Tom Holland was relatively absent from Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, but one battle over world-changing technology may have not been enough for the Spider-Man star. In 2017’s The Current War, Holland played Samuel Insull while Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse waged an intense 19th-century war over whether Direct Current or Alternating Current would power the United States. 

Even with mixed reviews, The Current War kept audiences curious, thanks to its glittering cast and one particularly pressing question: where can you watch them in action?

The Current War is currently available to rent or buy digitally on Fandango At Home, although viewers looking for a free streaming option will find the electrical grid decidedly dark. Physical copies are also available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble, including DVD and Blu-ray editions. So, audiences can still watch the Edison-Westinghouse rivalry, provided they are willing to pay for the privilege.

The film brought together an exceptionally charged ensemble, with Benedict Cumberbatch playing Thomas Edison, Michael Shannon portraying George Westinghouse, and Nicholas Hoult stepping into the role of Nikola Tesla. Tom Holland also joined the historical drama as Samuel Insull, Edison's loyal secretary. In other words, the cast was practically an Avengers lineup for people who prefer their superpowers to involve electricity, invention, and spectacularly intense arguments.

Unfortunately, The Current War did not exactly light up the box office. Premiering in 2017 before receiving its wider 2019 release as The Current War: Director's Cut, the film earned roughly $12.2 million worldwide against an estimated $30 million budget. The numbers were considerably less electrifying than the cast, but the star power still makes the movie an intriguing watch.

Just as fans are wondering whether Tom Holland will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, viewers may be wondering whether The Current War has anything else going for it besides its star power and intriguing premise. Well, the answer is surprisingly electrifying.

The Current War is not content to sit politely in its period-drama corner and wait for the candles to do the lighting. Shot by the cinematographer of Oldboy, Chung-hoon Chung, the film turns electricity into a visual language, using kinetic camera movements, aggressive lens flares, split screens, and frantic montages to make the Industrial Revolution feel like a technological Avengers battle with considerably fewer capes.

What makes the drama especially compelling is how ruthlessly modern its corporate warfare feels. The film explores patent battles, corporate espionage, smear campaigns, infrastructure monopolies, and the weaponisation of public perception, while stripping Thomas Edison of his folk-hero shine and giving George Westinghouse a more dignified place in the fight. Add the meticulously recreated 1893 Chicago World's Fair and the film's research-heavy historical detail, and The Current War offers plenty to spark curiosity beyond its star-studded cast and electrifying premise.

Loved ‘The Odyssey’? Your Next Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson Fix Is Waiting on Netflix

Will you be making your way to Fandango to watch The Current War? Let us know in the comments!