'Young Washington' offers first look at Founding Father’s early battles ahead of 250th anniversary

By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Wednesday, April 15, 2026

A new trailer has been released for “Young Washington,” an upcoming historical war epic from Angel Studios and Wonder Project, offering a first look at the early life of America’s first president ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

The film, directed by “Jesus Revolution” creator Jon Erwin, is set to debut in theaters nationwide over Independence Day weekend 2026, aligning with the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Starring William Franklyn-Miller as a young George Washington, the film explores Washington’s formative years before he became known as the “Father of his Country.” The cast also includes Ben Kingsley, Kelsey Grammer, Mary-Louise Parker, Andy Serkis and CCM star Joel Smallbone.

The trailer highlights sweeping battle sequences and tense moments on the frontier, depicting Washington as a young soldier navigating the early stages of a global conflict. Scenes show the pressures of leadership, fractured alliances and personal trials that test his character and sense of duty.

According to the film’s synopsis, the story follows Washington after a single misstep thrusts him into the center of war, forcing him to confront both external enemies and internal struggles as he matures into a leader.

The project is produced by Erwin alongside Chip Diggins, with executive producers including Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten, Benton Crane, Mike Strong and Jon Gunn. Writers Diederik Hoogstraten, Tom Provost and Erwin penned the screenplay.

“Young Washington” is part of a growing slate of historical and faith-adjacent projects from Wonder Project, which has focused on stories centered on leadership and belief. In March, the streaming platform announced “The Old Stories: Moses,” a three-part companion special set in the world of Wonder Project’s hit series “House of David.”

“We focus on what we call ‘epic authenticity,’ stories with real emotional truth, made with genuine passion,” Gunn, who co-created “House of David” alongside Erwin, recently told The Christian Post. “If I don’t feel moved by it, I don’t want to make it. We look for stories that make you want to tell your friends, ‘You have to see this.’”

In turn, Angel, which saw box office success over the Fourth of July weekend in 2023 with “Sound of Freedom” with over $184 million domestically, also has a full summer slate, releasing Andy Serkis-directed “Animal Farm" and “The Brink of War,” which tells the story of President Ronald Reagan as he “races to make a deal with Mikhail Gorbachev that could dismantle nuclear threats or ignite disaster.”

“Young Washington” will premiere exclusively in theaters across the United States during the July 4 holiday weekend in 2026. Watch the trailer below.