Nicolas Cage and director Simon West, the duo behind the 1996 action hit “Con Air,” are collaborating again on “Fortitude,” a new World War II espionage thriller currently filming in London. The film focuses on the largely unknown true story of the military deception operations that aimed to mislead Nazi intelligence and alter the course of the war.
“Fortitude” will star Cage alongside a notable ensemble cast including Matthew Goode, Michael Sheen, Lukas Haas, ed Skrein, Jordi Mollà, Alice Eve, Art Malik, Paul Anderson, Adrian Topol, Emilio Sakraya, and Ben Kingsley.
The narrative centers on British officers Dudley Clarke and thomas Argyll ‘Tar’ Robertson, the masterminds behind elaborate deception campaigns and the ”Double Cross” disinformation program. These efforts involved creating false orders of battle, utilizing visual misdirection, and deploying a network of double agents. Operation Mincemeat, recently depicted in a feature film, was just one component of this broader strategy. Clarke later played a pivotal role in establishing the British Commandos, the Special Air Service (SAS), and even naming the US Rangers.
A key figure in the film is expected to be Dusko Popov, a Yugoslavian playboy and double agent who served as a significant inspiration – alongside Sidney Reilly – for Ian Fleming’s James bond character. The screenplay is penned by Simon Afram (“Lear Rex”).West’s recent directorial efforts, including ”Stratton” and “Bride Hard,” have received largely negative reviews.
Source: Deadline
