Valkyrie Movie Preview

VALKYRIE - Teaser Trailer

Valkyrie is a 2008 historical thriller film set in WWII Nazi Germany. The film is directed by Bryan Singer and stars Tom Cruise. It depicts the July 20, 1944 plot of German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and marks the re-teaming of Singer and producer/screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie. Cruise portrays the leader of the plot, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg.

Cruise's casting caused controversy among German politicians and members of Stauffenberg's family because of the actor's practice of Scientology, though German newspapers and filmmakers gave support to the film to spread global awareness of von Stauffenberg's plot. The filmmakers of Valkyrie initially had difficulty setting up filming locations in Germany, but they were later given leeway to film in locations pertaining to the film's story, such as Berlin's historic Bendlerblock.

The film changed release dates from as early as June 27, 2008 to as late as February 14, 2009. The changing calendar and poor response to United Artists's initial marketing campaign drew criticism about the studio's viability. After a positive test screening, Valkyrie was ultimately released on December 25, 2008. United Artists renewed its marketing campaign to reduce its focus on the star Tom Cruise and to play up director Bryan Singer's previous credentials. The film will open in Germany on January 22, 2009.

Premise
Based on a true story.

During World War II, German Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg (Cruise) is severely wounded in Africa, and returns home to Nazi Germany. Stauffenberg helps conceive Operation Valkyrie, a plan approved by Adolf Hitler which, in order to manage turmoil within Germany, would implement a shadow government in the event of the Nazi Führer's death.

The Colonel eventually joins the German Resistance and becomes part of the July 20 plot, a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler and execute Valkyrie in order to take control of the country and make peace with the Allies. Stauffenberg finds himself taking on not only the responsibility of leading the coup, but also the task to assassinate Hitler himself, a plot, that if fails, could have deadly consequences for Stauffenberg, his family, and the other members of the coup

Starring
Tom Cruise
Christian Berkel
Kenneth Branagh
Kevin McNally
Carice van Houten
Bill Nighy
David Schofield
Terence Stamp