Set in October 1986, The Brink of War dramatizes the historic two-day Reykjavík Summit in Iceland between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders meet to discuss the reduction or possible elimination of nuclear weapons. Sitting alone at a table, they quickly realize they both want to end the nuclear threat, but disagreements soon arise. Reagan asks Gorbachev for a special favor: to allow the sister of noted cellist Mstislav Rostropovich to visit her brother in the United States for his birthday. Gorbachev refuses. Reagan insists on continuing to test his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) shield system, which Gorbachev finds unacceptable. The men begin squabbling, with Reagan taking jabs at Soviet socialism and Gorbachev criticizing the United States’ racist history. The summit ends with both men frustrated, having reached no agreement. But Secretary of State George Shultz has one last idea that just might work.
Title: The Brink of War
Year: 2026
Type: Feature Film
Country: United States
Language: English
Director: Michael Russell Gunn (feature directorial debut)
Writer: Michael Russell Gunn
Producers: 2521 Entertainment, SK Global
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, War
Stars: Jeff Daniels (Ronald Reagan), Jared Harris (Mikhail Gorbachev), J.K. Simmons (George Shultz), Hope Davis (Nancy Reagan), Branka Katić (Raisa Gorbachev), Aya Cash (Svetlana Savitskaya), Guy Burnet (Ken Adelman), John Ross Bowie, Adrian Rawlins, Vladimir Kulich, Tim Dutton, Stephen Brennan, Catherine Burdon, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson