Tesla

The film follows Nikola Tesla as he pursues radical ideas about energy and communication at the dawn of the electrical age. Instead of focusing on public triumphs, it centers on the private stubbornness and restless curiosity that drives him to test a plan for wireless power and global connectivity. Tesla, portrayed as brilliant but troubled, clashes with the business interests and century old rivalries that stand in the way of his vision. The story threads through late nineteenth and early twentieth century laboratories, patent disputes, and the mounting pressure to commercialize invention. Alongside the science, the film peels into the spark of collaboration with allies like Anne Morgan and the consequences of Tesla's relentless pursuit. As Tesla wrestles with the limits of his contemporaries, the film uses overheard conversations, period texture, and an intimate camera to explore why his dreams collide with the realities of capital and politics.

Directed by Michael Almereyda, Tesla offers a stylized portrait of the inventor drawn from historical accounts, with Ethan Hawke starring as Nikola Tesla, Eve Hewson as Anne Morgan, and Jim Gaffigan, Kyle MacLachlan in supporting roles. The project draws on historical accounts and Almereyda's characteristic approach to docu-fiction, blending archival feel with contemporary sensibilities.

Box office performance was modest, with a worldwide gross around 459 thousand dollars against a five million dollar budget, reflecting a limited release, niche audience, and limited marketing rather than broad commercial appeal.

While not a blockbuster, the film contributes to a growing curiosity about Tesla and his era through a contemporary visual approach that invites audiences to rethink the promises and costs of radical invention. It also aligns with Almereyda's penchant for experimental storytelling.

Audience response appears mixed with a patient, reflective tone rather than a conventional biopic. The film probes themes of invention versus exploitation, ambition versus ethics, and the isolation that can accompany genius, offering a compact but thought provoking portrait of a figure who pressed at the edge of possibility.