Sir Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, and Joel Smallbone Join Historical Epic ‘Young Washington’ as Filming Prepares to Begin
2 mins readOscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley, BAFTA-winner Andy Serkis, and GRAMMY-winning musician and actor Joel David Smallbone have officially joined the cast of Young Washington, a historical drama tracing the early years of George Washington. The film, set to begin production later this summer, is targeting a July 4th weekend release in 2026. In a unique move, tickets for the film are already on sale—nearly a year in advance—via the Angel Studios ticketing platform.
Young Washington will explore the lesser-known chapter of America’s first president as a 22-year-old whose misjudgment sparks the French and Indian War. The story follows his path to redemption and leadership as he grapples with early failures that ultimately shape his legacy.
The film will be directed by Jon Erwin, the founder of Wonder Project and creator of House of David. Erwin also co-wrote the script alongside Tom Provost and Diederik Hoogstraten and will produce with Chip Diggins. Production partners include 10 Ton Productions and 2521 Entertainment, with Angel Studios handling worldwide distribution.
Kingsley will portray colonial figure Robert Dinwiddie, Serkis takes on the role of British General Edward Braddock, and Smallbone will play William Fairfax. They join previously announced cast member William Franklyn-Miller, who stars as the young George Washington.
Sir Ben Kingsley’s casting brings gravitas to the project, having previously portrayed iconic historical figures including Mahatma Gandhi and Itzhak Stern in Schindler’s List. He remains active in both film and television, with upcoming roles in The Thursday Murder Club, Marvel’s Wonder Man, and Terrence Malick’s The Way of the Wind.
Andy Serkis, renowned for redefining motion-capture performance as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in Planet of the Apes, continues to expand his creative footprint as both actor and director. He’s currently developing The Hunt for Gollum and recently appeared in Andor, The Batman, and Netflix’s Luther: The Fallen Sun.
Joel David Smallbone brings a unique dual background in music and film. Known as one-half of the award-winning duo for KING + COUNTRY, Smallbone has also made a mark in cinema with roles in Priceless, Journey to Bethlehem, and the recent Unsung Hero, which he co-wrote and co-directed.
As anticipation builds for Young Washington, keep checking Trevor Decker News for continued updates on this ambitious historical drama as production gets underway.
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