Watching-guides
'Operation Mincemeat' — everything we know about the new war movie
By Lucy Buglass published 4 January 22
'Operation Mincemeat' is coming to cinemas in January 2022.
Operation Mincemeat is coming to cinemas in 2022. (Image credit: Warner Bros)
Operation Mincemeat is an upcoming war film directed by John Madden and written by Michelle Ashford. The script is based on the hugely popular book of the same name by Ben Macintyre and follows the titular operation during World War II, which was a deception effort to keep the Allied invasion of Sicily hidden.
Speaking of the new war drama, John Madden says: "Michelle Ashford's script fuses multiple strands and moods: tense, romantic, thrilling, unexpectedly funny, and endlessly surprising. It tells a richly human story of the soldiers we seldom see, who fight a different kind of war in shadows and deception, haunted by the knowledge that certainty and guarantee of success are nowhere to be found."
It's set for release in 2022 (it has now been moved to April after originally being due in January) and has a star-studded cast which is led by Bridget Jones actor Colin Firth. Here's everything we know so far...
'Operation Mincemeat' release date
Operation Mincemeat is now being released in cinemas on April 22, 2022 in the UK. It was previously due to be released in January. The movie will also be available to watch via Netflix in North America. It promises to be one of the most entertaining new movies in 2022.
What is the plot of 'Operation Mincemeat'?
The film is based on the extraordinary true events where two intelligence officers used a corpse and false papers to outwit German troops in 1943 during World War II.
During these events, the Allies are determined to launch an all-out assault on Fortress Europe. But they face an impossible challenge: to protect a massive invasion force from entrenched German firepower and avert a potential massacre.
Speaking about the plot, director John Madden said: "In the context of WW2 narratives, the story of Operation Mincemeat is unique – a bizarre and seductive cinematic blend of high-level espionage and ingenious fiction, where the stakes could hardly be higher."
Who's in the cast of 'Operation Mincemeat'?
Colin Firth leads the cast as Naval Intelligence Officer Ewen Montagu. He is joined by Kelly Macdonald as Jean Leslie, Matthew Macfadyen as Charles Cholmondeley, Penelope Wilton as Hester Leggett, Johnny Flynn as author Ian Fleming, Lorne MacFadyen as Roger Dearborn, and Jason Isaacs as Naval Officer John Godfrey.
The film also stars the late Paul Ritter (best known for Friday Night Dinner) as physician and barrister Bentley Purchase. This will be his final on-screen role following his death in 2021.
Is there a trailer for 'Operation Mincemeat'?
Yes! You can watch the trailer here...
Lucy Buglass
Lucy is a digital writer with WhatToWatch.com, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2016 with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.
She is also a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema, setting up her own website Lucy Goes to Hollywood in 2017 to review films in her spare time. Her favourite genres are horror, thriller and anything crime related. When she's not writing about film and TV, you'll likely find her playing video games, reading, and trying her hand at podcasting.