Civil War: 6 lesser-known facts about Alex Garland’s dystopian thriller

Acclaimed British filmmaker and novelist Alex Garland, who is best known for Ex Machina and Annihilation, has returned with his latest passion project – the dystopian thriller Civil War. The film is set in the near future when the United States is grappling with a new civil war. The film has garnered critical acclaim after it premiered in the US on April 12, and is A24’s biggest box office debut in history. The film features a star-studded ensemble that includes Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jesse Plemons, Sonoya Mizuno, and Nick Offerman among others.

1. Just before filming commenced, acclaimed actor Jesse Plemons, who recently starred in Martin Scorcese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, stepped in to join the cast. This was after the actor who was initially cast in the role backed out of the project. He was recommended to director Alex Garland by Plemons’ wife, Kirsten Dunst, who plays the lead role in the film.
2. In addition to Jesse Plemons, another significant casting announcement was not revealed until the film’s trailer was released. It was the casting revelation of Parks and Recreation and The Last of Us star Nick Offerman as the President of the United States in the film.
3. Critics have described the film as an intense, immersive, and thought-provoking dystopian film. Lead star Kirsten Dunst revealed that she grappled with PTSD following the completion of filming, describing feeling a profound ‘sense of emptiness’.
4. The film subtly incorporates neon colours such as yellow, blue, and pink in various scenes. These distinct colours carry significant symbolism in revolutionary or insurgent movements, similar to the use of blue and red in Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution or the red associated with the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. The frequent appearance of these colours on soldiers and in battlefield settings serves as a nod to this phenomenon.
5. To fully engage the actors, the production opted to utilise full blanks for the gunfire rather than half or quarter blanks, which produced a discharge as loud as actual gunfire.
6. The film's American release date coincides with April 12, 2024, marking exactly 163 years since the start of the real American Civil War in 1865.

Well that's all we got for this episode, until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Ryan Gomez