The year is 1942. Tensions between the Allies and Axis forces are beginning to reach an all-time high as the most devastating conflict in human history rages on across the four corners of the globe, forcing high-ranking government officials on both sides of World War II to double down on espionage efforts and spying in a bid to one-up the opposition. Such a backdrop has proved fertile ground for filmmakers and storytellers for generations and will only continue to do so, as evidenced by Robert Zemeckis’ upcoming wartime romance, Allied.
Planting the flag on November 23, Allied‘s awards credentials stretch beyond its release window, given it thrusts Marion Cotillard and Brad Pitt – a veteran of Hollywood war movies following appearances across Fury and Inglorious Bastards – into the shoes of French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour and Max Vatan (Pitt), respectively.
Crossing paths in North Africa circa 1942, both Cotillard and Pitt’s spies join forces to venture behind enemy lines, and Allied traces their stories across the African theater of war and all the way back to London, where their relationship is put to the sword as World War II bubbles to its climax. Boasting a résumé that features the likes of Cast Away and Back to the Future, Zemeckis is no stranger to blending spectacle with character drama. He’ll be directing from an original screenplay penned by Locke scribe Steven Knight, with Lizzy Caplan, Matthew Goode and Jared Harris rounding out the casting docket.
Allied will order Pitt and Cotillard into the dangerous underbelly of espionage when Zemeckis’ awards-tipped thriller opens in theaters come November 23.