Is A House of Dynamite based on real events? What Makes Netflix's Nuclear War Movie So Terrifying, Explored

Kathryn Bigelow's latest thriller, A house of dynamiteon Netflix, instantly became a suspense drama that explores the ultimate global crisis. The plot plunges viewers into a terrifying 18-minute countdown as the U.S. government, from the president on down, must manage an official response to the arrival of a nuclear missile launched by an unidentified enemy.

Starring Idris Elba as POTUS, the film is entirely a work of fiction. However, the source of its terror lies in its documentary-like realism. Director Bigelow intentionally took a “journalistic approach” to filmmaking, aiming to merge entertainment and information. A house of dynamite became available to stream worldwide on Netflix starting October 24, 2025.

Inside A house of dynamite: The chilling realism behind Netflix's nuclear nightmare

Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim and the production team conducted extensive research for the story, including consulting with military experts like Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler, who helped create a stunning level of authenticity in the dialogue and proceedings. Talk to TudumKarbler said:

“We probably use more acronyms than proper nouns every day in the military. Because you get so used to it, it just becomes part of your lingo, your everyday language.”

He further added:

[The film] does a really good job of capturing a piece that we never really capture when we do these exercises – being able to see the human reaction, which is something we don't practice. So what the film really brings out, besides the authenticity of the process and all that, is just the human element and how different people are affected, whether it's these young soldiers at Fort Greely to the STRATCOM personnel to the President of the United States.

Regarding the plot of A house of dynamitethe Pentagon pointed out some inaccuracies. A major scene involving Jared Harris' character, Reid Baker, claims that the United States' missile defenses have only a 50 percent chance of intercepting an incoming threat. However, an internal Missile Defense Agency report, obtained by Bloomberg, refuted that figure.

The Pentagon has said that in tests over the past decade, modern interceptors have actually “displayed a 100 percent accuracy rate.” This suggests that even if A house of dynamite is a masterpiece at creating suspense and tension, the government's ability to handle such a crisis might be far more reliable than the film's plot suggests.

Additionally, director Kathryn Bigelow and her team, including production designer Jeremy Hindle, were treated to a rare tour of the Strategic Command (STRATCOM) headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. They were given information about the history and use of nuclear weapons, and were taken X stories underground to visit the classified “battle bridge.”

A house of dynamite was released for a limited theatrical run on October 10, 2025, ahead of its arrival on Netflix. The film features a stellar cast led by six-time Emmy winner Idris Elba, who is joined by Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts and Anthony Ramos, among other notable cast members.

Stay tuned for more updates.