Focus Features has released the trailer for Pressure, a gripping World War II thriller that zeroes in on the brutal decision-making process behind D-Day. This isn’t a battlefield spectacle packed with explosions. It’s a pressure cooker drama about weather forecasts, high command politics, and a call that could change the course of the war.
Set in the final 72 hours before June 6th, 1944, the film follows the agonizing lead-up to the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe in Northwest France. At the heart of it all is the forecast. If the weather isn’t right, thousands of troops could be sailing straight into disaster.
Brendan Fraser steps into the role of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the man tasked with making the final call. Opposite him is Andrew Scott as Royal Air Force meteorologist Captain James Stagg, whose weather report will help determine whether Operation Overlord proceeds or gets scrapped.
The trailer leans heavily into that ticking clock energy, framing the forecast as a weapon in its own right.
The official synopsis reads: “In the tense 72 hours before D-Day in 1944 during World War II, and the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, Pressure follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) and Captain James Stagg (Andrew Scott) as they face an impossible choice—launch the largest & most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.”
The supporting cast includes Kerry Condon as Captain Kay Summersby, Eisenhower’s trusted aide. Damian Lewis appears as Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Chris Messina takes on Irving P. Krick, the American meteorologist with a competing forecast. Henry Ashton plays John Eisenhower, with Con O’Neill, Daniel Quinn-Toye, Toby Williams, and Max Croes rounding out the ensemble.
The vibe here feels more in line with Darkest Hour, where the real battle unfolds in strategy rooms rather than on the front lines.
One of the most striking elements of the film is the integration of restored archival footage. Real D-Day imagery has been cleaned up and colorized, then blended with the dramatic performances. It gives the film a grounded, almost documentary edge.
The film is directed by Anthony Maras, the Australian filmmaker behind Hotel Mumbai. He co-wrote the screenplay with David Haig, adapting Haig’s 2014 stage play of the same name.
Focus Features will release Pressure in U.S. theaters on May 29th, 2026.
