November 20, 1945, Nürnberg: On this day, the eyes of the world turned to the Franconian city — like never before and never again. It was the day the first of 13 trials against the main German war criminals began. On the defendant’s bench sat 21 high-ranking Nazis, including Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. This trial is the focus of the new film "Nuremberg" by director James Vanderbilt, which will premiere in German cinemas on May 7, 2026.
In the 148-minute thriller based on Jack El-Hai’s book „Der Nazi und Psychiater,“ Vanderbilt focuses on the conversations between Göring—Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe and the second most powerful man in the German Reich after Adolf Hitler—and Army psychologist Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Kelley, who must determine whether Göring is fit to stand trial. As weltkino reports, Kelley is quickly captivated by Göring’s sharp intellect and charisma. Although Kelley sees through Göring’s power plays, he finds it difficult to resist them. According to weltkino, Kelley crosses moral boundaries and even jeopardizes the Nürnberg Trials to gain Göring’s trust.
The actors in "Nuremberg" are by no means unknown: Oscar winner Russell Crowe plays Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, while the role of psychiatrist Dr. Kelley is taken on by Oscar winner Rami Malek. Also appearing on screen are Michael Shannon, Richard E. Grant, Leo Woodall, John Slattery, Andreas Pietschmann, and Peter Jordan, among others.
Although the American film is set in Nürnberg, despite its theme and title, "Nuremberg" was filmed last year in Hungary. Interested viewers can already get a first impression of the movie in the trailer, before it hits theaters in Germany on May 7. The film had its U.S. release back in November 2025, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the trials held after the end of World War II.