‘Civil War’ thriller shot largely in Atlanta tops box office opening weekend
The dystopian thriller “Civil War” pulled in $25.7 million in its opening weekend, based on box office estimates, tops for all movies.
The film, budgeted at $50 million, stars Kirsten Dunst as a photojournalist grappling with an America at war with itself under the rule of an authoritarian three-term president played by Nick Offerman. “Civil War” was directed by Brit Alex Garland (”Ex Machina”).
So far, the film, which was shot largely in metro Atlanta but also a bit in London in 2022, received solid reviews with an 83% positive rating from 246 reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes and a 77% positive rating from viewers. “Tough and unsettling by design, ‘Civil War’ is a gripping close-up look at the violent uncertainty of life in a nation in crisis,” Rotten Tomatoes said in summary.
In its opening weekend, attendees gave the film an average B-minus, according to CinemaScore. About two-thirds of the moviegoers were men, and Imax showings pulled in nearly half the gross.
AJC writer Felicia Feaster, in a preview of the film, noted that a host of Atlanta locations were central to the film’s action in New York City, Washington and the American heartland. Examples: the sadly derelict, graffiti-covered Alonzo Herndon Stadium (once part of Morris Brown College); Big Bethel AME Church, the site of an urban skirmish between civilians and the military; and a replica of the White House housed at Tyler Perry’s studio at the former Fort McPherson site.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
