Civil War: Release date, plot, cast, trailer & more
A24Alex Garland came back with a divisive and provocative movie. Now that the release date has passed, let’s dig into the Civil War cast and controversial story.
No, we’re not talking about a Captain America movie, although the US of A does play a huge role in the Civil War.
After building his career writing great scripts for The Beach, 28 Days Later, and Dredd, Garland started directing. His incredible debut, Ex Machina, was followed by the brilliant Annihilation, and Men, a bold thriller.
in 2024’s new movie, he tackled politics and photojournalism. Though this could be the end of Alex Garland’s filmmaking career, these are the details of one of his best movies.
When was the Civil War release date?
Civil War hit theaters on April 12, 2024, in the US.
A24The film had the same release date in the US and the UK and was moved forward by two weeks from its original April 26 slot.
Who’s in the Civil War cast?
Kirsten Dunst led the Civil War cast, alongside Cailee Spaeny as Jessie, Wagner Moura as Joel, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy.
A24Dunst is a jaded photojournalist called Lee, who reports on the horrors of the war-torn United States.
Spaeny played the young photographer Jesse, who has a bit of a professional crush on Lee. She’ll also appear in Alien: Romulus in 2024.
Wagner Moura’s Joel is a slippery writer, looking for his biggest scoop yet: the president’s final words.
Finally, Yellowstone cast member Jefferson White rounds out the core four.
Nick Offerman plays the President, while Dunst’s real-life husband Jesse Plemmons plays a radical, cruel soldier guarding state borders.
Here’s the full Civil War cast:
- Kirsten Dunst as Lee
- Cailee Spaeny as Jessie
- Wagner Moura as Joel
- Stephen McKinley Henderson as Sammy
- Nick Offerman as President
- Jefferson White as Dave
- Nelson Lee as Tony
- Evan Lai as Bohai
- Jesse Plemmons as Soldier
- Edmund Donovan as Eddie
- Karl Glusman
- Sonoya Mizuno as Anya
What is Civil War about?
Civil War depicts a near future where America is divided by radically opposed politics, and the White House is at risk of attack from rebel forces. The story is about sensationalism and the ethics of war photography.
A24The story is told through the lens of journalists traveling the country to report on the war.
As they cross state lines and come face to face with the Texas and California alliance, the decay of civility becomes evident.
A far cry from Garland’s previous, rather cerebral work, Civil War offers something far more gritty. So, yes, we’re sorry to report that there’ll be no robots, aliens, or screaming monster bears in this one.
However, the film is a moving portrait of desensitization, trauma, and the responsibility of artists to depict horrific events.
If you’d like a more spoilery breakdown of the themes, check out our Civil War ending explained.
Is there a Civil War trailer?
The Civil War trailer released by A24 offered insight into the dystopian world the film will explore.
In the trailer, we hear Offerman’s President delivering a speech on the state of the country while seeing chaos and carnage on the streets. We also get a close look at the kind of danger Dunst’s character is placing herself in, and how radical some of the soldiers have become.
We also get a taste for the dissonant Civil War soundtrack, which features music that purposefully juxtaposes the graphic violence on screen.
We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. While you’re here, you should probably learn more about 28 Years Later, including whether Cillian Murphy will be in 28 Years Later.
For more war stories, you can also look into the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes release date, Captain America 4. Or, simply get excited about other new movies heading your way this month.