Nuclear risks are rising and changing—and they’re flying dangerously under the public’s radar. That’s where culture comes in.
Films and shows with nuclear weapon themes aren’t just entertaining, they prompt conversations. They can help remind audiences that we live in a world where thousands of nuclear weapons are ready to go at a moment’s notice, that a handful of people around the world have the power to launch them, and that the consequences of their use would be horrific.
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Many iconic, successful films and shows have tackled nuclear weapons—from Dr. Strangelove and Oppenheimer to The Americans and Fallout. These examples, all vastly different, prove nuclear stories can be harrowing and dramatic or even darkly comedic.
NTI’s Critical Mass project supports film and TV storytellers developing characters, storylines, and projects that portray the world’s most dangerous weapons. We help seed new story ideas, connect storytellers with front-line experts, and help studios and production teams expand the impact of their projects through impact and awards campaign partnerships.
NTI offers script consultations and writers’ room briefings with world-class experts and can connect you with people who have been affected by nuclear weapons production, testing, and use.
NTI helps studios and production teams expand the impact of their projects by connecting Hollywood and policymakers and lifting the issues at the heart of the story for audiences.
At another risky moment in history, Hollywood stories like The Day After sparked a public debate and changed President Reagan’s mind about nuclear weapons, leading to an 80-percent reduction in the number of nuclear weapons in the world, from 70,000 to 12,000.
An image from "The Day After," the 1983 TV movie watched by 100 million Americans. (Disney/ABC via Getty Images)
Today, the number of nuclear weapons in the world is on track to go up for the first time in four decades. Hollywood can help remind audiences of the unparalleled power and destruction of nukes. It can also show regular people they have a role to play in pulling us back from the brink.
Your work can help make sure nuclear weapons are never used again. We can help.
NTI has an impressive track record of building a safer world, and they will be a resource for me as I make [Ghosts of Hiroshima] into a film.
NTI breaks down the nuclear themes in "A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE," a new film from Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow, opening in theaters October 10, 2025 and available on Netflix on October 24.
