[8] Produced by Todd Lieberman, David Hoberman, and Harper, the film stars Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Himesh Patel and Tom Courtenay.

[N 1] Despite being haunted by a vision of her late husband Pierre, Amelia keeps up the brave front and the balloon launches to a cheering crowd.

In a flashback, James appears before the Royal Society and explains his theory that the weather can be predicted but his fellow scientists mock him and refuse to finance his studies.

There, Amelia is approached by James and he asks if she would be willing to pilot his balloon in a privately funded expedition while he attempts to prove his theories, to which she agrees.

James releases the first of five pigeons carrying messages stating their altitude along with other scientific readings in case they don't survive.

)[12] Amelia is shocked to learn that James didn't bring any clothes suitable for the rapidly decreasing temperature and decides to start descending.

Realising that Amelia is ready to sacrifice herself to save him, James is able to convert the rest of the balloon into a parachute, which slows their descent.

James' findings prove the existence of layers in the atmosphere, paving the way for the first weather forecasts and he and Amelia build a new balloon so they can continue to conduct research together.

Principal photography began in early August 2018, in West London Film Studios, with George Steel serving as cinematographer.

[citation needed] A report in The Daily Telegraph quotes Keith Moore, Head of Library at the Royal Society, as saying, "It's a great shame that Henry [Coxwell] isn't portrayed because he performed very well and saved the life of a leading scientist".

[29] Entertainment One gave the film a full theatrical release in the United Kingdom on 4 November, including screenings in 4DX and IMAX.

The website's critics consensus states, "Thrilling visuals and the substantial chemistry of its well-matched leads make The Aeronauts an adventure well worth taking.

[38] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "The Aeronauts achieves impressive elevation as a bracing and sympathetic account of two early and very different aviators who together reached literal new heights in a perilous field of endeavor.

"[39] Fionnuala Halligan of Screen International wrote about the chemistry of the lead actors and the great craft on display in the film: "With the widest of wide-screens, the most vertiginous of vistas, this hot air balloon takes to the skies and soars.

"[40] Tomris Laffly of Variety praised the visuals and the lead performers: "The duo [of Redmayne and Jones] hand-in-hand elevates The Aeronauts...from a flimsy action-adventure to something worth watching on the biggest possible screen, even if it operates on a handful of clichés with little character-based substance to speak of.

[42] Eric Kohn of IndieWire wrote: "When so many supersized blockbusters take the potential of CGI action for granted, The Aeronauts finds a fresh use for it by turning the exhilaration of discovery into a real visual treat.