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Sony Pictures Classics has secured the North American and worldwide airline rights to Nuremberg, a historical thriller from director and writer James Vanderbilt. The acquisition, announced Wednesday, comes ahead of the film’s planned nationwide theatrical release on November 7, just in time for the 80th anniversary of the Nuremberg Trials.
Nuremberg is based on Jack El-Hai’s acclaimed book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist and features an all-star cast led by Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Rami Malek, along with Oscar nominee Michael Shannon. The film centers on the post-World War II trials of high-ranking Nazi officials, focusing particularly on the psychological evaluation of the defendants. Malek plays American Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley, who is tasked with determining the mental fitness of Nazi war criminals to stand trial. Crowe takes on the role of Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler’s second-in-command, engaging in a gripping psychological duel with Kelley.
The ensemble cast also includes Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Mark O’Brien, Colin Hanks, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, Lotte Verbeek, and Andreas Pietschmann.
Produced by Richard Saperstein, Bradley J. Fischer, Vanderbilt, William Sherak, and Walden Media’s Frank Smith, Benjamin Tappan, and Cherilyn Hawrysh, the film is backed by Bluestone Entertainment and the Budapest-based Széchenyi Funds. Additional producers include István Major of Filmsquad and George Freeman, with executive producers Jack El-Hai, Brooke Saperstein, Annie Saperstein, Beau Turpin, W. Porter Payne Jr., Paul Neinstein, Géza Deme, and Tamás Hajnal.
Vanderbilt, known for Truth and Zodiac, shared his excitement about reuniting with Sony Pictures Classics, stating, “Nuremberg explores the fragile boundary between justice and vengeance in the aftermath of unimaginable atrocity. As we approach the 80th anniversary of this unprecedented moment in history, this story feels more urgent than ever.”
Sony Pictures Classics praised the film as a major work, highlighting its timely themes and powerhouse performances. “Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Rami Malek, and Leo Woodall are all at their career best here. Nuremberg will be a standout in theaters this fall,” the distributor said.
The film was developed by Mythology Entertainment over a decade after acquiring the rights to El-Hai’s book and original article in 2011. WME Independent negotiated the deal with Sony Pictures Classics on behalf of the filmmakers.
