Dead Man’s Wire

A gripping true‑crime thriller from Gus Van Sant.

Dead Man’s Wire, the latest film from acclaimed director Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, Good Will Hunting, Milk), brings one of America’s most astonishing real-life hostage standoffs to the big screen. Premiering out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, the film marks Van Sant’s highly anticipated return to feature filmmaking.

Set in 1977, the story follows Tony Kiritsis, a man pushed to breaking point by a mortgage firm he believes has wronged him. In a desperate act, Kiritsis storms into the company’s offices and takes Richard Hall, the boss’s son, hostage. He rigs a shotgun to both of them with a “dead man’s wire”—a device that will fire if either man moves or is harmed.

Barricaded inside his apartment and thrust into the national spotlight, Kiritsis becomes an unlikely media figure as he broadcasts his grievances live to a local DJ. Meanwhile, police negotiators race to defuse a situation that could end in tragedy at any moment. The result is a tense, darkly comic, and stylish thriller that explores power, desperation, and the spectacle of American media.

The film stars Bill Skarsgård as Tony Kiritsis, leading an ensemble cast including Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, Colman Domingo, and Al Pacino. Written by Austin Kolodney, the screenplay draws on extensive historical research with consultants Alan Berry and Mark Enochs, creators of the 2018 documentary Dead Man’s Line.

Dead Man’s Wire offers a sharp, timely look at a true event that shocked the nation—one that still resonates in today’s conversations about justice, mental strain, and the power of public narrative.

The film will be introduced at a u3a screening on 26 March at 1:45 pm, supporting the u3a movement’s mission to bring retired and semi‑retired people together through shared learning and cultural experiences.