The Current War: Director's Cut (2017)

The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.

Director:

Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Writer:

Michael Mitnick

Stars:

Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Matthew Macfadyen

Cast

Credited cast:
Tom Holland	...	Samuel Insull
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Thomas Edison
Matthew Macfadyen	...	J.P. Morgan
Nicholas Hoult	...	Nikola Tesla
Michael Shannon	...	George Westinghouse
Katherine Waterston	...	Marguerite Westinghouse
Tuppence Middleton	...	Mary Edison
Louis Ashbourne Serkis	...	Older Dash
Damien Molony	...	Bourke Cockran
Simon Manyonda	...	Lewis Latimer
Simon Kunz	...	Womack
Craig Conway	...	Warden Durston
Woody Norman	...	Dash Edison
Amy Marston	...	Annabelle Worthington
Tom Sweet	...	Boy

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 ...

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Plot Keywords:

lens flare | world's fair | 1893 columbian exposition | chicago illinois | close up of eyes | 

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Taglines:

Only one could power the world.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some disturbing/violent images, and thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Filmnegah [Iran] Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 2019 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Current War: Director's Cut

Filming Locations:

Waltham Abbey, Essex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,633,717, 27 October 2019

Gross USA:

$5,879,087

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,755,204

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bazelevs Production, Film Rites, FlightAV.com

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Four of the lead actors are in major superhero films: Benedict Cumberbatch is Dr. Strange (Doctor Strange, Infinity War, Endgame), Tom Holland is Spider-Man (Homecoming, Infinity War, Far From Home), Nicholas Hoult is Beast (First Class, Days of Future Past, Dark Phoenix), Michael Shannon is General Zod (Man of Steel).

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Goofs

Most of the railroad equipment shown is British and the story in set in the US.

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Quotes

Thomas Edison: The world will never be the same. I'm working on something now, something so new that people will forget I was ever associated with electricity.
George Westinghouse: I wonder if you know what it is yet. You know, I think the solution is to divide the cost of the fence. Or you could not build a fence at all. Your garden would be twice as big. Wouldn't it, Tom?

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Alternate Versions

The music of the original cut (by Volker Bertelmann aka Hausckha and Dustin O'Halloran) has been replaced in the director's cut by a new score by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans

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Connections

Referenced in Midnight Screenings: Tulip Fever (2017)

User Reviews

An interesting story filmed by good hand.........

Prior to see the movie i have never heard about this fascinating story of conflict and trade between Edison and Westinghouse. I found the story very much interesting and enjoyed every part of this. The whole team must be appreciated for their excellent try to transform this plot into a enjoyable , slow paced drama. There are many small battle which sometimes remain undecided..sometimes goes in favour of either one. With these personal and economic battle the movie moves towards the end. Good to see these type of drama movies in between other type of movies. This is totally different from many other movies of 2017.