Steven Spielberg’s ‘Empire of the Sun,’ is Still Relevant in 2026

It took Steven Spielberg a surprisingly long time to create a truly impactful war film. Though he’d made comedies like 1941 in the 1970s, and audiences had loved his movies for over ten years before Empire of the Sun, it always seemed inevitable he’d tackle the difficult subject of war. This fascination stems from his father, a WWII veteran, who frequently shared stories of his experiences fighting in Burma with young Spielberg. Surrounded by veterans through his father and his friends, Spielberg grew up immersed in war stories. But what sets his initial foray into the genre apart?








