Directed by: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Written by: Michael Mitnick
Produced by: Timur Bekmambetov & Basil Iwanyk
Other cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tuppence Middleton, Nicholas Hoult, Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen
Release date: 22 December 2017
Genre: Drama, History, Biography
Running time: 105 min
Short Synopsis
The Current War is the epic story of the cutthroat competition between the greatest inventors of the industrial age over whose electrical system would power the new century. Backed by J.P. Morgan, Edison dazzles the world by lighting Manhattan. But Westinghouse, aided by Nikola Tesla, has seen fatal flaws in Edison’s direct current design. Igniting a war of currents, Westinghouse and Tesla bet everything on risky and dangerous alternating current.
Promotional Images
More Info
The Current War is a 2017 American epic historical drama film directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon and written by Michael Mitnick. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston, and Tuppence Middleton, and depicts the so-called “war of the currents” between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2017. Originally slated for release in the United States on November 24, 2017, the film will release in 2018.
Tom’s Character: Samuel Insull
A British-born American business magnate; an innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States.
Full Cast
Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison
Michael Shannon as George Westinghouse
Nicholas Hoult as Nikola Tesla
Katherine Waterston as Marguerite Erskine
Tuppence Middleton as Mary Stilwell Edison
Matthew Macfadyen as J. P. Morgan
Conor MacNeill as William Kemmler
Damien Molony as Bourke Cockran
Trailer
Production
The film was originally scheduled to be released by The Weinstein Company on December 22, 2017, and then rescheduled for November 24, 2017. The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2017. The film was pulled from release following the sexual misconduct allegations that arose against Harvey Weinstein, then co-head of the company. Weinstein said that he was involved in the re-editing of the film when it was made known that the allegations would be revealed.
Release
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 31% based on 13 reviews, with a weighted average of 4.4/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 42 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”.
