Movies About World War 3

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn
Rated PG

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a 1964 dark comedy film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The movie is a parody of the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict. It tells the story of U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper’s (Sterling Hayden) paranoid order to attack the Soviet Union, which causes an international crisis between the two superpowers. Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers) is a wheelchair-bound former Nazi scientist who advises the U.S. President (George C. Scott) on how to avert a nuclear disaster. In the end, the film culminates in a series of disastrous events, including Major T.J. “King” Kong’s (Slim Pickens) nuclear bombing of the Soviet Union and Dr. Strangelove’s insane plan for the survival of humanity underground.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver, Dan O'Herlihy
Rated Approved

Fail Safe is a 1964 Cold War thriller directed by Sidney Lumet. The film stars Henry Fonda as President of the United States and Walter Matthau as a United States Air Force General. The film follows a mistaken order from the President to launch a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. The United States must then scramble to find a way to prevent the destruction of Moscow and the destruction of the world. With the help of a Russian Ambassador, the United States and the Soviet Union must decide how to resolve the issue without causing further destruction. The film is a tense and suspenseful look at Cold War politics and the devastation that nuclear warfare could bring. It is a stark reminder of the thin line between peace and destruction.

From Mick Jackson, starring Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale, David Brierly, Rita May
Rated TV-MA

Threads is an influential British television film about the effects of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield, England. It is an apocalyptic drama that follows the stories of two families before, during and after a nuclear attack. It realistically depicts the physical, psychological and social effects of nuclear war on the survivors, their families and the community. Through a variety of forms of media, including news reports, interviews and first-person accounts, the film shows the overwhelming destruction of the city, the breakdown of the civil society, and the drastic changes in people's lives. It also addresses the lack of international response to the disaster. Threads is widely regarded as one of the most important films about the Cold War and is considered one of the most realistic portrayals of nuclear war ever made.

From John McTiernan, starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Rated PG

The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American espionage thriller film produced by Mace Neufeld, directed by John McTiernan, and starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, and Sam Neill. The film is based on Tom Clancy’s 1984 novel of the same name. The film follows Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Connery) as he attempts to defect to the United States with his officers and the revolutionary new Soviet nuclear submarine Red October. The American government, led by CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Baldwin), is at first suspicious of Ramius' intentions. However, they soon come to believe his motives and track the submarine as it travels towards the United States. Along the way, they must also contend with the Soviet Navy, which has been ordered to sink the submarine at any cost. The Hunt for Red October is an exciting and thrilling look at the Cold War, espionage, and the lengths countries will go to protect their secrets. The film is a thrilling ride that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until its dramatic conclusion.

From Michael Bay, starring Sean Connery, Nicolas Cage, Ed Harris, John Spencer
Rated R

From Tony Scott, starring Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Matt Craven, George Dzundza
Rated R

From Len Wiseman, starring Bruce Willis, Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Maggie Q
Rated PG-13

From Lynne Littman, starring Jane Alexander, William Devane, Rossie Harris, Roxana Zal
Rated PG

From Donovan Marsh, starring Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Linda Cardellini
Rated R

From Seung-wan Ryu, starring Ha Jung-woo, Han Suk-kyu, Seung-beom Ryu, Jun Ji-hyun
Rated Not Rated

From Antoine Fuqua, starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett
Rated R

From Je-kyu Kang, starring Han Suk-kyu, Choi Min-sik, Yunjin Kim, Song Kang-ho
Rated R

From Roger Spottiswoode, starring Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher
Rated PG-13

From Stuart Baird, starring Kurt Russell, Halle Berry, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt
Rated R

From Phil Alden Robinson, starring Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman, Ian Mongrain, Russell Bobbitt
Rated PG-13

From Phillip Noyce, starring Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski
Rated PG-13

From Jonathan Mostow, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Kristanna Loken, Claire Danes
Rated R

From Michael Cuesta, starring Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Taylor Kitsch
Rated R

From John Woo, starring John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo
Rated R

From Babak Najafi, starring Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Angela Bassett
Rated R

From Todd Robinson, starring Ed Harris, Julian Adams, David Duchovny, William Fichtner
Rated R

From Kyung-taek Kwak, starring Jang Dong-Gun, Lee Jung-jae, Mi-yeon Lee, David Lee McInnis
Rated R

From Richard Brooks, starring Sean Connery, George Grizzard, Robert Conrad, Katharine Ross
Rated R

From Dean Devlin, starring Gerard Butler, Jim Sturgess, Abbie Cornish, Alexandra Maria Lara
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Jonathan Milott, Cary Murnion, starring Dave Bautista, Brittany Snow, Angelic Zambrana, Jeremie Harris
Rated TV-MA