Actor Colin Firth is to star in Sam Mends' World War I picture, "1917." File Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI
Actor Benedict Cumberbatch arrives for the CinemaCon 2018 Warner Bros. studio presentation in Las Vegas on April 24, 2018. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI
March 28 (UPI) -- Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Richard Madden have joined the ensemble of writer-director Sam Mendes' World War I saga, 1917.
DreamWorks Pictures and Universal Pictures announced the casting news Thursday.
Principal photography is to begin on April 1 and the movie is set for theatrical release on Dec. 25.
The film chronicles a single day in the lives of two young British soldiers played by George MacKay from Captain Fantastic and Game of Thrones alum Dean-Charles Chapman.
Rounding out the cast are Daniel Mays, Adrian Scarborough, Jamie Parker, Nabhaan Rizwan and Claire Duburcq.
Mendes has previously helmed films Skyfall, Road to Perdition and American Beauty.