Set in 1862, The Aeronauts follows Glaisher and Wren as they undertake a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone else in history. In real-life, Glaisher conducted his record-breaking high altitude flight with fellow English aeronaut Henry Coxwell. However, for dramatic purposes, Coxwell has been replaced by Wren. The character is an amalgamation of Coxwell and Sophie Blanchard (the first woman professional balloonist), legendary American aviator Amelia Earhart, and Margaret Graham (the first British woman to make a solo balloon flight).
At the beginning of production, The Aeronauts producer Todd Lieberman confirmed his creative team’s plans to “do as much balloon filming in the sky as the weather will allow”. The first image released for the film (seen above) was actually photographed 2,000 feet in the air, with Redmayne and Jones delivering their lines while a helicopter captured the scene. Lieberman praised the duo for their bravery in his statement, saying “We’re fortunate that Felicity and Eddie have the nerve to do these stunts themselves as it authenticates our entire approach”.
Redmayne and Jones are joined in The Aeronauts cast by EastEnders actor Himesh Patel, who made the jump to the big screen earlier this year in Danny Boyle’s musical fantasy rom-com Yesterday, and has since been cast in a role in Christopher Nolan’s new project, Tenet. The trailer indicates The Aeronauts is all about breaking down barriers, whether it’s Patel’s character (John Trew) and Glaisher challenging their peers’ views on humanity’s ability to predict the weather, or Wren defying beliefs about women’s role in society by becoming a daredevil balloon pilot. It’s pretty typical stuff for an inspirational period drama, but the combination of The Aeronauts’ exciting balloon sequences and Jones and Redmayne’s proven screen chemistry could (forgive the pun) elevate the film into something more memorable.
- The Aeronauts Release Date: 2019-12-06
