‘Civil War’ Is Out Friday!

Alex Garland’s film opens Friday — the anniversary, to the day, of when the Civil War began in 1861. And it’s landing in movie theatres just months ahead of a momentous presidential election, making it potentially Hollywood’s most explosive movie of the year.

The movie is about- a war that’s already ravaged the country, California and Texas have joined forces against a fascist president (Nick Offerman) who’s seized a third term and disbanded the FBI.

A band of journalists (Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura) makes its way toward Washington, D.C. Much of the film’s disquiet comes from seeing visceral encounters of war — bombings, firefights and executions — on contemporary American soil.

“Civil War” is just a possibility, the director stresses, not a prediction. Still, months after he finished writing it, Garland watched an insurrection play out on live television when a mob stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. At the time, his thoughts weren’t on his script.

“Civil War,” which cost $50 million to make, is the largest budgeted film yet from A24. The indie studio is pushing to expand its reach beyond arthouses (“Civil War” will play on IMAX screens) and expand the reach of its critically acclaimed films. “Civil War” is, ironically, a bid to draw wider audiences.