The historical drama "Young Washington," chronicling the early life of George Washington, premiered in U.S. theaters on July 3, 2026, to a divided critical reception. Directed by Jon Erwin and distributed by Angel Studios, the film stars William Franklyn-Miller as the future president, alongside veteran actors Kelsey Grammer and Ben Kingsley. The Wall Street Journal, in a social media post, characterized the film as a "one-dimensional biopic co-starring Kelsey Grammer and Ben Kingsley."
The movie focuses on George Washington's experiences and command during the French and Indian War, portraying him as a 20-something British officer before the American Revolutionary War. William Franklyn-Miller takes on the titular role, with Ben Kingsley playing Robert Dinwiddie, the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and Kelsey Grammer appearing as Lord Fairfax. Other notable cast members include Mary-Louise Parker and Andy Serkis.
Critical aggregators reflect the mixed opinions, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting 60% positive reviews based on 30 critics, averaging 6/10. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100 from eight critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Some critics praised Franklyn-Miller's performance and the film's tone, while others found it lacking depth.
Beyond The Wall Street Journal's assessment, some reviewers labeled the film as "poorly made propaganda" or a "sanitized origin story." Conversely, other outlets lauded the movie, with Christian Toto of Hollywood in Toto calling it Angel Studios' best film to date and praising Franklyn-Miller's "impressive" and "stellar" performance. The film aims to spark civic engagement by exploring Washington's formative years.
Angel Studios, known for its faith-based productions, distributed the film, which also generated discussion due to a post-credits message featuring Kelsey Grammer. Grammer reportedly encouraged audiences to purchase more tickets to help the film become the "number one movie in America," a move some critics found controversial and likened to a "propaganda machine." The film's narrative explores Washington's journey from an ambitious young man with few connections to a leader forged by war and betrayal.
