World War II Cillian Murphy Pic ‘Anthropoid’ From Bleecker Street Plots August Date

Bleecker Street has dated the Sean Ellis-directed World War II film Anthropoid for release on August 12. Anthropoid is based on the true story of “Operation Anthropoid,” the code name for the Czech operatives’ mission to assassinate SS officer Reinhard Heydrich. Heydrich, the main architect behind the Final Solution, was the Reich’s third in command behind Hitler and Himmler and the leader of Nazi forces in Czechoslovakia. The film follows two soldiers from the Czech army-in-exile, Josef Gabčík (Cillian Murphy) and Jan Kubiš (Jamie Dornan), who are parachuted into their occupied homeland in December 1941. With limited intelligence and little equipment in a city under lockdown, they must find a way to assassinate Heydrich, an operation that would change the face of Europe forever.

Other arthouse pics that Anthropoid will battle on August 12 — which is a dense one for wide entries — include CBS/Lionsgate’s western Hell or High Water, Open Road’s Sundance acquisition doc Gleason, and Paramount’s Florence Foster Jenkins. Bleecker recently acquired U.S. rights to Anthropoid in Cannes.