Director Sam Mendes shoots for the moon - and his second Oscar - with his war drama 1917, which is filmed to appear as one continuous shot. Now the main trailer for the epic movie was unveiled and leaves us breatheless.

1917 is based on a story that was told to Mendes by his paternal grandfather. It deals with two young British soldiers, Schofield and Blake, who are sent on a seemingly impossible mission to deliver a message that would keep a British battalion of 1.600 men from walking into a deadly trap. Amongst the soldiers in the battalion is Blake's own brother.

The two soldiers are played by George MacKay (Captain Fantastic) and Dean-Charles Chapman (Game of Thrones) respectively. The movie also stars Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Claire Duburcq, Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Watch the main trailer for 1917 below:

1917 takes place within two hours in real time while appearing as one continuous shot. Speaking about the idea for the movie, Sam Mendes explained at the New York Comic-Con, "I want to step every step with the characters, I want to breathe every breath with them, I want to be trapped on their journey with them".

For the movie, Sam Mendes is joined by frequent collaborator and renowned cinematographer Roger Deakins, who won the Oscar for 'Best Achievement in Cinematography' in 2018 for his work in Blade Runner 2049. Mendes, who also directed the Bond movies Skyfall and Spectre, won an Academy Award for 'Best Director' with 1999's American Beauty.

1917 is set to be released on January 10, 2020.