To say the political atmosphere in America is rather contentious is putting it mildly. But are we ready for civil war? That’s certainly what a soon-to-be-released Hollywood film seems to suggest.
On Wednesday, the independent entertainment company A24 announced on its X account that they have a new movie coming out in 2024, just before the sure-to-be controversial presidential election.
It has been rather aptly named “Civil War.”
And no, this is not a historical film based on the American Civil War that took place during the 1800s. Neither is it at all futuristic. In fact, as it was described by the film’s writer and director Alex Garland in a July 2022 interview with Screen Daily, it’s a “contemporary war movie.”
In other words, it is a movie imagining what another civil war in the United States would be like should it take place in modern times.
In this land, anything is possible. Welcome to Alex Garland's CIVIL WAR. In theaters and @IMAX April 26. pic.twitter.com/5PG8bKGMaW
— A24 (@A24) December 13, 2023
To be sure, it’s something more of us than not have probably been worried about or imagined happening as of late. It’s no secret that tensions are high, with either one side of the aisle or another believing the leading candidate of the opposite side to be a dictator.
Media: Trump supporters are inciting threats to our democracy!
Hollywood: *makes mass-distributed movie about Civil War in America* https://t.co/U6vQqv1tWf
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) December 13, 2023
Whether anyone is right about that or not isn’t even the point. The point is that with tensions this high and many fearing the worst, it’s not hard to imagine one side or the other deciding that they have had enough – particularly depending on who wins or loses in 2024.
Enter what a modern-day civil war could look like.
In this fictional movie trailer, we hear what sounds like reporters running down a list of “facts.”
“Nineteen states have seceded. The United States Army ramps up activity. The White House issued warnings to the Western Forces as well as the Florida Alliance. The three-term president assures the uprising will be dealt with swiftly.”
As the trailer progresses, we see other familiar aspects of civil war, including neutrality, airstrikes on Americans, etc.
To put it bluntly, it’s a sinister idea. And one we should hope we never have to experience. But don’t think for a second this is merely a coincidence during an election year.
Looks to me like they are trying to normalize something.
Or make Americans believe that the US government would air strike American citizens.
Propaganda in some capacity.
— Clandestine (@WarClandestine) December 13, 2023
