'World on Fire': Release date, plot, cast, trailer and all you need to know about the World War II drama

The seven-part series that first aired in the UK in the fall of 2019, will come to PBS MASTERPIECE this April
UPDATED MAR 25, 2020
Zofia Wichlacz and Jonah Hauer-King in World on Fire (IMDb)
Zofia Wichlacz and Jonah Hauer-King in World on Fire (IMDb)

PBS's 'World on Fire' takes us through the emotional struggle of five people in five countries as they deal with the effects of World War II in their everyday lives. The seven-part series that first aired in the UK in the fall of 2019, will come to PBS MASTERPIECE this April.

Release date

'World on Fire' will premiere on Sunday, April 5, 2020. The series has already been renewed for Season 2.

Plot

The series is set in Britain, Poland, France, Germany and the United States and the events that take place in the seven-part series will be during the first year of the war. The plots of each of the seven episodes can be found here. Each episode clocks an hour and will air weekly.

The lives of ordinary people are showcased as they endure the greatest war in history — on the frontlines and at home. PBS's synopsis reads, "'World on Fire' traces the interweaved fates of several families in 1939 and 1940, from the Nazi invasion of Poland to the near debacle at Dunkirk, to the fall of Paris and beyond."

Cast

Jonah Hauer-King in 'World on Fire' (IMDb)

The cast of 'World on Fire' includes Jonah Hauer-King ('Howards End', 'Little Women', 'The Little Mermaid'), Academy Award-winner Helen Hunt ('Mad About You', 'Twister'), Sean Bean ('Game of Thrones', 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'), Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville ('Phantom Thread', 'Harlots'), Brian J. Smith ('Sense8'), Blake Harrison ('The Inbetweeners', 'A Very English Scandal'), Zofia Wichlacz ('The Romanoffs'), and Julia Brown ('Shetland').

Sean Bean in 'World on Fire' (IMDb)

Creators

The series is written by Peter Bowker, developed by Mammoth’s Creative Director Rebecca Keane, and executive produced by Bowker, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler for Mammoth Screen, Lucy Richer for the BBC, and Rebecca Eaton for Masterpiece. 

Trailer



 

Where to watch

'Catch World on Fire' will premiere on Sunday, April 5, 2020, on MASTERPIECE on PBS. The series can we watched on-air, online, or with the PBS Video app, which is available for free download.

If you like this, you'll love these

'The Tuskegee Airmen'

'The Pacific'

'Band of Brothers'

'Home Fires'

'The Gathering Storm'

RELATED TOPICS NEW MOVIE RELEASES

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

With 'The Beauty' finishing its run on Wednesday, the focus has now turned to whether FX will renew the horror comedy for a second season.
52 minutes ago
‘Ted’ Season 1's success saw the streamer renew the dramedy for Season 2, but Seth MacFarlane gave a disappointing update on the show's future.
3 hours ago
Patrick John Flueger's character was last seen on the show last October, after which he was unavailable to take on cases due to a family emergency
4 hours ago
‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 6 will continue to focus on Janine and the other teachers as they navigate life in a Philadelphia public school
4 hours ago
A small-town murder pulls two Green Lanterns into a mystery that could shake the new DC Universe from the ground up
6 hours ago
Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays Carmy and Natalie's mother in the hit drama, recently made a revelation about the future of the show
8 hours ago
The shocking Season 3 finale changed everything as Van Heidt found a new home for his spirit
10 hours ago
'The Four Seasons' 1 ended on a cliffhanger as Anne discovered that Ginny is pregnant with her ex-husband Nick's child
11 hours ago
Saeson 2 season features filming locations in Spain, and will adapt the novella 'The Sworn Sword'.
22 hours ago
'The Orville' creator and actor Seth MacFarlane talked about the future of the series after Season 3 was released in 2022.
23 hours ago