, Andrew Scott (Spectre), Richard Madden (Game of Thrones), Daniel Mays (Rogue One), Jamie Parker, Nabhaan Rizwan, and Claire Duburcq.  It’s like a Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy reunion.

Mendes co-wrote the script with  Krysty Wilson-Cairns. If you need further reason to be excited for this, just know that Mendes will be reteaming with the great cinematographer Roger Deakins. The duo previously worked together on Skyfall, Jarhead, and Revolutionary Road so we know this is going to look amazing.

Filming on 1917 begins on April 1st. Hopefully that’s not an April Fool’s prank.