Post-screening conversation with production designer Jeremy Hindle and casting director Susanne Scheel. Moderated by actor and screenwriter Jenelle Riley.

There is no time to waste when an unidentified intercontinental ballistic missile bound for the US is detected; in under 20 minutes, it is on course to strike Chicago. Top-level government personnel spring into action to avert a crisis that, until now, was largely hypothetical. A House of Dynamite's brilliant ensemble cast (including Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, Anthony Ramos, Jared Harris, and Tracy Letts) channels panic, composure, and quiet distress in equal measure. Known for high-stakes thrillers like The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, Kathryn Bigelow once again combines kineticism and realism to craft an immersive, gripping portrait of doomsday in motion. The unmistakable plausibility of the scenario lends this apocalyptic vision a chilling immediacy.

2025. USA. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Screenplay by Noah Oppenheim. With Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso. DCP courtesy Netflix. 112 min.

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MoMA Contenders is the The Museum of Modern Art’s renowned series of influential, innovative films from the past 12 months. Whether bound for awards glory or cult classic status, each of these films is a contender for lasting historical significance.

MoMA Contenders 2025 is organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York. This film program is organized by Rajendra Roy, the Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film, Sean Egan, Senior Producer, Film Exhibitions and Projects, and Olivia Priedite, Film Program Coordinator, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
 
The Hammer Museum's presentation is made possible by The Billy and Audrey L. Wilder Foundation.