EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winner Ben Kingsley (The Thursday Homicide Membership), BAFTA winner Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum) and Grammy winner Joel David Smallbone (Unsung Hero) are new additions to the forged of Younger Washington, a lately introduced presidential origin story from Marvel Undertaking and Angel Studios.
Directed by Marvel Undertaking’s Jon Erwin (Jesus Revolution, I Can Solely Think about), the movie stars the beforehand introduced William Franklyn-Miller as a younger George Washington, chronicling the beginnings of America’s first president. After making an incredible mistake that triggers the French and Indian Struggle, an bold 22-year-old Washington should face his failures and discover the braveness to grow to be the chief that may forge a nation.
Kingsley will play Robert Dinwiddie, the strong-willed Governor of Virginia who entrusts the younger Washington along with his first command. Serkis performs Normal Edward Braddock, an overconfident British officer who offers the defeated Washington one other likelihood at navy glory. Smallbone portrays the crafty William Fairfax, a good friend and romantic rival to George, who strikes effortlessly on the planet of the British higher class to which Washington aspires.
Written by Jon Erwin and Tom Provost & Diederik Hoogstraten, the movie is slated to enter manufacturing later this summer season. Erwin will produce alongside Chip Diggins. Marvel is joined on the manufacturing aspect by 10 Ton Productions, led by Benton Crane, and 2521 Leisure, led by Tyler Zacharia, with Angel set to distribute the movie nationwide over Independence Day weekend 2026.
In an unorthodox transfer, Angel Studios made tickets accessible final month by itself platform — a 12 months out from launch — with no single body of the movie but shot.
Recognized for turns in movies like Gandhi and Schindler’s Listing, Kingsley has lately been seen starring in titles like The Killer’s Recreation and Wes Anderson’s The Fantastic Story of Henry Sugar and Three Extra. Upcoming, he has the Magenta Gentle Studios thriller Deep Water, Netflix’s anticipated movie The Thursday Homicide Membership, and extra. He’s repped by CAA, Impartial Expertise Group, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.
Beforehand seen starring within the Lord of the Rings and Planet of the Apes franchises, Serkis is about to direct and reprise as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, which Warner Bros releases on December 17, 2027. He’s repped by CAA, Principal Leisure LA, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
Along with his Christian music group For King + Nation, Smallbone is understood for co-directing and starring in Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Firm’s faith-based drama Unsung Hero. He’s repped by Smallbone Administration.
