Pentagon slams Netflix’s ‘A House of Dynamite’ over defense missile portrayal

A House of Dynamite cast stands onstage

Cast and crew attend a special Los Angeles screening of Netflix’s “A House of Dynamite” at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on Oct. 09, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix)

Want to see more of NewsNation? Get 24/7 fact-based news coverage with the NewsNation app or add NewsNation as a preferred source on Google!

(NewsNation) — The Pentagon slammed Netflix for its new movie depicting how the U.S. would respond to an incoming missile, arguing it was inaccurate.

Kathryn Bigelow’s latest thriller, “A House of Dynamite,” follows the 18 minutes after a nuclear missile is launched toward the United States.  

The film depicts the perspective of U.S. officials as they race to respond to the imminent attack and determine who’s responsible.  

The defense secretary in the film, portrayed by Jared Harris, denounces the missile defense system, saying it has a 50% chance of stopping a missile despite costing $50 billion, according to The Independent.   

Pentagon: Our missile defense system is 100% accurate 

“The fictional interceptors in the movie miss their target, and we understand this is intended to be a compelling part of the drama intended for the entertainment of the audience,” an Oct. 16 memo from the Missile Defense Agency, obtained by Bloomberg, read.  

The memo added that real-world testing would “tell a vastly different story.” 

Director Kathryn Bigelow speaks onstage during Netflix’s “A House of Dynamite” screening and Q&A on Oct. 17, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Netflix)

The Pentagon said, “(The movie) highlights that deterrence can fail, which reinforces the need for an active homeland missile defense system.” 

The Missile Defense Agency said the 50% claim is based on earlier prototypes, and that current interceptors “have displayed a 100% accuracy rate in testing for more than a decade.” 

The Pentagon told Bloomberg it wasn’t consulted about the film, which “does not reflect the views or priorities of this administration.  

“(The system) remains a critical component of our national defense strategy, ensuring the safety and security of the American people and our allies,” the department said.

“A House of Dynamite” stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson and Greta Lee and was produced by Bigelow, Noah Oppenheim and Greg Shapiro.

Entertainment

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20260112181412