Directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
A House of Dynamite is October 10, 2025 in select U.S. theaters, and it begins streaming on Netflix globally on October 24, 2025.
Distributed by Netflix.
Movie Review
A House of Dynamite is a tense and powerful thriller directed by Kathryn Bigelow.
The story takes place over 18 minutes during a sudden missile alert, showing how government officials and everyday people react when they think the world is about to end.
The movie feels real and gripping, with amazing performances from Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, and Jared Harris.
It doesn’t rely on big explosions but on emotion, fear, and tension.
Every minute feels important and intense.
While some scenes may feel a bit slow or confusing, the film’s message about truth, power, and panic really hits home.
Ratings
• IMDb: 6.5/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
• Google Audience Score: 36% liked this movie.
A House of Dynamite Actors
Idris Elba as The President of the United States
DOB: September 6, 1972.
Bio: Idris Elba is a celebrated British actor, producer, musician, and DJ known for his commanding screen presence and emotional depth.
He first gained international recognition for his breakout role as Stringer Bell in The Wire and later as the titular detective in Luther, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards.
Role: Elba plays the President of the United States, a leader caught in an escalating nuclear crisis that tests his morality, judgment, and humanity.
His character faces impossible decisions under global pressure, offering a portrait of leadership under siege, calm and composed on the outside, but deeply conflicted within.
What to Expect: Calm, authoritative scenes that crack into panic and moral decision-making, Elba’s performance is the emotional and political center of the film.
Interesting facts: Beyond acting, he’s an accomplished DJ under the name DJ Big Driis and has been honored with the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
Notable works: Luther, Beasts of No Nation, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Wire, Pacific Rim.
Rebecca Ferguson as Captain Olivia Walker
DOB: October 19, 1983.
Bio: Swedish-British actress acclaimed for her commanding screen presence and emotional precision.
She rose to prominence with her breakout role as Elizabeth Woodville in The White Queen and quickly became known for portraying intelligent, composed, and formidable women.
Role: Ferguson plays Captain Olivia Walker, the senior duty officer overseeing the Watch Floor inside the Situation Room.
When a nuclear alert triggers global panic, Walker becomes the calm at the center of the storm.
What to Expect: Walker is the film’s operational backbone, pulling levers, issuing orders and holding everyone accountable.
Interesting facts: Ferguson has dual Swedish and British citizenship and began her career in Scandinavian television before her global breakout.
Notable works: Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Dead Reckoning, Dune: Part One & Two, The Greatest Showman.
Gabriel Basso as Jake Baerington
DOB: December 11, 1994.
Bio: American actor who transitioned seamlessly from child and teen roles into mature, emotionally layered performances.
Known for his grounded realism and quiet intensity, Basso first gained notice in The Kings of Summer and later proved his dramatic range in Hillbilly Elegy and the Netflix thriller The Night Agent.
Role: Basso plays Jake Baerington, the Deputy National Security Advisor, a cerebral but morally conflicted White House aide caught between military hawks and the President’s conscience.
As the crisis escalates, Jake becomes the audience’s emotional entry point, articulating both the policy reasoning and the personal fear behind every life-or-death decision.
What to Expect: Scenes of urgent counsel and private doubt, Basso sells the strain of someone trying to do right under impossible pressure.
Interesting facts: Basso’s performance in The Night Agent established him as a leading man capable of navigating both action and psychological tension, a quality that caught the attention of filmmakers seeking realism over grandiosity.
Notable works: The Night Agent (Netflix), Hillbilly Elegy, The Kings of Summer, Super 8, The Whole Truth.
Jared Harris as Secretary of Defense Reid Baker
DOB: August 24, 1961.
Bio: Jared Harris is an English actor celebrated for his extraordinary command of subtle, emotionally charged performances.
The son of legendary Irish actor Richard Harris, Jared built a distinguished career defined by intelligence, restraint, and depth.
From his Emmy-nominated turn in Chernobyl to standout performances in Mad Men and The Terror.
Role: Harris plays Secretary of Defense Reid Baker, the nation’s military strategist facing a moment of potential global catastrophe.
