At long last, we have an update on this project.
Kathryn Bigelow’s long-anticipated Netflix film, previously known only as the “Untitled White House Thriller,” finally has a title: “A House of Dynamite.” The real-time political thriller marks Bigelow’s return to directing after an eight-year hiatus, with her last film being 2017’s “Detroit.”
‘House of Dynamite’ will premiere on Netflix this October, following a limited theatrical release. The streaming debut is set for October 24. The streamer’s plans are clear: they want to make this one eligible for awards, potentially Oscars.
Bigelow directs what is being dubbed as a “hot script” by former NBC News president Noah Oppenheim (he also wrote “Jackie”). “House of Dynamite” tackles how the White House reacts in real time to ballistic missiles headed for America.
The film, which is reportedly in the same tonal wheelhouse as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Hurt Locker,” has an ensemble that includes the likes of Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Greta Lee, Anthony Ramos, Tracy Letts, Jason Clarke, Kaitlyn Dever, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Moses Ingram, Brian Tee, Jonah Hauer-King, and Kyle Allen.
Bigelow, 73, is the filmmaker behind such films as “The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Near Dark,” “Point Break,” and the highly underrated “Strange Days.” She was one of the hottest filmmakers in the aughts, having directed two Best Picture nominees, and having won the Best Director Oscar for “The Hurt Locker.” Since then? It’s been fairly quiet, but she’s officially back and ready to hit the fall fests.
Bigelow is a master at pulse-pounding tension, blending visceral realism with relentless pacing, stripping away sentimentality, and placing audiences directly into the psychological and physical pressure of her characters. There’s a solid chance “A House of Dynamite” will deliver the goods in October.