Pentagon disputes Netflix film’s portrayal of US missile defense

The Department of Defense has publicly disputed the accuracy of Netflix’s new nuclear drama A House of Dynamite, directed by Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow.

In an October 16 memo, Pentagon officials accused the film of spreading “false assumptions” about America’s ability to intercept nuclear missiles. 

The movie, starring Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, shows that US interceptor missiles are only 61% accurate.

Pentagon officials counter that the depiction is misleading, asserting that the US Missile Defense Agency’s systems have maintained a “100% accuracy rate” in tests for more than a decade. 

They emphasized that the nation’s Ground-Based Interceptors, launched from Alaska and California, remain highly effective and are slated for expansion by 2028 with new Next Generation Interceptors.

Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim welcomed the Pentagon’s response, saying it fuels the debate the film hopes to provoke.

Director Bigelow explained she avoided Pentagon involvement to protect artistic independence. The film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, began streaming globally on Netflix on October 25.