While there have been a number of huge Great War, or WW2, films in recent decades, I personally think it’s always important to keep telling the stories. For 1917, Sam Mendes steps up to the front-line and tackles a moment at the height of the First World War, where two British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a dangerous mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message to stop an attack on hundreds of soldiers — Blake’s own brother among them.

With a screenplay from Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Showtime’s Penny Dreadful), the film stars Richard Madden, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Colin Firth, Teresa Mahoney and Daniel Mays to name a selection.

I felt a definitely echo of the likes of Saving Private Ryan, Dunkirk and even Atonement – a long-shot will surely only bring up similar discussions – but as I mentioned earlier, these are always important stories if they’ve done right. I highly recommend Journey’s End, from last year, and also They Shall Not Grow Old (the outstanding doc from Peter Jackson) here’s hoping that Mendes can bring something unique to the fold.

Watch the trailer now:

1917 comes to UK cinemas in January 2020.