A24’s new dystopian war film, Civil War, directed by Alex Garland, is now in theaters and IMAX, featuring a star-studded cast including Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Nick Offerman. The film follows a team of military-embedded journalists racing against time to reach Washington, D.C., before rebel factions descend upon the White House in a future where 19 states have seceded and uprisings are occurring nationwide.
In an interview with Variety, Kirsten Dunst mentioned that the movie is open to interpretation, allowing the audience to fill in their own feelings about what they are watching. Director Alex Garland explained to IndieWire that the political world-building in the film may appear ambiguous at first but is actually clear upon closer examination, challenging the conventional way film often functions by not being explicit about everything at every moment.
Civil War, with its $55 million budget, is A24’s most expensive feature to date and marks the studio’s widest release ever. The film is expected to make between $20 and $30 million domestically during its opening weekend, according to Box Office Pro. Garland credits A24 for the boldness of making films like Civil War, emphasizing the importance of having the support necessary to create such projects.
While the release date for streaming on Max has not yet been announced, A24’s deal with Warner Bros. Discovery will bring its theatrical films to the streaming site in 2024. Past movies from A24, like Priscilla, began streaming on Max around four months after their theatrical release, suggesting Civil War could become available on the platform around August 2024. Additionally, the film will be available for purchase and rental on digital VOD sites such as Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV approximately 45 days after its theatrical release, indicating that it could be available on these platforms as early as May 27, 2024.
Fans eager to watch Civil War at home can keep an eye out for updates on when the film will be available on Max and digital VOD sites. In the meantime, they can check out the trailer for Civil War to get a glimpse of the dystopian world created by Alex Garland and the talented cast. With its unique storytelling approach and political undertones, Civil War offers a thought-provoking viewing experience that audiences will not want to miss.
