Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival to a standing ovation, the movie is set for its U.S. release on November 7, 2025, through Sony Pictures Classics. With its mix of historical authenticity and cinematic intensity, Nuremberg aims to provoke reflection on the nature of guilt, morality, and human conscience — themes that remain disturbingly relevant today.

A War of Minds, Not Weapons

Set in postwar Germany, the story follows Dr. Douglas M. Kelley (Rami Malek), an American psychiatrist tasked with determining whether Nazi prisoners are mentally fit to stand trial. Among them is Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), Hitler’s right-hand man — intelligent, manipulative, and chillingly charismatic.

What begins as a professional evaluation quickly evolves into a battle of intellect and morality. Kelley’s attempt to understand Göring’s psychology becomes a descent into the darkness of the human mind, where ideology and sanity blur. The doctor’s own sense of justice, and even identity, begins to fracture under the weight of history.

Inspired by Jack El-Hai’s nonfiction book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, Vanderbilt’s screenplay blends historical documentation with cinematic tension, examining how evil can wear a human face and how empathy can become a dangerous weapon.

A Stellar Cast Brings History to Life

The ensemble cast of Nuremberg delivers performances that elevate the film beyond the boundaries of traditional war drama:

• Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring: an unnervingly magnetic portrayal of Hitler’s deputy, blending menace with moments of unsettling charm.

• Rami Malek as Dr. Douglas Kelley: introspective, haunted, and morally conflicted — a performance of quiet intensity.

• Leo Woodall as Sergeant Howie Triest: a young soldier observing the psychological storm unfolding in front of him.

• John Slattery as Colonel Burton Andrus and Mark O’Brien as Colonel John Amen: embodying the procedural rigor of the Allied forces.

• Colin Hanks as Dr. Gustave Gilbert: Kelley’s colleague, adding another layer to the psychiatric debate surrounding the Nazi psyche.

• Wrenn Schmidt, Lydia Peckham, and Lotte Verbeek round out the cast with emotionally grounded portrayals that remind viewers of the human cost behind political monstrosity.

Behind the camera, Dariusz Wolski (known for The Martian and Napoleon) crafts a somber visual palette — all grays, shadows, and cold light — while Brian Tyler’s score underlines the film’s psychological unease with restrained orchestral tension.

Production and Background

Filmed in Budapest between February and May 2024, Nuremberg recreates the eerie postwar atmosphere of Germany with meticulous detail. Vanderbilt collaborated closely with historians to ensure authenticity, while balancing the legal, moral, and emotional complexity of the real trials.

Produced by Bluestone Entertainment, Walden Media, Mythology Entertainment, and Titan Media, the film marks Vanderbilt’s most ambitious directorial effort to date. Known for writing Zodiac and The Amazing Spider-Man, Vanderbilt here returns to grounded storytelling — blending procedural structure with psychological suspense.

Critical Response and Early Reviews

At its TIFF premiere, Nuremberg received a four-minute standing ovation and immediate critical discussion.
The Guardian called it “a cerebral, morally charged duel that never lets go,” praising Crowe’s performance as “both terrifying and hypnotic.”
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter highlighted Malek’s portrayal as “a man trapped between duty and empathy.”

Not all reviews were unreservedly glowing — some critics noted the film’s dense dialogue and pacing — but most agreed that Nuremberg stands as one of 2025’s boldest historical dramas.

As of early screenings, the film holds a 62% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting its divisive yet thought-provoking nature.

Themes: Justice, Humanity, and the Psychology of Evil

More than a courtroom drama, Nuremberg (2025) examines how societies process evil. Can understanding a monster’s mind ever serve justice — or does it risk humanizing the inhuman?

Through Kelley’s eyes, the audience experiences the emotional cost of confronting atrocities not as abstract horrors, but as the result of deliberate, rational minds. Göring’s manipulative brilliance challenges both the psychiatrist and the viewer to question where morality ends and madness begins.

Vanderbilt’s restrained direction avoids sensationalism. Instead, it focuses on the unnerving calmness of men who orchestrated chaos — and on the fragile line between judgment and obsession.

Why Nuremberg Matters Now

Eighty years after the original Nuremberg Trials, the film arrives at a time when questions of truth, accountability, and moral responsibility feel more urgent than ever.
By revisiting this defining chapter of modern justice, Nuremberg reminds us that evil rarely disappears — it evolves, waiting for history to forget.

Crowe and Malek’s confrontation isn’t just historical re-enactment; it’s a mirror held up to our era — one where manipulation, power, and justification still shape global narratives.

Release Information

• U.S. Theatrical Release: November 7, 2025

• Runtime: 2h 28m

• Rating: PG-13

• Genres: History, Drama, Thriller, War

• Director & Writer: James Vanderbilt

• Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics