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Dead Man's Wire
2025 American drama film From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Dead Man's Wire is a 2025 American historical crime film directed by Gus Van Sant, written by Austin Kolodney, working with historical consultants Alan Berry and Mark Enochs, which follows the crimes committed by Tony Kiritsis in the 1970s.[4] It stars Bill Skarsgård as Kiritsis, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha'la, Colman Domingo, and Al Pacino.
The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2025, and is scheduled to have a limited theatrical release by Row K Entertainment on January 9, 2026, followed by a wide release on January 16.[5]
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Premise
The film depicts the 1977 Indianapolis kidnapping by Tony Kiritsis of his bank mortgager, in which he requested hostage money and an apology.[6][7]
Cast
- Bill Skarsgård as Tony Kiritsis
- Dacre Montgomery as Richard Hall
- Cary Elwes as Detective Michael Grable
- Myha'la as Linda Page
- Colman Domingo as Fred Temple
- Al Pacino as M.L. Hall
- John Robinson as John the Cameraman
- Kelly Lynch as Mabel Hall
- Todd Gable as Chief Gallagher
- Mark Helms as Frank Love
- Michael Ashcraft as George Martz
- Neil Mulac as Agent Patrick Mullaney
- Daniel R. Hill as Jimmy Kiritsis
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Production
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The script was written in 2020 by Austin Kolodney. He was introduced to the true story via a podcast episode, and subsequently enlisted the help of documentarians Alan Berry and Mark Enochs (makers of the 2018 documentary Dead Man's Line on the events) to research and compile all the information of the events available.[8]
In January 2025, Gus Van Sant was reported to be the director with Bill Skarsgård and Dacre Montgomery leading the cast.[9] Talking about his decision to make the film, Van Sant said: "When I read the script there were links embedded in it – you could click them and hear the real 911 calls. Tony talked so fast, like Scorsese on a cocaine bender, cracking jokes and losing his temper. I thought, 'This is an amazing character. The story had this weird barnstormer energy ... The producer said, 'We have to start shooting in Louisville in two months.' That was the most appealing thing – just hitting the road."[10] Skarsgaard was someone Van Sant had wanted to work with for a long time; while Van Sant cast Montgomery off of his viral Stranger Things audition tape.[10]
In January 2025, Colman Domingo, Myha'la, Cary Elwes, and John Robinson joined the cast.[11][12] Domingo was cast after several actors had passed on the role; he was brought into the project by the producer Cassian Elwes.[10] In February 2025, Al Pacino joined the cast.[13]
Principal photography took place in Louisville, Kentucky, in January 2025.[14][15][16]
Release
The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 2, 2025.[17][18] It was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2025,[19][20] and will screen in the special presentations section of the 61st Chicago International Film Festival on October 18, 2025.[21]
On September 9, 2025, Row K Entertainment acquired North American rights to the film as the company's inaugural release and is scheduled to have a limited release on January 9, expanding to a wide release on January 16, 2026.[22][23]
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Reception
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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 52 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Brilliantly offbeat and tinged with a darkly humourous edge, Dead Man's Wire is brought to life by Bill Skarsgård's fearless performance, authentic period flavor, and anti-capitalist fervor."[24] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[25]
Pete Hammond for Deadline writes that the film feels like "art imitating life both past and present" and cites Skarsgård's performance, calling it "completely convincing and dedicated".[26]
Accolades
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See also
- Dead Man's Line – 2018 documentary by Alan Berry and Mark Enochs about the same event
References
External links
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