Oscar-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes is set to direct his first movie since his two Bond outings Skyfall and Spectre, with Deadline reporting that he will helm the World War I film 1917 for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners and Universal Pictures.
Mendes has penned the script with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Penny Dreadful), and plot details are being kept tightly under wraps. Amblin is said to have picked up the rights to the package after fending off competition from Paramount, Sony and New Regency.
Wilson-Cairns had previously scripted The Voyeur’s Motel for Mendes to direct, although the filmmaker opted not to move forward with the project after hearing that the story had already been turned into a documentary entitled Voyeur.
Mendes previously worked with Spielberg when directing the Oscar-winning American Beauty for DreamWorks Pictures, and also directed Road to Perdition and Revolutionary Road for the studio.
“I couldn’t be happier to be back working with Amblin and Steven Spielberg again, alongside Donna Langley and all at Universal,” said Mendes. “I’ve been working on this script for over a year, so it’s very exciting to start making the movie itself a reality.”
“Our company has been a home for Sam since his first film,” added Spielberg. I am so happy to have him back here in his old room spinning new stories – especially this hugely daring and ambitious new movie.”
