Well, this came out of the blue. Per Deadline, production is officially underway in London on Fortitude, a World War II espionage action-adventure directed by Simon West (Con Air). We’d already be sold on the project just based on that alone, but wait until you hear who’s been assembled as part of the ensemble. The cast includes Matthew Goode (The Imitation Game), Ed Skrein (Jurassic World: Rebirth), Jordi Mollà (Mobland), Alice Eve (Star Trek Into Darkness), Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon), Art Malik (True Lies), Lukas Haas (Inception), Adrian Topol (Franz + Polina), Emilio Sakraya (Sixty Minutes), Paul Anderson (Peaky Blinders), Ben Kingsley (Gandhi), and Nicolas Cage (Con Air). Yes, that Nicolas Cage, back in a war movie. We are seated.
Fortitude is a dramatization of one of the most extraordinary chapters of WWII: how British Intelligence used groundbreaking deception strategies to outwit Nazi Germany. The film centers on officers Dudley Clarke and Thomas Argyll “Tar” Robertson — two sensational names, let’s be honest — who masterminded elaborate ruses — fictitious armies, fake tanks and aircraft, and networks of double agents — to throw Nazi Intelligence into disarray. It’s a little Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, don’t you think?
Among their most legendary operatives was Dusko Popov, a Yugoslavian playboy and real-life double agent whose exploits reportedly inspired Ian Fleming when he created James Bond. To ensure authenticity, the production is working with historian Joshua Levine, best known for his contributions to Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk.
Who’s Making ‘Fortitude’?
The screenplay comes from Simon Afram (Lear Rex), who is also producing alongside Georgette Turner (Wonder Woman), Reza Roohi (ATL Hustle), and Edward Kahl (Queen of Manhattan). Executive producers include Bianca Goodloe and David Scaramanga, with casting by Rich Mento. .
“We are excited to bring together such a remarkable ensemble. Their chemistry and depth, paired with West’s direction, elevate this story into something truly gripping and unforgettable,” said producer Simon Afram.
For Cage, Fortitude is the latest in a whole host of war-centered projects across his career. He headlined the 2002 John Woo action-drama Windtalkers, about Navajo code talkers in the Pacific theater, and later portrayed controversial figures in Lord of War (2005) and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016). With Fortitude, Cage is returning to good, old fasioned WWII storytelling for the first time in years — this time stepping into the shadows of intelligence warfare rather than the frontlines.
Fortitude is currently in production now.
via Collider