Sean Ellis’ World War II drama, ANTHROPOID, will be released in the US via Bleecker Street on Friday, August 12, 2016, after its World Premiere as opening night film of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The film is based on the extraordinary 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 lock down, they must find a way to assassinate Heydrich, an operation that would change the face of Europe forever.

Directed by Sean Ellis (Metro Manila, Cashback) from a screenplay by Ellis and Anthony Frewin, the film also stars Charlotte Le Bon, Ana Geislerová, Harry Lloyd, Bill Milner and Toby Jones. Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon and Sean Ellis produced.

Andrew Karpen, CEO of Bleecker Street commented, “Sean Ellis’ film drops you right into the center of resistance in WWII and takes viewers on an emotional ride all the way through its heart-stopping finale. We’re proud to partner with Mickey and Pete on this film which we feel will resonate with adult audiences this summer.”