Ken Burns’ ‘The American Revolution’ Premieres Tonight — Don’t Miss It

Get ready for a new look at America’s beginning. The highly awaited documentary series from Ken Burns, “The American Revolution,” premieres tonight, November 16, 2025. After years of waiting, the first episode will air on PBS at 8 p.m. ET.

This is a huge event for history lovers. Ken Burns is famous for his deep-dive films on “The Civil War” and “The Vietnam War.” Now, he is aiming his camera at the very founding of the United States. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this new series has been in the works for over eight years. It promises to show the revolution in a way we have never seen before.

This is not a simple story of heroes in wigs. The series will be a six-part, 12-hour epic. It will explore the complicated and often bloody truth of how America became a nation.

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What to Expect from ‘The American Revolution’

This is not your high school history lesson. Ken Burns and his co-directors, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, want to show the full story.

The 12-hour film will cover the entire eight-year war. It will start with the rising tensions in the 1760s and go all the way to the final peace treaty. The series will show the big battles, like Saratoga and Yorktown. But it will also show the human side of the war. It will focus on the struggles of common soldiers. It will show the hunger at Valley Forge. It will also show the deep divisions between Americans.

A Complicated Look at America’s Founding

Ken Burns has said this film will challenge myths. It will show the “warts and all” side of the Revolution. The series will not just be about “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

It will ask hard questions. How could a nation fighting for freedom still keep people as slaves? The documentary will give a lot of time to the stories of enslaved African Americans. It will show how the war affected them. Some fought for the British, who promised freedom. Others fought for the Patriots, hoping for a better future.

The film will also focus on Native American nations. The revolution was a disaster for them. They were often forced to choose sides in a war that was not theirs. The film will show how both the British and the Americans treated them.

Collider reported that Burns wants to show the Revolution as a “violent civil war.” It was not just Americans against the British. It was also Americans against Americans. Families were split. Neighbors became enemies. The film will show this painful side of the nation’s birth.

Beyond the Famous Founders

We all know the names: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. They are in the film. But the directors wanted to tell a bigger story.

This series will focus on regular people. You will hear from farmers, women, and soldiers. The film uses letters and diaries from the time. This brings the voices of everyday people to life. We will hear what they thought, what they feared, and what they hoped for.

Women played a huge role in the Revolution. The film will show their stories. They ran farms and businesses while the men were at war. They worked as nurses and spies. They even followed the army as “camp followers,” cooking and washing for the soldiers. Their stories are a key part of the series.

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Star-Studded Cast Lends Voices to History

To bring these historical figures to life, the film has an all-star voice cast. This is a common feature in a Ken Burns film.

• Josh Brolin will be the voice of George Washington.
• Tom Hanks will also lend his voice, along with Samuel L. Jackson.
• Other big names include Meryl Streep, Laura Linney, and Matthew Rhys.

These actors will not appear on screen. They will read letters, diaries, and documents. This will make you feel like you are hearing directly from the people who lived through the war. Peter Coyote, a regular in Burns’s films, will be the narrator. He will guide viewers through the long and complex story.

Years in the Making

A film this big takes time. Work on “The American Revolution” started almost a decade ago. As per Variety, the team spent years doing research. They looked at thousands of documents. They filmed at real historical sites, from Mount Vernon to battlefields.

The filmmakers want this to be the new standard for Revolutionary War history. They want it to start a new conversation. The series is premiering just before America’s 250th birthday in 2026. This timing is on purpose.

Ken Burns hopes the film will help Americans understand their own story better. It is a story of great ideals. But it is also a story of deep conflict and tough compromises. By showing the good and the bad, the film hopes to show us who we are today.

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Opinion & Methodology

Here at BoxOfficeWala, we usually talk about movies. But this is bigger than a movie. This is a cultural event. Ken Burns is a master. He makes history feel alive.

We think this will be a massive hit for PBS. Why? Because Americans are hungry for their own story, especially the real story. We are tired of the simple, clean myths. We are ready for the messy truth.

“The American Revolution” looks like it will deliver that truth. It’s coming at a time when Americans are very divided. Maybe, just maybe, looking back at our first and biggest fight as a nation will help us. It might help us understand the arguments we are still having today. This is not just history. This is “must-see TV.”

Opinion

To create this news report, we gathered information from multiple trusted entertainment and news sources. Our team looked at announcements and press releases from PBS. We also reviewed early reports and interviews from industry sites. These include The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, and Collider. We focused on the key facts: the premiere date (November 16, 2025), the director, the length, and the main themes. We also included details on the voice cast to give a full picture. Our goal was to write a simple, easy-to-read article. We wanted to give American readers all the information they need to get excited about watching this new series. We confirmed the “who, what, when, where, and why” to make sure this report is accurate and ready for audiences.

Methodology