The Battle of Gaulle: The Iron Age, the first installment of the historical diptych directed by Antonin Baudry, keeps its momentum after drawing more than three million spectators in French cinemas. The film led by Simon Abkarian will be available for digital purchase on October 1, 2026, followed by a VOD rental on October 7, 2026.
Released in cinemas on June 3, 2026, after a non-competing premiere at the Festival de Cannes 2026, the feature-length film revisits the early weeks of Free France. In June 1940, as France teeters on collapse and signs the armistice, Charles de Gaulle heads to London with the conviction that the fight is far from over and not yet lost.
With no standing army and little formal political backing, the general works to win over the Allies while rallying soldiers, members of the Resistance, and civilians across England, France, and Africa. The narrative links Gaulle's solitary quest to the gradual birth of a broader, collective movement.
Simon Abkarian embodies Charles de Gaulle opposite Simon Russell Beale, who stars as Winston Churchill. The ensemble also includes Benoît Magimel, Mathieu Kassovitz, Anamaria Vartolomei, Niels Schneider, Karim Leklou, Florian Lesieur and Thierry Lhermitte.
Written by Antonin Baudry and Bérénice Vila, the film draws on the book De Gaulle: a Certain Idea of France by historian Julian Jackson. Following Le Chant du loup, Baudry returns to a narrative where political, military and human decisions echo off one another in a crisis setting.
With a runtime of 2h39, The Iron Age constitutes the first half of a two-part series completed by The Battle of Gaulle: I Write Your Name. The second installment is, in turn, set to arrive on VOD on October 29, 2026.
To discover the rest of this month’s new releases, check out our guide to October’s VOD releases, our pick What to watch today on streaming? and the action films and blockbusters to discover.
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