It's 2026 and the world is as dystopian as ever, so we're back from our brief hibernation with a brand new episode looking at recent film from director Katherine Bigelow and writer Noah Oppenheim, A House of Dynamite.
In this episode, Clare and Masha consider attitudes to nuclear arms in the post-Cold War era. We engage with the literature on the film's relationship to real life protocols in the face of a nuclear attack on the US. We consider in particular the personalities depicted in the film, and how each strategic leader and individual involved in the response to a missile heading for Chicago reacts and advocates for a different next step, while also dealing with their own particular concerns for family and friends. In particular, we compare these characters to those in power in real life in 2026, especially in light of recent international actions from the US under Donald Trump.
We drew widely on recent literature from experts in atomic weaponry and US politics, and cite the following in particular:
Kathryn Bigelow's House of Dynamite Is Wake-Up Call on Nuclear Weapons
A House of Dynamite: The Netflix movie is terrifying. Is it realistic?
The “House of Dynamite” sequel you didn’t know you needed - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Cover Story: Kathryn Bigelow And Her Cast On Why ‘A House Of Dynamite’ Should Disarm The World
Trump executive orders 2025: Why creating a U.S. version of Iron Dome makes no damn sense.
Here's what experts say 'A House of Dynamite' gets wrong (and right) about nuclear war
If you have your own thoughts about A House of Dynamite or nuclear disarmament, we'd love to hear from you. You can find us on Instagram, Bluesky, or Substack, or via our website, where you can also find links to our KoFi account or support us by buying our merch.
