Gus Van Sant returns to the big screen after a seven-year hiatus with Dead Man’s Wire, a gripping true-crime thriller that dramatizes the infamous 1977 hostage crisis involving Indianapolis businessman Tony Kiritsis. Set for limited release on January 9 before wide expansion on January 16, 2026, the film has generated buzz for its sharp social commentary, stellar performances, and uncanny relevance to contemporary frustrations with corporate power.

Bill Skarsgård delivers a tour-de-force as Kiritsis, a desperate real estate developer who, feeling cheated by predatory lending practices, snaps and takes mortgage executive Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery) hostage with a sawed-off shotgun rigged to a “dead man’s wire” — a noose ensuring mutual destruction if police intervene. Over a 63-hour standoff broadcast live across Indiana, Kiritsis demands $5 million, immunity, and a public apology, transforming from villain to unlikely folk hero in the eyes of many disillusioned Americans.

Van Sant, known for films like Good Will Hunting and Milk, infuses the story with 1970s grit reminiscent of Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon. Shot in just 19 days in Louisville, Kentucky, the film captures the era’s beige polyester aesthetic and media frenzy, while Danny Elfman’s score adds pulsing tension. Supporting turns from Al Pacino (as Hall’s father), Colman Domingo, Myha’la, Cary Elwes, and Kelly Lynch enrich the ensemble.

Critics have praised Skarsgård’s “electric, unhinged” portrayal, blending mania with tragic sympathy, earning early Oscar whispers. The film’s anti-capitalist undercurrents — a man crushed by financial institutions lashing out — feel strikingly modern, drawing parallels to recent vigilante figures without overt preaching.

Premiering out of competition at Venice and screening at TIFF, Dead Man’s Wire holds strong reviews (72 on Metacritic), lauded for dark humor, authentic period detail, and Van Sant’s restrained direction. It’s a throwback to punchy 70s thrillers with timely bite — proving the director still excels at outsider tales.

For fans of true-crime dramas with moral complexity, this is a must-see. Skarsgård reaffirms his status as today’s premier character actor, while Van Sant delivers a winner that resonates far beyond 1977.