MOVIE NEWS – Idris Elba, star of one of Netflix’s most hotly anticipated releases of 2025, has shared what it felt like to see A House of Dynamite on the big screen for the first time — an experience so powerful it left him speechless. The actor plays the President of the United States in Kathryn Bigelow’s nuclear thriller, and early reviews hint at a terrifying cinematic event. Judging by Elba’s reaction, this could easily become one of the year’s most intense films.

While promoting the October 10 political thriller with co-star Rebecca Ferguson, Elba spoke to Collider about the story, which follows a mission to intercept a nuclear missile launched from an unknown source. Asked about watching the finished film, the actor admitted the experience completely overwhelmed him: “When I watched the film for the first time, it was a good seven minutes before I said anything. I just sat there in the theater, completely silent. I couldn’t speak. All I could think was, ‘Wow, what on Earth?’”

It’s no surprise that A House of Dynamite is shaping up to be the most terrifying non-horror movie of the year. After all, it’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Zero Dark Thirty and Detroit. She remains one of Hollywood’s most respected auteurs, despite having directed just 12 films since her 1981 debut — each one a powerful, intense experience.

A House of Dynamite Marks the Return of Hollywood’s Most Underrated Director

Kathryn Bigelow’s body of work speaks volumes about her talent. Genre-defining titles like Strange Days and Near Dark demonstrate her ability to consistently create original, rule-breaking cinema in a landscape known for playing it safe. Even her action and war films challenge Hollywood conventions, and A House of Dynamite appears to follow that same tradition.

The Oscar-winning director of The Hurt Locker and Point Break returns with a high-stakes political thriller critics have described as “agonizing to sit through.” The film currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but reviews are almost secondary here — this is Bigelow doing what she does best: crafting plausible yet nerve-wracking scenarios that keep audiences glued to their seats.

When asked why Bigelow doesn’t direct more often, Ferguson explained: “I always ask myself, ‘What’s next? What’s next?’ But pressuring her isn’t the way forward. Kathryn makes movies when she’s ready. You just have to be prepared when they arrive, because they will hit you right in the gut.” Elba agreed: “Yeah, I think audiences should encourage other filmmakers to dig deeper, instead of pressuring Kathryn to make more. She’s going to create what she wants, on her own timeline.”

Source: MovieWeb