Henry Cavill Goes Nazi Hunting in Trailer For Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’

Henry Cavill and the gang turn wartime espionage into a slapstick affair in the first trailer for Guy Ritchie’s upcoming action-comedy The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Touted as an “outrageous true story,” the film draws inspiration from recently declassified British War Department files that unveiled a covert group of military officials sanctioned by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and James Bond author Ian Fleming.

Set during World War II at the time when Hitler’s influence was spreading across Europe, it follows the recruitment of Sergeant Gus March-Phillipps (Henry Cavill) into the SOE (Special Operations Executive), Britain’s secret espionage unit specializing in irregular warfare. The official synopsis for ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare‘ reads, “Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare‘ is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming.”

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It further adds, “The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.”

Guy Ritchie reunites with Henry Cavill in this action-packed ensemble as Cavill leads the charge as Sergeant Gus March-Phillipps, alongside an all-star crew of Ritchie regulars and rising stars, including Eiza González, Reacher’s Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Babs Olusanmokun, Henrique Zaga, Til Schweiger, with Henry Golding and Cary Elwes rounding out the explosive cast.

The trailer for ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare‘ is a wild mix of comedy and action, providing a sneak peek into the formation of the team as Cavill’s Gus assembles his secret group of “mad” bunch to take down the Nazis. It opens with Cavill getting called on by a government official, played by Carey Elwes, to undertake an “unsanctioned, unauthorized mission” to turn the tide against Hitler and neutralize the German U-boats. “We’re losing the war,” Churchill says in the trailer.

“Hitler is not playing by the rules, so neither are we, with unorthodox methods.” Set to Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” the trailer then unleashes glimpses of Cavill’s ragtag crew as they infiltrate the heart of the Third Reich like a runaway tank, mowing down, blowing up, and outmaneuvering Nazi stormtroopers. Cavill’s Gus sets the stakes for the team, declaring, “This is an unsanctioned, unaurthorized mission. If we fail, England will be condemned to a lifetime under the German boot.”

This is followed by clips showcasing the team’s grit and skill as they navigate risky situations and there’s even a shot of Cavill’s Gus joyfully sticking his tongue out while effortlessly unloading rounds of bullets on Nazis without even bothering to look. Renowned for their “ungentlemanly” and unconventional combat methods, the group played a crucial role in the British resistance against the Nazis. Their unorthodox tactics not only altered the course of the war but also served as inspiration for the creation of modern Black Ops units.

The screenplay for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is penned by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel, and Ritchie. Producing the film are Bruckheimer, along with Chad Oman, Ivan Atkinson, and John Friedberg for Black Bear International. Executive producers include Scott Lastaiti, Olga Filipuk, Damien Lewis, Tamasy, and Johnson.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare hits theaters on April 19.