We know Jerry Bruckheimer is a master of making an action-packed and uplifting film, and it looks like he’s done it again with Daisy Ridley and Young Woman and the Sea. The film follows Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel, and she’ll be played by the Star Wars actress. Let me tell you, after seeing the first trailer for this film, I can’t wait to see more of her epic performance as well as how they’ve handled this uplifting and intense true story, because it looks masterful.
After dropping the first trailer during Disney’s panel at CinemaCon, fans got their first look at Young Woman and the Sea, which shows Daisy Ridley’s character deciding to take on this incredible swim. The actress looks like she’s fully committed herself to the role, and I can’t wait to see more of her performance.
The stakes for this movie are immediately set in the trailer as Ridley’s Trudy explains that the swim she wants to do is 21 miles across and voiceovers note that this is “the hardest test in all of sports.” Adding to that intensity, the video shows the physical and mental challenges of completing this goal. From swimming through jellyfish to trying to convince her loved ones that this mission is worth it, the tension and motivation are palpable, and I’m so ready to root for Ridley when this project hits the 2024 movie schedule on May 31.
For those who might not know, Young Woman and the Sea is based on the book Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World, and it will follow Trudy’s journey as an Olympic swimmer who decides to swim the English Channel from France to England. With a patriarchal society rooting against her, because this is 1905, she’s going to rise up and complete a challenge many thought impossible for a woman.
Honestly, this movie reminds me a lot of two incredibly inspiring films from 2023: NYAD – which received two 2024 Oscar nominations and is about Diana Nyad swimming from Cuba to Florida – and George Clooney’s The Boys in the Boat – which told the story of the University of Washington’s Olympic rowing team. Both films are about athletes reaching seemingly impossible heights and achieving goals no one thought they could. The battles through adversity in both films is inspiring, and the athleticism shown on-screen is jaw-dropping. It feels like Daisy Ridley’s upcoming project will bring a similar energy, which excites me greatly.
During the introduction for the flick at CinemaCon, Jerry Bruckheimer noted that this film was “the highest testing movie of my career,” which is saying a lot because the guy has had ton of hit movies. The super-producer knows how to make uplifting and high-action films – just take the box office smash Top Gun: Maverick for example – and it seems like he’s worked his magic again with Young Woman and the Sea. Alongside him, Daisy Ridley and director Joachim Rønning are also executive producing, making this a true dream team.
On-screen Ridley will be joined by Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Christopher Eccleston, Glenn Fleshler Stephen Graham and Kim Bodnia.
Overall, this project looks like it could become one of the best sports movies, and you better believe I’ll be seated on May 31 for Young Woman and the Sea.