It is a period piece telling the true story of the war between Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) during the “War of Currents,” which saw the two industrialists expand access to electricity across America.
The film was initially positioned as a viable awards contender for TWC and its star Benedict Cumberbatch, but the Weinstein drama may have potentially dashed some hopes that the Academy could go anywhere near it.
Under different circumstances, the film’s premise would read like prime Oscar bait, but the Hollywood headlines have called its immediate future into question.
This certainly comes as a stroke of bad luck for The Current War, because on paper it seems like a film that’s tailor-made for awards season.