I am on record here as repeatedly stating my belief that Armando Iannucci is quite simply the greatest political satirist in the world today. No offense to Jon Stewart - who I also love - or Stephen Colbert - who I enjoy but find more than a little gimmicky - or Canada's Rick Mercer - everybody go out and find of copy of Talking With Americans RIGHT NOW! - who are the standard bearers for sharp satire on this side of the pond but none of that trio can hold a candle to either Chris Morris or Iannucci, both of whom have been driving their points home in brilliantly vicious fashion for years now. Any Steve Coogan fans out there? Well, you lot can thanks Iannucci, in great part, for Coogan's fame as well since it was Iannucci who wrote and produced the bulk of Coogan's breakthrough show I'm Alan Partridge. And after years of toiling away on television and radio Iannucci is finally making the leap to film with In The Loop.

Now, the temptation with this film is to treat it simply as a feature film expansion of Iannucci's stellar TV effort The Thick Of It. And why not? Same creator, same style, same writers, some Thick Of It actors even reprise their characters in this film. But In The Loop sets its sites much larger. The Thick Of It lambastes internal British politics, In The Loop takes things international. More specifically, In The Loop captures the behind the scenes politicking involved in the UK being dragged along into a war that nobody particular understands in the name of helping their American allies.

From Armando Iannucci and the makers of the BAFTA award-winning British political comedy, The Thick Of It comes a fast and extremely furious film about Britain and America’s special relationship in the lead up to a war no-one seems to be able to stop. A film about people who may be in power but discover they can’t wield it.

Using a vérité style, and a fiercely funny script enhanced by strategic improvisation, we present in detail the jaw-dropping inside truth of how Washington and London politics actually works: A comedy about a group of people in power finding out their entire careers are on the line - and can only be saved if they get themselves in the loop.

The top comedy writing team in the UK has been assembled to dissect the heart of Western power politics. With an ensemble cast of British and American talent, In The Loop promises to be the grown-up film comedy event of the year. Forget The West Wing: In The Loop will show the corridors of power to be badly signposted, and even more badly decorated.

I've already mentioned that the film carries over some Thick Of It stars and added to that collection of talent are Steve Coogan, Anna Chlumsky and - in the role of a war-hungry American general - James Gandolfini. We've just turned up what appears to be the very first image released of Gandolfini in the role, which you can admire to the left.