Skip to content
National Theatre Live: War Horse poster
8.8 / 10(5 votes)IMDb20143h 0mUnited Kingdom

National Theatre Live: War Horse

Synopsis

Based on Michael Morpurgo's novel and adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, War Horse takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. War Horse received its world premiere on October 9, 2007 at the National Theatre in London, UK where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in London, UK in March 2009, and was later made into a 2011 movie. Since then, the stage play has been seen in over 100 cities in 15 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto, Berlin, and Australia, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Play Movie

Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

War Horse | Official Trailer | National Theatre LiveOfficial

Type: Trailer • Published 2020-10-20

Release History & Theatrical Window

Theatrical Premiere

February 27, 2014

Wide Cinema Exhibition

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Tim Van Someren, Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris
Screenplay & Story
Michael Morpurgo, Nick Stafford
Original Score
Adrian Sutton
Original Title
National Theatre Live: War Horse
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
3h 0m
Production Studios
National Theatre

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Tim Van Someren, Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris

Screenplay & Story

Michael Morpurgo, Nick Stafford

Original Score & Music

Adrian Sutton

Producers

David Sabel, Emma Keith

Literary Origin & Source Material
Novel:Michael Morpurgo

Department Leadership Roster

Rae Smith

Costume Design

Emma Keith

Producer

Tim Van Someren

Tim Van Someren

Director

Marianne Elliott

Marianne Elliott

Director

Tom Morris

Director

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

United Kingdom (BBFC)12A

12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Theatre Live: War Horse.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring National Theatre Live: War Horse.

list5

29606 titles

War: World War I

Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists

1201 titles

National Theatre Live

All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.

205 titles

500 best 2014's movies

486 titles

Music & Concerts

995 titles

National Theatre

157 titles

Similar Titles to National Theatre Live: War Horse

Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling

  • 7.4
  • 6.9
  • 6.5
  • 7.7
  • 6.7
  • 7.7
  • 7.6
  • 8.3
  • 8.0
  • 6.9
  • 7.0
  • 7.9
  • 6.0
  • 7.5
  • 7.7
  • 7.7
  • 7.8
  • 7.3
  • 7.7

More Like National Theatre Live: War Horse

Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.

6.6
7.3
6.6
6.9
6.7
6.3
7.0
6.8
6.8
5.9
7.1
6.1

Frequently Asked Questions About National Theatre Live: War Horse

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is National Theatre Live: War Horse about?

Based on Michael Morpurgo's novel and adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, War Horse takes audiences on an extraordinary journey from the fields of rural Devon to the trenches of First World War France. War Horse received its world premiere on October 9, 2007 at the National Theatre in London, UK where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in London, UK in March 2009, and was later made into a 2011 movie. Since then, the stage play has been seen in over 100 cities in 15 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto, Berlin, and Australia, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Who directed National Theatre Live: War Horse?

National Theatre Live: War Horse was directed by Tim Van Someren, Marianne Elliott, Tom Morris.

Who stars in National Theatre Live: War Horse?

The principal cast of National Theatre Live: War Horse includes Ashleigh Cheadle, Tamsin Fessey, Emma Thornett, Nicholas Hart, Andrew London.

When was National Theatre Live: War Horse released and how long is it?

National Theatre Live: War Horse was released in 2014 with a total runtime of 3h 0m.

Who composed the musical score for National Theatre Live: War Horse?

The original motion picture soundtrack for National Theatre Live: War Horse was composed by Adrian Sutton.

Is National Theatre Live: War Horse based on a book or true story?

National Theatre Live: War Horse is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Michael Morpurgo".

What is the age rating and content advisory for National Theatre Live: War Horse?

National Theatre Live: War Horse holds official age classifications: GB: 12A (12 Accompanied — Under 12s must be accompanied by an adult.).