Will Poulter is not here to glamorize war. The British actor, who stars in Warfare, made it clear in a recent interview that the film doesn’t follow your typical explosive action flick formula. In fact, Will Poulter calls Warfare an anti-war film and says it’s one of the most grounded, factual depictions of combat he’s ever worked on.
The movie centers on a real Navy SEAL mission in Iraq in 2006 and stars Poulter alongside Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, and Noah Centineo. But it’s not all explosions and Hollywood hero shots. Speaking with the BBC, Poulter said, “Hopefully this film contributes to a better understanding of just how negative, and how the consequences of war are characterised by a lot of loss … I think this is as much an anti-war film as you can possibly hope to see.”
The prep for Warfare was anything but glamorous. The cast shaved each other’s heads on the first day and closed the shoot with matching tattoos. It wasn’t just a symbolic gesture – it reflected the intense bond that grew from their three-week military-style bootcamp training. Poulter shared how the transformation went beyond physical changes, saying, “We shaved our heads on day one, and got tattoos at the end of the process, so it bookended the experience.”
Kit Connor, one of the youngest in the cast, echoed the sentiment. “It was really formative for me,” he said. “I’ve made friends I really do believe I will know for a long time.” It’s clear that this wasn’t just another job for any of them – it was something they lived through together.
Director Ray Mendoza brought an extra layer of intensity to the project. As a former Navy SEAL himself, Mendoza co-directed the film with Alex Garland and demanded realism from the cast. He admitted he wasn’t just looking for top-tier actors, but the ones who were physically and mentally ready for the grind. “You’re gonna be exhausted. You’re gonna be required to rely on other people,” he told them.
For Will, the challenge was unlike anything he’d done before. Portraying a real-life SEAL wasn’t about inventing a character or crafting a performance – it was about showing up, following protocol, and replicating actual events with brutal honesty. “There’s less creativity about it, in a way,” he told HeyUGuys. “It becomes more about execution.”
Are you into war movies that actually challenge the idea of war?
- Aaron Paul to Star in New Psychological Thriller ‘The Midnight Pool’ - May 8, 2025
- Jay-Z Goes Off in Explosive New Lawsuit Filing - May 8, 2025
- A$AP Rocky Freaked Out Working With Denzel Washington - May 8, 2025
