Before He Led a Nation, George Washington Led a Regiment

By The Backlot

@backlotfriends

A young soldier in an 18th-century red British military coat rides a horse through a dark, mist-filled forest, wearing a tricorn hat with a musket strapped to his back.

George Washington shows up in history books as a marble statue. A dollar bill. The cherry tree. Young Washington is not that film.

It opens on a 21-year-old soldier thrown into a global war. Before he led a nation, he led a small regiment into the wilderness. He lost. He made mistakes. He survived.

Jon Erwin directed. Ben Kingsley and Mary-Louise Parker co-star. William Franklyn-Miller plays the young Washington.

If you liked Lincoln or 1917, this is the sensibility. A historical epic that takes the stakes seriously. One of the best-reviewed films of the summer.

It opened July 2 and is still in theaters.

Quick Facts

Before He Led a Nation, George Washington Led a Regiment

DirectorJon Erwin

CastWilliam Franklyn-Miller, Ben Kingsley, Mary-Louise Parker, Leo Hanna, Joel Smallbone

GenreHistory, War, Drama

Release2026-07-02

Runtime125 min

Rated8.1/10

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Jon Erwin made a war film about George Washington at 21. Before the founding father, there was the soldier. In theaters now. #YoungWashington #Backlot

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Jon Erwin made a war film about George Washington at 21. Before the founding father, there was the soldier. In theaters now. #YoungWashington #Backlot