French-Armenian actor Simon Abkarian will portray General Charles de Gaulle in “De Gaulle,” a French-language, two-part historical biopic set for release in 2026, with dialogue in both French and English, as Pathé unveils the first official images and a teaser from what it describes as its most ambitious film project to date. Directed by Antonin Baudry, the epic production revisits decisive moments of World War II through de Gaulle’s leadership of the French Resistance. The two films, titled “De Gaulle: Tilting Iron” and “De Gaulle: The Sovereign Edge,” are scheduled to open in French theaters on June 10 and July 3, 2026, following more than five years in development, reports Zartonk Media.
“De Gaulle” examines the French Resistance during World War II through the eyes of Charles de Gaulle, tracing his rise from a French army officer to the symbolic and strategic leader of Free France. Billed as a historical saga and geopolitical thriller, the films revisit decisive episodes of the war, focusing on the men and women who refused to surrender as the French nation collapsed under Nazi occupation, a period that would ultimately shape de Gaulle’s path toward becoming president of France.
The story opens in June 1940, as France signs the armistice and de Gaulle, then a little-known general, flees to London driven by an unwavering conviction that the battle for France is neither over nor lost. The films also explore de Gaulle’s complex relationship with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, portrayed by Simon Russell Beale, highlighting the political and personal tensions between the two wartime leaders.
The film is directed by Antonin Baudry and written by Baudry and Bérénice Vila. The screenplay is adapted from British historian Julian Jackson’s book, “De Gaulle, une certaine idée de la France” (“De Gaulle: A Certain Idea of France”), widely regarded as one of the foremost reference works on de Gaulle and Free France and praised by both French and British critics. The project is produced by Axelle Boucaï. Pathé, one of France’s major film production and distribution companies, was established in 1896 and owns a number of cinema chains through its subsidiary Pathé Cinémas, as well as television networks across Europe. Pathé is the second-oldest operating film company in the world, behind Gaumont, which was founded in 1895.
Former French diplomat and director Antonin Baudry, who made his directorial debut with the submarine thriller The Wolf’s Call, has drawn on his own background in shaping the project. He said, “I often wondered what kind of person it took to refuse to surrender in 1940, to disobey their own government while devoting their life to France. Few people can do this. I became fascinated by them, so much so that I wanted to make not one film, but two.”