Reid is pragmatic yet haunted, a man whose calm veneer hides the weight of knowing every option carries unimaginable loss.
What to Expect: Expect tense, dialogue-driven sequences of strategic debate and moral wrestling.
Interesting facts: To prepare, Harris studied the speech patterns and decision-making habits of real-world defense officials to capture their measured detachment.
Notable works: Chernobyl, Mad Men, The Crown, The Terror, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Tracy Letts as General Anthony Brady
DOB: July 4, 1965.
Bio: Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, actor, and screenwriter renowned for his mastery of layered, morally complex characters.
With a rich background in theater (August: Osage County) and screen acting, Letts brings intensity, gravitas, and moral clarity to every role
Role: Letts plays General Anthony Brady, the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Combatant Commander responsible for the nation’s nuclear forces.
He delivers the hard, technical truths of military readiness while conveying the immense ethical weight behind each decision.
What to Expect: Quiet procedural authority, dignity under pressure and a few searing, ethical beats that show consequences.
Interesting facts: Letts’ combined experience as a playwright and actor allows him to communicate complex moral dilemmas in concise, compelling dialogue, enhancing the film’s tension.
Notable works: August: Osage County (play and film), Lady Bird, Homeland (TV).
Anthony Ramos as Major Daniel Gonzalez
DOB: November 1, 1991.
Bio: Anthony Ramos is a stage-trained actor and singer who rose to prominence in Hamilton, showcasing a mix of charisma, energy, and emotional depth.
His screen and stage work demonstrates both charm and intensity, allowing him to balance vulnerability with authority.
Role: Ramos portrays Major Daniel Gonzalez, commander of Fort Greely, the U.S. missile defense and early-warning installation.
He embodies a leader who must execute high-pressure orders while grappling with the human stakes of his decisions, giving audiences a grounded, human perspective on military responsibility.
What to Expect: Tension-filled technical scenes, leadership under fire and a personal stake in the film’s human cascade.
Interesting facts: Ramos has been praised for combining physicality and emotional authenticity in military roles, making his portrayal both compelling and relatable.
Notable works: Hamilton (stage), In the Heights, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
Moses Ingram as Cathy Rogers
DOB: February 6, 1994.
Bio: Moses Ingram gained acclaim for The Queen’s Gambit and has quickly become known for her intense, focused performances.
She excels at portraying characters who balance fear, resolve, and moral clarity, making her a standout in both supporting and leading roles.
Role: Ingram plays Cathy Rogers, the FEMA official responsible for national continuity programs.
Her character translates high-level policy into practical actions, overseeing shelters, survival logistics, and public safety messaging.
What to Expect: Powerful, humanizing scenes that show government work through an operational, people-centered lens.
Interesting facts: Ingram’s casting helped the filmmakers ensure that the bureaucracy in the story felt lived-in and morally urgent rather than abstract.
Notable works: The Queen’s Gambit, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ambulance.
Jonah Hauer-King as Lt. Cmdr. Robert Reeves
DOB: May 30, 1995.
Bio: British actor Jonah Hauer-King has transitioned from period dramas to contemporary roles, bringing a composed, steady presence and a capacity to portray men who carry responsibility silently and with authority.
Role: Hauer-King plays Lt. Cmdr. Robert Reeves, the Presidential Military Aide.
Reeves is responsible for both the physical protection and procedural support of the U.S. President during a national crisis.
What to Expect: Crisp, tense scenes that keep the small, practical details realistic and difficult.
Interesting facts: Hauer-King has expressed interest in roles that complicate conventional “hero” narratives; this high-stakes thriller allowed him to explore moral and procedural complexity in a realistic setting.
Notable works: The Little Mermaid (Prince Eric), The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Greta Lee as Ana Park
DOB: March 7, 1983.
Bio: Greta Lee is known for bringing grounded intelligence and humanity to technical and analytical roles.
She balances sharp wit with emotional depth, making high-pressure, detail-heavy characters feel real and relatable.
Role: Lee plays Ana Park, the NSA analyst assigned to North Korea.
She interprets missile data, provides critical intelligence context for Situation Room decisions, and humanizes the otherwise abstract work of national security.
