Anthony McCarten’s post-World War Two political thriller The Price of Peace – starring Guy Pearce, Jared Harris and Merab Ninidze as Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin respectively – has begun principal photography in London.

The trio have been joined by Mia Threapleton (The Phoenician Scheme) as Mary Churchill and acclaimed Danny Huston (Wonder Woman) as General Groves as filming begins.

The drama explores the pivotal 1945 Potsdam Conference where the fate of post-war Germany, Europe and the world was decided.

The synopsis reads: “July 1945. In the aftermath of Nazi Germany’s defeat, President Harry S. Truman, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin converge at the Potsdam Conference to shape the future of Europe and the world. Each man has a personal and political agenda. Newly appointed Truman needs to end the War with Japan. Churchill is facing a pivotal election back home. Stalin has territorial ambitions over occupied territories. As political tensions rise and personal crises unfold, a high-stakes diplomatic chess game emerges. The three leaders’ decisions and balance of power will impact millions and shape global politics for decades to come.”

“The Potsdam Conference represented a crucial turning point in world history, the moment when World War II transformed into the Cold War. I’m thrilled to begin production with such an extraordinary cast bringing this pivotal moment to life,” said four-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker McCarten (Darkest Hour, Bohemian Rhapsody, Theory of Everything, The Two Popes).

SND, which announced the project at the EFM earlier this year, serves as co-producer and also handles international sales and French distribution.

“Following the enthusiastic response from international buyers at the European Film Market in Berlin earlier this year, we’re thrilled to see production underway,” said Ramy Nahas, Director of International Sales and Distribution, SND. “The level of interest from distributors worldwide confirms that The Price of Peace will resonate strongly with global audiences.”

McCarten is joined on the production by Director of Photography Henry Braham (Superman 2025), Production Designer James Merifield (Mary Queen of Scots), Costume Designer Tina Kalivas (Ballerina) Hair and Makeup Designer Suzanne Stokes-Munton (Nosferatu), Prosthetics Designers Vee Holt and  Stuart Richards (Nosferatu), Editor Fernando Stutz (The Two Popes) and Composer Harry Gregson-Williams (The Martian).

The Price of Peace is produced by Raccoon Features, Muse of Fire Productions, and Salloway Studios, in association with Spark Productions, Sub Rosa Group and Ingara.

Producers are Jonathan Saubach, Philipp Klausing, Matthew Salloway, Anthony McCarten, Eric Falkenstein, Igor Nesterenko, Elizaveta Chalenko and Philipp Nesterenko. Executive Producers include Thierry Desmichelle, Rémi Jimenez, Nicolas Rolland, Simon Moores, Oliver Indictor, Thomas Valentin, Marc Frydman, Ken Davenport, Jonathan Hogue, Gary Hamilton and Ying Ye. Acting as Co-Producers are Ari Benmosche, Michael Durden, Marguerite Hoffman, Carl Moellenberg, Dorit Muzicant, Peter Yu and Cecily Colahan. Associate Producers are Kathleen Fitzgerald, Allan Herzog, Alan Mendelson, Dave Peacock, Courtney Berlin, Willette Klausner, Larry Craig & The Bird, Dave and Cheryl Olson, Julia Willbanks and Jonathan Golub.

McCarten is repped by CAA and attorney David Fox of Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light; Pearce, by CAA, Independent Talent Group, Shanahan Management, and David Weber at Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern; Harris, by Agents Sarah Clossey and Jeremy Barber at UTA and Samira Higham at ITG, Manager Amy Guenther at Gateway Management & Production and Attorney Mark Wetzstein at Sloan, Offer, Weber and Dern.

Ninidze is repped by the Curtis Brown Group, through Sarah Spear and Grace Clissold; Mia Therapleton, by CAA in the US and Markham Froggatt & Irwin in the UK, and Danny Huston, by Julian Belfrage Associates, UTA, Untitled and Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light.

The U.S. is co-repped by CAA Media Finance. Delivery is expected in 2027