Ralph Fiennes’ acclaimed World War I drama finally has a streaming date that fans have been waiting for. The historical film sets its Netflix premiere after a successful theatrical and digital run.
The Choral premieres on Netflix in July
Nicholas Hytner’s World War I drama The Choral arrives on Netflix on July 2, 2026.
Sony Pictures Classics distributed the film, which stars Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam, Mark Addy, Alun Armstrong, Robert Emms, and Simon Russell Beale. Meanwhile, Alan Bennett wrote the original screenplay for the historical drama.
The film initially world premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival in the Gala Presentations section. It then launched in US theaters in limited release on December 25, 2025. Subsequently, the movie hit VOD and digital platforms on February 17, 2026, before this upcoming Netflix streaming debut.
The Choral is set in 1916 in the fictional Yorkshire town of Ramsden during World War I. Specifically, the story follows members of a local choral society as they recruit new voices for a performance. Notably, the group selects Edward Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius because a German composer did not write it.
Fiennes plays Dr. Henry Guthrie, who takes over as choirmaster despite controversy surrounding his personal beliefs. Additionally, the ensemble cast features Simon Russell Beale as Edward Elgar himself. George Fenton also composed the score and appears onscreen in a cameo as Elgar’s driver.
The film holds a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 102 critics’ reviews. Metacritic assigned it a score of 60 out of 100 based on 23 critics. Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, and Gerontius Productions served as production companies on the project. BBC Film and Screen Yorkshire also helped finance the film alongside Sony Pictures Classics. Principal photography took place in Yorkshire, with the village of Saltaire serving as a key filming location.
