Provo, UT—September 5, 2025

Wonder Project and Angel Studios have announced the start of production on their feature film collaboration, Young Washington.  Principal photography will take place in Ireland and Virginia. The film follows the early life of America’s first president, George Washington, portrayed by William Franklyn-Miller, and is set for nationwide release over Independence Day Weekend 2026, marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

As part of today’s announcement Wonder Project and Angel Studios released the first look of William Franklyn-Miller as a young George Washington.

Mary-Louise Parker (The Institute, Weeds), Mia Rodgers (Sex Lives of College Girls, Trauma, Diary of A Ghost), Jonno Davies (Better Man, Lucca Mortis, Gandhi) have joined the cast. Additional details below:

• Mary-Louise Parker will play Mary Washington, George's strong willed mother, who must navigate her own fiercely independent sense of self preservation while trying to protect her son from disappointment.

• Mia Rodgers will play Sally Cary, the charming beauty of the Virginia gentry who first sees the potential in young George, but is torn between her romantic feelings and the demands of her social class.

• Jonno Davies will play James Mackay, the perfectly condescending British officer who comes with reinforcements on the eve of Washington’s first big battle, only to remind George of everything he is not.

Parker, Rodgers and Davies join William Franklyn-Miller and previously announced cast, including Sir Ben Kingsley (as Robert Dinwiddie), Andy Serkis (as General Edward Braddock), Joel David Smallbone (as William Fairfax) and Kelsey Grammer (as Lord Fairfax).  Rounding out the cast of Young Washington will be Leo Hanna as George’s best friend Christopher Gist; Angus Castle-Doughty and Fearghal Geraghty as the brothers David and Henry Frisk; Nicholas Antoniou as Tucker Bowman; Ryan Begay as Tanacharison, the Half King, John Foss as Lawrence Washington, Michael Benz as Thomas Gage, Martijn Lakemeier as Jacob Van Braam and Clement Toyon as Joseph Coulon de Jumonville.

“George Washington’s early years is a story I’ve wanted to tell for a very long time,” said Jon Erwin, director of Young Washington and founder of Wonder Project. “The trials he faced shaped the man who would lead a nation, and so much of that journey remains largely untold. Bringing this powerful story to life with such an extraordinary cast is a dream come true.”

Young Washington chronicles the origins of America’s first president. After making a mistake that triggers the French and Indian War, an ambitious 22-year-old George Washington must face his failures and find the courage to become the leader that will forge a nation. 

“When we launched pre-sale tickets a year before opening day, thousands were purchased immediately, and sales have continued steadily since,” said Brandon Purdie, Head of Theatrical Distribution and Brand Development at Angel Studios. “Opening in theaters during the Independence Day holiday and the 250th anniversary of America, the film will bring an untold chapter of our founding to audiences nationwide.”

The film will be directed by Wonder Project founder and "House of David" creator Jon Erwin. Erwin will produce the film with Chip Diggins. Wonder Project is joined on the production side by 10 Ton Productions, led by Benton Crane, and 2521 Entertainment, led by Tyler Zacharia. Angel will distribute worldwide. The film was written by Jon Erwin and Tom Provost & Diederik Hoogstraten.

Mary-Louise Parker is represented by CAA. Mia Rodgers is represented by Alex Cambell at United Agents, Stephen Simbari at Anonymous Content and Caroline Fergusson at Pinnacle PR, and Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP. Jonno Davies is represented by Denton Brierley, Gersh, ColorCreative and Lucy Popkin.

In an industry first, tickets were made available for purchase one year in advance of the release date, and before a single frame had been shot via Angel’s revolutionary ticketing platform. Tickets are still available for purchase, moviegoers can change the date and time of their ticket closer to premiere.

About Wonder Project

Wonder Project’s mission is to entertain the world with courageous stories, inspiring hope and restoring faith in things worth believing in. Established by industry veterans Kelly Merryman Hoogstraten and Jon Erwin, the entertainment brand produces and curates premium theatrical films and series for the global faith and values audience. Its first project, House of David, is an epic period series based on David, the biblical figure who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series premiered exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories and has generated more than 44 million viewers worldwide. Season Two of House of David will premiere exclusively on Wonder Project’s subscription offering on Prime Video in the U.S. on October 5, 2025.

At launch, the Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video will offer audiences more than 125 licensed titles and over 1,000 hours of hand-picked films and TV series across multiple genres that embody the company’s mission. Upcoming Wonder Project titles include Sarah’s Oil, releasing in theaters November 7, 2025 via Amazon MGM Studios; The Breadwinner in partnership with TriStar Pictures starring acclaimed stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze and Emmy® nominee Mandy Moore; It’s Not Like That, a new drama series with Amazon MGM Studios starring Scott Foley and Erinn Hayes; Young Washington, a feature film in partnership with Angel Studios about the origins of America’s first president, releasing in theaters Independence Day weekend 2026; and Flyer, a narrative feature film in development about the Wright brothers. Learn more about Wonder Project at www.thewonderproject.com.

About Angel Studios

Angel is a values-based distribution company for stories that amplify light to mainstream audiences. Through the Angel Guild, over 1,500,000 paying members from more than 180 different countries help decide what film and television projects the studio will market and distribute, and support the filmmakers who create films and series that amplify light. Learn more atAngel.com