Generally speaking, when it comes to World War II movies, the battle against the Nazis gets all the attention. The bulk of the classics, from Patton to Saving Private Ryan to Dunkirk, all deal with the war in Europe. But now, the Pacific Theater will be getting its cinematic due thanks to the upcoming blockbuster, Midway.
The film, from Independence Day director Roland Emmerich, will tell the story of the Battle of Midway. The three-day battle began on June 4, 1942, and when it was over, represented the Americans’ first major victory over Japan. Woody Harrelson stars in the film as real-life Midway commander Admiral Chester Nimitz, along with an ensemble cast including Luke Evans, Patrick Wilson, Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Nick Jonas, Aaron Eckhart, and Darren Criss. The film’s first poster is below, and while it’s simple in design, it certainly conveys a gritty and realistic depiction of the war.
Military.com spoke with Emmerich about the film, and the director revealed that the production has gone to extreme lengths in its quest for authenticity. “We knew from the very beginning we had to build everything,” Emmerich said. “The biggest problem we had was that we had to make this indoors because we have to shoot everything with bluescreen in order to constantly have the light to change. So that’s what we did. We went to Montreal, where they have a very, very big stage, and built a flight deck or part of a flight deck. We had to build the planes … We had to pretty much create everything. When you can create everything, then naturally you can be absolutely exact.”
Midway will arrive in theaters on November 13, more than 77 years after the battle that inspired it. And for more WWII action, check out CHARGE!’s selection of classics here.
