Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James Star in ‘Fuze’ First Look (Exclusive)

London might never be the same again after the events of Fuze.

PEOPLE has an exclusive first look at the thriller from director David Mackenzie (Outlaw King), which is set to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday, Sept. 5.

Reads a synopsis from TIFF, “When a World War II-era bomb is found in a construction site in a busy area of London, the authorities quickly spring into action, determined to save the throngs of innocent bystanders in the vicinity.”

Fuze stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sam Worthington, from a screenplay by Ben Hopkins (The Nine Lives of Tomas Katz).

“We shot for two months in the heart of London in deep summer,” James, 40, tells PEOPLE. “Long takes covered in dirt and grim lends itself to camaraderie. A cold beer was always needed after a day of work. I only had three days with Aaron at the end of the shoot, but we had a great time getting to know one another.”

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Mackenzie, 59, said in a statement that his “simple idea” for Fuze began more than a decade ago, when he thought, “What if I combined the excitement of a heist movie with the nerve-racking tension of a film about an unexploded bomb?”

“Over the years, I’d seen numerous news stories about World War II bombs being discovered in the U.K. — usually on construction sites in major cities that had been heavily bombed,” he continued. “These discoveries often required immediate evacuations and caused huge disruption.”

The director “thought the chaos of such an event unfolding in a modern, bustling city would make for a compelling and unique setting.”

Mackenzie said in his statement that he offered Taylor-Johnson, 35, his choice of either lead role, “after being so impressed with his performance in Outlaw King.”

“To our delight, he was drawn to the character of Major Will. From there, the rest of the cast came together beautifully,” he said.

Of the “logistical challenges” surrounding the shoot, Mackenzie said it “was no small feat” to “shut down sections of central London.”

But as the Scottish filmmaker explained, “It was essential to capture the unique character and energy of London to ground the film in a real, lived-in world.”

Though “it took time for the stars to align” on Fuze, Mackenzie still made sure to take time to consult the experts on some of the movie’s military and law enforcement details.

“We worked closely with experts in bomb disposal, police incident response and even bank robbery,” he said. “Their insights were invaluable and added layers of realism to the film.”

Of those who brought the movie to life onscreen, Mackenzie said, “We had a fantastic cast, each bringing something unique to the world of Fuze.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the energy and authenticity we achieved, and I really hope that comes across on screen. More than anything, I hope audiences have fun and enjoy the ride,” he added.

Says James, “David is one of the most exciting voices in film. He cares deeply about authenticity. Fuze is a hard-boiled ode to the great heist thriller. A genre mashup that keeps audiences guessing.”