Brendan Fraser Joins Andrew Scott in D-Day Movie ‘Pressure’ as Eisenhower

Andrew Scott, who has recently been nominated for an Emmy, will be the lead in Studiocanal and Working Title’s upcoming film ‘Pressure,’ which centers around D-Day. According to Deadline, Academy Award winner Brendan Fraser will also be joining Scott.

‘Pressure’ tells the story of Group Captain James Stagg, the Allies’ Chief Meteorologist, played by BAFTA winner Andrew Scott. Stagg’s crucial task was to inform Supreme Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower, played by Brendan Fraser, about the weather conditions that would determine the timing of the Normandy invasion. This pivotal decision played a major role in altering the course of World War II.

The thriller will be directed by Anthony Maras, with production set to begin in the UK this September. Additional casting is currently underway. The screenplay, co-written by Maras and Olivier Award-winner David Haig, is based on Haig’s acclaimed play of the same name. This play was performed in London’s West End and even for the late Queen Elizabeth II and other world leaders in 2019 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

The film’s logline reveals, “In the seventy-two hours leading up to D-Day, all the pieces are in place except for one key element — the British weather. James Stagg (Andrew Scott), Britain’s chief meteorological officer, must provide the most significant weather forecast in history, immersing him in a high-stakes standoff with the entire Allied leadership. The wrong weather conditions could destroy the largest seaborne invasion ever, while any delay risks alerting German intelligence.”

With trusted aide Captain Kay Summersby, and haunted by a disastrous D-Day rehearsal, the pressure on General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Fraser) builds to an intense climax. The fate of the war and millions of lives hang in the balance, hinging on vital last-minute decisions.

Haig’s play explores both Stagg’s personal and military struggles, as well as the conflicts between teams with differing weather forecasts for D-Day. The movie will delve deeper into the pressure-cooker environment of the allied leadership and the scale of the Normandy landings.

After the war, Stagg was honored as an Officer of the US Legion of Merit and later became president of the Royal Meteorological Society. Eisenhower was celebrated for his wartime leadership and went on to serve as the 34th US President from 1953 to 1961.

On June 4, 1944, Stagg and his meteorological team, composed of members from the Royal Navy, Met Office, and the USAAF, met with Eisenhower. They predicted the weather would improve just in time for the invasion on June 6. The next favorable dates with the necessary tidal conditions would have been June 18-20. However, postponing the invasion would have required recalling men and ships already in position and increased the risk of the Allies’ plans being discovered. After extensive consultations with senior commanders, Eisenhower decided to go ahead with D-Day on June 6. A major storm hit Normandy from June 19-22, which would have thwarted the invasion had it been delayed.

Both Stagg and Eisenhower have been depicted in various films together. In the 1962 film ‘The Longest Day,’ Stagg was portrayed by Patrick Barr and Eisenhower by Henry Grace. The 2004 TV movie ‘Ike: Countdown to D-Day’ featured Christopher James Baker as Stagg and Tom Selleck as Eisenhower. In David Haig’s 2014 play, Haig played Stagg with Malcolm Sinclair as Eisenhower. The 2017 film had Steven Cree and John Slattery playing Stagg and Eisenhower respectively.

Andrew Scott recently starred in the Netflix miniseries ‘Ripley,’ earning Emmy nominations for both Outstanding Leading Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie and Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series as he served as a producer. His next project is the action comedy ‘Back in Action’ with Glenn Close, Cameron Diaz, and Jamie Foxx.

Brendan Fraser, who happens to be almost the same age as Eisenhower was during the Normandy landings, recently appeared in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon.’ He is set to appear in the action comedy ‘Sacrifice’ alongside Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Evans.

Source: Deadline, Studiocanal, Working Title