UPCOMING WWI, WWII and KOREAN FILMS AND MINI-SERIES
USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage (2016) – Already Released!
Action – The harrowing true story of the crew of the USS Indianapolis, who were stranded in the Philippine Sea for five days after delivering the atomic weapons that would eventually end WWII. As they awaited rescue, they endured extreme thirst, hunger, and relentless shark attacks. – Nicolas Cage, Matt Lanter, Thomas Jane.
Release date: 27th of May 2016 (USA)
Rendezvous with Destiny: Roosevelt and Churchill (2016) (Mini-series)
This miniseries will discloses the secret meetings between these two politicians during the important historic periods.
Release of series 1 is planned for end of 2016.
Anthropoid (2016) [UK, Czech Republic, and France Production]
Based on the true story, the film tells the story of the brave Czech soldiers Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, who were trained by the British and airlifted into Prague in May of 1942 to assassinate ruthless SS leader Reinhard Heydrich, a.k.a. “The Hangman.” The story has been told on film several times before:
- In the four Czechoslovakian films “Muzi bez krídel” from 1946, “Atentát” from 1964, “The Key” (Klíc) from 1971, the “Lidice” from 2011, the Czechoslovakian-Soviet co-production “Sokolovo” from 1975, and “Operation Daybreak” from 1975, which is a co-production between USA, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia, and that is perhaps the most known film about the event.
- In the three American films “Hitler’s Madman” from 1943 and “Hangmen Also Die!”, also from 1943, and “Hitler’s S.S.: Portrait in Evil” from 1985.
- In the Czech Republic’s TV Series from 2013-2014 “Ceské století”, and the upcoming French film “HHhH” (see further down).
Release Date: 12th of August 2016 (USA).
The Bombing (2016) [Chinese Production in Mandarin]
The Bombing is a big-budget Chinese production expected to be released this year. Reportedly, its story centers on the bombing of the Chinese city of Chongquing during WWII and how one American serviceman [played by Bruce Willis in this movie] taught the Chinese to fight back.
Aside from Willis, another Hollywood big name in the works of this film is award-winning director and actor Mel Gibson.
Release Date: 30th of September 2016 (China).
Hacksaw Ridge (2016) [US and Australian Co-production]
WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, who served during the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to kill people and becomes the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Release date: 4th of November 2016 (USA).
Railroad Tigers (2016)
A railroad worker (Jackie Chan) in China in 1941 leads a team of freedom fighters against the Japanese in order to get food for the poor.
Release Date: October 2016 (China)
HHhH (2016)
HHhH is a French production directed by Cédric Jimenez, staring, among others, Rosamund Pike, Jack O’Connell, Mia Wasikowska.
1942: The Third Reich is at its peak. The Czech resistance in London decides to plan the most ambitious military operation of WWII: Anthropoid. Two young recruits in their late twenties, Jozef Gabcik and Jan Kubis, are sent to Prague to assassinate the most ruthless Nazi leader – Reich-protector Reinhard Heydrich, Head of the SS, the Gestapo, and the architect of the “Final Solution”.
All Quiet on the Western Front (2016) [Upcoming WWI Film]
One of the very best WWI films ever produced is the 1930 version of “All Quiet on the Western Front”. There was also a TV-movie 1979, pretty good too but not like the classic one.
A remake of “All Quiet on the Western Front” is now in progress and is expected to be released sometime later this year.
Ghosts in a Shell (Ghost Army?) (2017)
Ghost in the Shell is an upcoming American film based on the Japanese manga of the same name. The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Pilou Asbæk, Michael Pitt, Takeshi Kitano and Juliette Binoche. The film will be released on the 31st of March 2017 in 3D.
A squadron of recruits from art schools, ad agencies and other creative businesses are tasked with fooling the Nazis into thinking the U.S. has larger troop numbers than it actually does.
Pegasus Bridge (2017)
Operation Deadstick, capture and hold Pegasus Bridge, was part of the D-day landings in Normandie, Operation Overlord.
The film, Pegasus Bridge, is an all British Production, independently financed. The film covers not just the events at Pegasus Bridge, only two people were killed there from the Ox and Bucks, but also the fighting in Benouville and Le Port where 7 Para fought against the Panzer Grenadiers of the 21st Panzer Division, 38 people were killed there on June 6th. A number of scenes cover this in the film. You can also expect to see all the key scenes from the bridge as well including Wagger Thornton’s PIAT attack on the Marder III (Not a Panzer IV as originally thought) and the attack on the French converted gunboat that came up from the port, The attack on the bridge by the Fokker Wolf 190 will also be in the film. The film will cover some of the training scenes but most of the screen time is dedicated to the events on June 6th at the bridge and the fighting in Benouville and Le Port. The film does not cover the fighting in Ranville or Merville (Impossible to do justice to these events in the limited window of two hours twenty minutes) It does however mention them and the second bridge, plus Glider 94.
Dunkirk (2017)
Set to premiere on 21st of July 2017, Dunkirk is based on the legendary Operation Dynamo that saved over 330,000 British, French and Belgian troops who were encircled by the German army which was sweeping through France.
Christopher Nolan will direct Dunkirk based on a screenplay he wrote and he will produce it with Emma Thomas, his wife and longtime producing partner, Variety reports. The film will be shot starting this May using a combination of IMAX 65mm and 65mm large format for “maximum image quality and high-impact immersion.”
Darkest Hour (2017)
Winston Churchill leads a charge against Hitler’s army in the early days of World War II.
Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Anthony McCarten (screenplay)
Star: Gary Oldman
The Mighty Eighth (201x) [HBO Mini-series]
No new information is available for this mini-series. Shootings have been done during 2016 somewhere in the Southern states of USA.
Harlem Hellfighters (201x) [Upcoming WWI film]
Harlem Hellfighters (369th Infantry Regiment) is about the African-American unit of WWI who fought bravely during the Great War but returned home to censure and segregation because of their color. The movie, reported to be under development with Will Smith’s company, is based on the graphic novel by World War Z author Mel Brooks.
Panzer 88 (201x)
The film would follow a five-man German crew of the Ilsa – the biggest tank of its day – on the Eastern Front during the latter days of WWII as a supernatural entity gives them grief.
Director: Peter Briggs
Art director: Kim Sinclair
Producers: Peter Briggs, Gary Kurtz
Genres: Action Film, Thriller, Fantasy
Operation Chromite (2016)
A Korean made true war story about General MacArthur and the X-RAY spy mission involving eight other troops. Liam Neeson plays the role as Douglas MacArthur. Operation Chromite took place 1950 in the Battle of Incheon. Planned Release is July 2016. Liam Neeson is slotted to play General MacArthur.
Stay Alert, Stay Armed and Stay Dangerous!