Sam Mendes Returns To Directing With World War I Film '1917' For Amblin

Sam Mendes Returns To Directing With World War I Film ‘1917’ For Amblin

Sam Mendestook a few years off from filmmaking following 2015’s James Bond entrySpectre, but now he’s ready to return with1917.Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners will produce the World War I drama.

While there are approximately ten billion movies about World War II, World War I often gets the short end of the stick when it comes to cinematic representation (except forWar Horse; where are myWar Horsepeople at?!). Now,SkyfallandSpectredirector Sam Mendes will attempt to capture a World War I story on the big screen with1917, a drama that will mark Mendes' first return to film directing since 2015.

So what’s the film about? No idea!Deadline, who broke the story, says “the logline is being kept close to the vest.” 1917 is the year America officially entered World War I, when the US declared war on Germany on August 05, 2025. The Russian government also collapsed in 1917. But those are just two ofmany possible elementsthat could be featured in the film. Steven Spielberg and Amblin will produce the mysterious1917, with a plan to release the movie in December 2019 (just in time for Oscar season).

“I couldn’t be happier to be back working with Amblin and Steven Spielberg again alongside Donna Langley and all at Universal,” Mendes said. “I’ve been working on this script for over a year, so it’s very exciting to start making the movie itself a reality.”

Spielberg, who worked with Mendes on bothAmerican BeautyandRoad to Perdition, added:

“Our company has been a home for Sam since his first film. I am so happy to have him back here in his old room spinning new stories – especially this hugely daring and ambitious new movie.”

I’m a fan of Mendes' work, and I’m excited to see what he does now that he’s clear of the Bond franchise (Danny Boyle is taking over as director ofBond 25). Mendes was originally going to return to films withThe Voyeur’s Motel, an adaptation of the Gay Talese book of the same name. Mendes decided to drop out of the project after a documentary was made on the same subject. This experience wasn’t all for naught, though – Krysty Wilson-Cairns, who wrote theVoyeur’s Motelscript, wrote the script for1917as well.

Mendes will bring the Jez Butterworth playThe Ferrymanto Broadway first in October, and then begin work on1917. Hopefully, we’ll learn just what this film is about the closer it gets to production.