The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas A. Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas A. Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas A. Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.
Videos2
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
Storyline
Three brilliant visionaries set off in a charged battle for the future in The Current War, the epic story of the cutthroat competition that literally lit up the modern world. Benedict Cumberbatch is Thomas Edison, the celebrity inventor on the verge of bringing electricity to Manhattan with his radical new DC technology. On the eve of triumph, his plans are upended by charismatic businessman George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon), who believes he and his partner, the upstart genius Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult), have a superior idea for how to rapidly electrify America: with AC current. As Edison and Westinghouse grapple for who will power the nation, they spark one of the first and greatest corporate feuds in American history, establishing for future Titans of Industry the need to break all the rules. Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) with Producer Timur Bekmambetov, Basil Iwanyk and Executive Producer Martin Scorsese, The Current War also stars Katherine Waterston, Tom Holland, Matthew Macfadyen and Tuppence Middleton.
- Taglines
- Only one could power the world.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for some violent content and thematic elements
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaPremiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2017 and was originally supposed to be released in U.S. theaters in November 2017 . However, after Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual misconduct and rape by several women in a detailed article published by the New York Times in October 2017, the Weinstein Co. scrapped the original release date and sold the film to Lantern Entertainment, who later sold the film's U.S. distribution rights to 101 Studios. The film would finally be shown in movie theaters in Europe in July 2019 and the U.S. in October 2019.
- GoofsThe film is set in a time period spanning the 1880s and 1890s. Maps shown in the film show the states of Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona, which didn't become a state until between 1896 and 1912.
- Quotes
Samuel Insull: So, what's your trade?
Nikola Tesla: I fix problems for idiots.
- Alternate versionsThe film originally premiered at numerous festival and was then shelved for 2 years until a re-edited version (titled "The Current War: The Director's Cut") was released theatrically in 2019
- SoundtracksAutumn 3
Written by Max Richter
Performed by Max Richter, Daniel Hope, Raphael Alpermann, Konzerthaus Kammerorchester Berlin, Andre De Ridder (as André de Ridder)
Published by Mute Song Limited
Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon GmbH under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Top review
It's a shame
Hollywood always makes movies that represents Americans (or in this case born-American-capitalist) as a heros, whether that's true or not...Real hero in this "current war" is undoubtedly biggest mind in history of humankind - Serbian scientist Nikola Tesla, who's totally sidelined in America's educational system, while Edison (who stole from him) is a God...This movie doesn't help...Sportswise saying, it's like it you're comparing Jusein Bolt and Justin Gatlin...First one is obviously the best, second one is two-times (caught!!!) cheater, but he's an American, so I doubt that in, say, 15 years from now, if Hollywood decides to make movie about their rivalry, Gatelin would be shown as a villain...I really hope that some day someone will make movie that Tesla really deserves.
helpful•496150
- crnoglavacmilos
- Jun 26, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Current War
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $5,979,540
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,633,717
- Oct 27, 2019
- Gross worldwide
- $12,217,160
- Runtime
- 1h 42min
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content

Recently viewed
You have no recently viewed pages




































