Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson Face the Unthinkable in Kathryn Bigelow’s Nuclear Thriller for ‘A House of Dynamite’
The first trailer for Kathryn Bigelow’s new thriller, A House of Dynamite, is out, giving audiences a glimpse at one of the year’s most intense films.
The movie, written by Noah Oppenheim, tells the story of how the U.S. government reacts when a nuclear missile is fired at Chicago by an unknown enemy.
Idris Elba leads the cast as the President of the United States. Rebecca Ferguson plays Captain Olivia Walker, who works as a key link between the White House and military leaders. The ensemble also includes Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, Jason Clarke, and more. Netflix confirmed the cast lineup when filming began.
The day starts like any other. From Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow comes A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE.
— Netflix (@netflix) September 3, 2025
Starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke. In select… pic.twitter.com/ugseRJQWRB
The film made its debut on September 2, at the Venice International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Lion award. Critics have already responded strongly. Rotten Tomatoes shows that 88 percent of reviews so far are positive, and Metacritic lists the movie with a score of 88 out of 100, calling the feedback “universal acclaim.”
Bigelow started work on the project in 2024, marking her first film since Detroit in 2017. Shooting took place in Trenton, New Jersey, before wrapping later that same year. The official title, A House of Dynamite, was revealed in mid-2025.
The release plan is split between theaters and streaming. The film will open in the United Kingdom on October 3, followed by a U.S. release on October 10. A few weeks later, it will be available worldwide on Netflix starting October 24.
With its tense premise, a strong cast, and Bigelow’s history of directing gripping political dramas, A House of Dynamite is shaping up as one of the most talked-about thrillers of the year. The trailer sets the tone for a high-stakes story unfolding in real time inside the White House.
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