Doomed youth: the 1917 trailer has arrived

The trailer for Sam Mendes’ first feature after Spectre has just arrived, and it’s a bombshell. An ominous ticking clock and muted colour palette recalls Dunkirk, and there’s no doubt that Mendes and DreamWorks Pictures are aiming to capture some of the spirit – and box office – of Christopher Nolan’s last feature with this WW1 tale.

The film seems to be anchored by the up-and-comers George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman, portraying British soldiers tasked with an impossible mission in the trenches of Europe. The cast also boasts a who’s-who of ‘that guy’ actors, including Andrew Scott, Mark Strong, Richard Madden and Daniel Mays – and, as we see here, Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch.

1917 arrives in cinemas stateside on Christmas Day this year.