What to Expect: Sharp analytical beats mixed with personal stakes, she’ll be in the thick of the film’s worst-data, worst-decisions scenes.
Interesting facts: Lee’s versatility in both comedy and drama allows subtle human moments to emerge amid technical exposition, keeping her scenes grounded and engaging.
Notable works: Past Lives, Russian Doll, The Morning Show.
Kaitlyn Dever as Caroline Baker
DOB: December 21, 1996.
Bio: Kaitlyn Dever is an award-nominated actor known for her expressive, nuanced performances.
She excels at portraying emotional truths in high-stakes narratives, bringing relatability and depth to supporting roles.
Role: Dever plays Caroline Baker, the daughter of Secretary of Defense Reid Baker.
Her personal storyline highlights the human side of national crises, showing how high-level policy decisions ripple into private lives.
What to Expect: Emotional, character-driven moments that ground the geopolitical drama in family reality.
Interesting facts: Dever’s casting highlights the film’s intention to show both high-level and down-home consequences of strategic choices.
Notable works: Unbelievable, Dopesick, No One Will Save You.
Brian Tee as SAIC Ken Cho
DOB: March 15, 1977.
Bio: Brian Tee is a seasoned character actor known for portraying professionals, soldiers, doctors, and intelligence officers, with calm authority and credibility.
His presence lends grounded realism to ensemble casts.
Role: Tee plays a senior operations/intelligence officer responsible for staffing and executing the technical work that tracks, intercepts, and advises on critical situations.
His character provides a practical, boots-on-the-ground perspective within the film’s high-stakes procedural framework.
What to Expect: Trustworthy, workmanlike scenes that make the thriller feel technically credible.
Interesting facts: Tee is trained in martial arts, which adds authenticity to his physical presence in action and high-pressure procedural sequences.
Notable works: Chicago Med, The Wolverine (small role), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Kyle Allen as Captain Jon Zimmer
DOB: October 10, 1994.
Bio: Kyle Allen is a young film and television actor known for conveying a mix of fragile hopefulness and professional tension, making him well-suited for high-stakes political and procedural dramas.
Role: Allen plays a supporting operations/intelligence officer, assisting in populating the Situation Room and working-level sequences that lend authenticity and scale to the story.
What to Expect: Energetic supporting work and a few short but meaningful beats that add to the film’s sense of scale.
Interesting facts: Kyle’s casting is part of a deliberate ensemble mix, veterans anchoring the drama, younger actors giving it urgency.
Notable works: The Life List, Space Oddity.
More Actors
• Willa Fitzgerald as Abby Jansing.
• Neal Bledsoe as Ben Walker.
• Gbenga Akinnagbe as Major General Steven Kyle.
• Malachi Beasley as SCPO William Davis.
• Brittany O’Grady as Lily Baerington.
FAQ – A House of Dynamite
What is A House of Dynamite about?
A House of Dynamite (2025) follows a former intelligence officer who uncovers a deadly government conspiracy and must risk everything to expose the truth before it triggers global chaos.
Is it based on a true story?
No, the film is a fictional thriller, though it’s written and staged to feel procedurally realistic.
Where was it filmed?
A House of Dynamite (2025) was mainly filmed in Toronto, Canada, with some scenes shot in London and New Mexico to give the movie a realistic, international feel.
A House of Dynamite worth watching?
If you like smart, slow-burn political thrillers that trade spectacle for moral and procedural tension, many critics say it’s worth your time.
How long is the movie (runtime)?
Approximately 112 minutes.
What is the film’s rating / is it suitable for kids?
A House of Dynamite (2025) is rated R, meaning it’s not suitable for kids due to strong language, intense action, and mature political themes.
Conclusion
A House of Dynamite (2025) is more than just a political thriller, it’s a deep, emotional look at fear, truth, and human reaction in the face of crisis.
Kathryn Bigelow delivers another gripping story that feels both timely and powerful, driven by strong performances from its cast.
It’s a slow burn at times, but the intensity and realism make it unforgettable.
If you enjoy thought-provoking dramas that explore how people handle chaos, this movie is absolutely worth watching.