Satirising real-life events just a few years after they happen can be a tricky minefield, but it's one that Brad Pitt has been happy to step into, starring in and producing War Machine, which Netflix funded and plans to premiere later this year. The first teaser for the film is now online.
Animal Kingdom and The Rover’s David Michôd is the director here, and he adapted the script from late journalist Michael Hastings’ book The Operators: The Wild And Terrifying Inside Story Of America’s War In Afghanistan. Pitt is General McMahon, a top commander in the US armed forces, overseeing the conflict and a mission that is riddled with problems, corruption and cock-ups. It’s all loosely (for those important legal distinctions) based on General Stanley McChrystal, who oversaw the US operation in Afghanistan and thought himself the bee’s knees until he badmouthed the White House in an interview, was recalled and resigned.
With a cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Michael Hall, Will Poulter, Lakeith Stanfield, Alan Ruck and Scoot McNairy, it promises to blend humour and anger in equal measures. Though it was originally targeting a late 2016 launch, the film will be on Netflix from 26 May. And we're just shocked to see that Don Cheadle wasn't invited to be a part of i... Oh, different War Machine? Gotcha.