A House of Dynamite (2025)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
Government officials must navigate a high-stakes crisis after an unidentified ICBM is detected on a trajectory toward Chicago.
The story
In Washington, D.C., the White House Situation Room is alerted to a series of alarming geopolitical developments, including suspicious activity from several global powers. The situation escalates rapidly when an unidentified ICBM is detected in flight, heading toward Chicago with a projected impact time of only twenty minutes. As the alert level rises to DEFCON 1, officials in the Situation Room, the Pentagon, and various military commands must coordinate a response. The President is forced to weigh the risks of immediate retaliation against the uncertainty of the missile's origin while the nation braces for a potential nuclear strike.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Following the detection of an ICBM targeting Chicago, the White House Situation Room and the Pentagon initiate emergency protocols. While military units at Fort Greely attempt to intercept the missile, both attempts fail, prompting a move to DEFCON 1. The Secretary of Defense initiates the continuity of government protocol, and the President is whisked away by the Secret Service. Simultaneously, military leaders at Offutt AFB and various intelligence agencies debate the origin of the strike, with suspicions falling on North Korea, China, and Russia. Amidst the chaos, the Secretary of Defense dies by suicide while attempting to evacuate his daughter. The President, advised by a team of experts and military leaders, must decide whether to retaliate against the perceived aggressors or wait for confirmation of the source. The film concludes with the President contemplating the 'house of dynamite' of nuclear proliferation while weighing the options of immediate strike or non-retaliation.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kathryn Bigelow
- Writers
- Noah Oppenheim · writer
- Cast and characters
- Idris Elba; Rebecca Ferguson; Gabriel Basso; Jared Harris; Tracy Letts; Anthony Ramos; Moses Ingram; Jonah Hauer-King; Greta Lee; Jason Clarke
- Genres
- political thriller
- Themes
- nuclear proliferation; geopolitical tension
- Tone and mood
- tense; sobering
- Premise and plot tags
- nuclear war; political thriller
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 75 · scale: 100 · review count: 51
- Awards and nominations
- Best Film Editing · Critics' Choice Awards · 31st · nominated; Best Film Editing · British Academy Film Awards · 79th · nominated
- Production trivia
- The film's sets and its portrayal of the telecommunications... were commended as being accurate.; The film's title was revealed in June 2025.; The New Jersey State House doubled for both The Pentagon and the United States Capitol.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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