Blitz Trailer: Saoirse Ronan’s Son Tries To Escape War-Torn London In Steve McQueen’s Latest

Across his career, British director Steve McQueen has always proved ambitious – whether directing all five instalments of Small Axe, flirting with blockbuster territory in Widows, or unflinchingly conjuring American history in 12 Years A Slave. And his latest is not only another film set in the past, but it once again finds him working on a big canvas – get ready for Blitz, set in World War II amid the (you guessed it) London Blitz, as the capital city is devastated by enemy bombers. Caught in the middle of it all is 9-year-old George (Elliott Heffernan), sent away by his mother Rita – played by Saoirse Ronan – to safety, but inadvertently caught up in the middle of the conflict as the city blazes around him. Watch the trailer here:

While there have been plenty of World War II films in recent years, few have gone into the heart of the Blitz – and McQueen’s film, as its title suggests, looks to do exactly that, conjuring all the flame and fury and chaos of the bombardment. While Ronan is the big name here, it looks set to follow the young Heffernan as George traverses the scorched landscape. There’s an extensive cast for this one, though – Harris Dickinson, Stephen Graham, Kathy Burke, Hayley Squires and Paul Weller (yes, that Paul Weller) are all listed among the sprawling array of names.

Since Blitz is set in London, it’ll also debut there – it’s due to open the BFI London Film Festival on 9 October as its world premiere. From there, it comes to UK cinemas from 1 November, followed by an Apple TV+ streaming launch on 22 November. From what we see in this trailer, though? Blitz looks like a film meant for the big screen.